Lou Ferrigno, the 2-time Mr. Universe, became a household name in the late 1970s after playing the original Incredible Hulk. During his prime, his rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger became widely known, as seen in the documentary Pumping Iron.

Apart from that, Ferrigno also has a reputation for having one of the perfect physiques in the bodybuilding world. Yet Ferrigno never stopped training, even after retiring in 1974. At 74, he is still going strong.

“Stay active, feel young. What do you do to feel young?” stated the caption of the 22 May Instagram post of Ferrigno doing a seated chest press.

The bodybuilding legend also opened up about his current shape and the philosophy behind his bounce back after shoulder surgery in December 2025, when 95 percent of the tendon was reattached.

“I tell you, people that have shoulder replacement, hip replacement, any kind of surgery, when it comes to the joints, it’s very important to be in the best physical shape," said Ferrigno in the Instagram video. "Because people I've seen that have had these kinds of surgeries would labor and rehab for months afterwards to get the same condition back”.

However, according to Ferrigno, his good physical condition allowed him to return effectively and exercise without any issues.

“Another thing I want to mention, which is very important when you age, you have to really embrace the aging process," continued Ferrigno. "For example, after the age of 60, the tendons have less blood flow, and the tendons tend to be more brittle. So I'm 74 now because I'm exercising, so well watch what I eat. That's why I can look like a person that's 55, even 45”.

Apart from the philosophy of longevity and recovery, Ferrigno also follows certain rules that help him stay fit and strong at this age.

Lou Ferrigno’s rule for strength and size at 74

On June 18, 2021, Ferrigno appeared on the Men's Health YouTube channel, where he shared some of the rules that have helped him maintain his strength and size over the years. He also shared some workouts he currently follows.

The rules include the following:

• Enjoy training: Ferrigno has enjoyed training from an early age. He said, “When I was very young, I was very poor. I didn’t have gym equipment”. However, his love motivated him, and he finally started going to a junkyard and building a makeshift barbell.
• Do not let your ego get in the way while working out: He said, “I feel that all isolation. It’s not about the weight; it’s how you do it.” Ferrigno currently prefers quality reps over heavy weight and load.
• It's never too late: According to him, age can not be an excuse. “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 maximize what you have, your personal power and your vision and your short-term and long-term goals”.

Apart from that, he has also been seen working out like:

• 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: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per arm.

What are your thoughts on Lou Ferrigno's approach to aging?

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi