Lou Ferrigno

My next OVERCOMING THE ODDS article is on Bodybuilding Legend and Actor Lou Ferrigno best known for playing 'The Incredible Hulk'.  When Lou was a child, he lived a life of seclusion due to severe hearing loss.  Not long after he was born, Ferrigno suffered a series of ear infections and lost 75 to 80% of his hearing.  It was until he was three that he was diagnosed with deafness.  As a young child, Ferrigno experienced shyness and difficulty forming relationships with other people.  A fan of the Hercules films, Lou fascinated about transforming his body into a muscular physique that he saw on Television, Movies and in Comic Books.  When Ferrigno picked up his first barbell as a skinny kid, I'm sure he never imagined the impact he would have on the sport of Professional Bodybuilding.  Early in his Bodybuilding career, Ferrigno won IFBB Mr. America and IFBB Mr. Universe.  In fact, he won Mr. Universe twice in a row.  At age 23, he was one of the youngest people to enter the Mr. Universe contest.  Ferrigno was showcased in the infamous Bodybuilding film Pumping Iron.  After 17 years away from the sport, Ferrigno returned to Bodybuilding in the 1992 IFBB Mr. Olympia in Finland. He placed 12th the first year and 10th the next.  He then turned to the 1994 Masters Olympia.  Even though he didnt Win, he proved one could make a decent comeback to the sport after such a long hiatus.

Of course, one cannot underscore Lou Ferrigno's influence on Movies and Pop Culture.  In 1977, Ferrigno was cast in 'The Incredible Hulk' as the Hulk.  To this date, he has over 20 feature films to his credit including Cage One and Two, Hercules, Sinbad, the Seven Seas and of course Pumping Iron.  In the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, Lou voiced the 'Hulk' and even made cameo appearances in the film.

Lou Ferrigno is still in great shape today and along with his former Workout Partner Arnold Schwarzenegger is regarded as one of the most influential people in Professional Bodybuilding.  He still makes appearances at Mr

. Olympia and still has a Large Following.  

Lou Ferrigno.  There will never be another.  He was diagnosed with a condition as a child that threatened to ostracize him from certain elements of society.  However, he OVERCAME THE ODDS by excelling at Working his body and by having an influence on Pop Culture by playing 'The Incredible Hulk.'