Glendale boy flexes his muscles

Alecia Foster

NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Richard Sandrak paused, took a couple of deep

breaths and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Almost immediately, he effortlessly flew back into his routine --

spinning around and throwing a quick jab at the practice pad held by his

mother Lena.

A Japanese camera crew from TV Asahi looked on.

The 9-year-old Glendale resident has gathered much attention for his

physique and martial arts abilities during the past year.

The muscular, home-schooled fourth-grader has appeared on television

around the world and at several bodybuilding shows, including Arnold

Schwarzenegger’s Arnold Classic.

Richard can’t compete in the shows -- there isn’t a category for him.

But his presence at them is definitely known.

“I’ve been guest sparring at all kinds of shows,” he said.

The 4-foot, 5-inch boy weighs in at about 72 pounds -- and appears to

be all muscle. While most adult males aspire to have that six-pack of

abdominal muscles, Richard has achieved an eight-pack.

Agent Helen White -- yes, the 9-year-old has an agent -- recently

submitted information about Richard to the Guinness Book of World Records

in London to see if he would fit into any of their categories.

Richard, who said he loves to train, first began working out with his

mother and father several years ago.

But the regimen is much different than one might think, said father,

Pavel, a personal trainer to the stars and athletes.

The family participates in a type of martial arts training that

originated in the Caucasus Mountain Range, which separates Europe and

Asia. The style, Attar, has been part of the culture there for thousands

of years, Pavel said.

“I learn from [my father] and I teach my son,” Pavel said. “It’s not

just a fighting thing -- it’s a whole life.”

The regimen includes a low-fat, mostly vegetarian diet, meditation and

an exercise regimen consisting largely of stretches and sparring and very

minimal weight training, he said.

Pavel was surprised at how much his son got into training and said he

has never pushed him to do so.

“Right now he enjoys this, but tomorrow he may enjoy something else,”

he said, adding that would be fine by him.

Neither Pavel or Lena have been surprised by the attention their son

has received.

“I did expect something, but not this,” Lena said. “We didn’t realize

this was going to happen so fast.”

For now, Richard seems to be enjoying the attention -- he spent Monday

afternoon talking with and demonstrating his skills for a news crew from

TV Asahi in Japan.

The 9-year-old said he had no plans to ever compete.