If you know Lou Ferrigno, you probably remember him for his bodybuilding and acting career, most famously as the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk. Standing at 6ft 5in, Ferrigno dominated the screen long before CGI did the heavy lifting. He first rose to global fame in 1977 after appearing in Pumping Iron alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Now 74, Ferrigno still trains hard. In a recent video with Men’s Health US, he breaks down his training philosophy and the principles he continues to follow to maintain strength and size in his seventies.
Lou Ferrigno’s Training RulesRule 1: Enjoy Training
‘When I was very young, I was very poor,’ says Ferrigno. ‘I didn’t have gym equipment.’ He recalls going to a junkyard and building a makeshift barbell simply because he loved to train.
‘The great thing about bodybuilding and fitness, it gave me that discipline to do anything I want to do. Nothing holds me back. That made me a warrior and a fighter,’ he says.
Training, he explains, has always been therapeutic. It gave him an outlet and a vision for the future. ‘I want to know how I can maximise my body. The next step was me to start working out and getting the feeling of picking up the iron. And it gave me a great feeling. I just liked working out. The more I saw my body started to change, the more I became obsessed.’
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Rule 2: Leave Your Ego at the Door
When he trains now, Ferrigno says, ‘I feel that all isolation. It’s not about the weight, it’s how you do it.’
He prioritises rep quality over load, an approach that can be especially valuable for older lifters. Focusing on control and execution helps improve lifting efficiency while reducing injury risk.
He also avoids comparison. ‘I don’t compete with other people. It’s all about competing with yourself,’ he says. ‘Be the best you can be. Because, having that, being the best you can be, your personal power – that’s powerful.’
Rule 3: Food First
Speaking on the Pawn After Dark podcast, Ferrigno outlined his food-first approach to nutrition, centred on whole foods.
‘I eat like meat, fish, fruit and vegetables,’ he says. ‘I eat my calories. I don’t drink my calories. I like my occasional wine in the evening.’
He aims to keep things simple and minimally processed. ‘I stay away from fried food, very high-fat food, processed with chemicals, stuff like that. That’s why I eat as natural as possible.’
Rule 4: It’s Never Too Late
Ferrigno is adamant that age shouldn’t be an excuse to stop pushing forward.
‘You only live once. You can’t turn 75, 80, 85 and say, “If I, should have, I should have.” That’s it, it’s done. You’re done. It’s all about every day to maximise what you have, your personal power and your vision and your short-term and long-term goals.’
‘If you have passion about something, that makes you powerful. People are afraid to achieve things in life. They’re afraid to take risks. I love taking risks,’ he says.
For Ferrigno, it comes down to facing fear head-on. ‘You got to embrace the fear factor. If you embrace fear, you can do anything.’
The Workout
Warm-up: Treadmill walk or jog x 10 minutes
Machine chest press x 3 sets of 12 reps
Machine preacher curl x 3 sets of 12 reps
Alternating dumbbell curl x 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per arm
Triceps kickback x 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per arm
How to Do the Moves
Adjust the seat so the handles align with mid-chest. Sit tall and brace your core. Press the handles forward until your arms are extended without locking out. Pause briefly, then return under control until your elbows reach roughly 90 degrees.
Set the seat so your armpits rest comfortably on the pad. Grip the bar with palms facing up. Curl the weight, squeezing your biceps while keeping your upper arms fixed. Pause at the top, then lower slowly until your arms are nearly straight.
Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand. Curl one weight towards your shoulder until your thumb reaches your collarbone, keeping your elbow close to your side. Lower under control, then repeat on the opposite arm.
Triceps Kickback
Hold a dumbbell in one hand and hinge slightly at the hips with a flat back. Bend your elbow to 90 degrees, upper arm tucked close to your side. Extend your arm behind you, squeezing your triceps at the top, then return slowly.
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