Did Lou Ferrigno train Michael Jackson?
Lou Ferrigno, who was one of the best bodybuilders to step on the competitive stage, has had a long and prosperous life. Apart from gaining huge success in bodybuilding and Hollywood, 'The Hulk' also was a personal trainer to many Hollywood stars, including Mickey Rourke and Chuck Norris. Among various such names was also American singer, songwriter and dancer Michael Jackson.
A long-term friend and personal trainer to Michael Jackson, Lou 'The Hulk' Ferrigno proved to be of great help to 'The King of Pop' amidst his chronic back pain, which often impacted his performances during his world tours and live shows. Reminiscing about his experience working with Michael Jackson, in 2009, Ferrigno said:
"The workout wasn’t any heavy resistance. A lot of stretching and a light walk on the treadmill...being 50, his body went through a lot of stress getting ready for the tour, but he was awesome."
About Michael Jackson's training regimen, Lou Ferrigno wrote in an Instagram post:
“The guy was in fantastic shape...I have gone to his house three or four times a week...He didn’t want to deal with weight train so he mostly wanted to deal with flexibility and conditioning."
Michael Jackson and Lou Ferrigno shared a bond much more deeper than that of a trainer and a client. Michael Jackson used to play pranks on Lou's dad. During an exclusive interview with pagesix.com, the bodybuilding icon said:
“He would play pranks on my dad...He would call my dad and be like, ‘Hey I’m looking for Omar,’ and my dad would be, ‘Huh? Who’s this?’ ‘I’m looking for Omar.’
"And my dad isn’t great on the phone so it would end in him yelling, ‘Who’s Omar?’ We were trying to figure out who Omar was and [then] we’d figure out it was Michael. He loved playing pranks; he was so lighthearted and sweet."
Lou Ferrigno's tribute to Michael Jackson
The world of music took a pause on June 25, 2009, when the news of Michael Jackson's demise emerged. Jackson, who is considered one of the greatest legends of the industry, died due to a cardiac arrest at the age of 50, in Los Angeles, California.
Due to the close relationship that the duo shared, Lou Ferrigno was deeply impacted by this news.
“To see him, I’d say about three weeks ago ... I was like his personal friend...I was too devastated," Ferrigno said.
The legacy of Michael Jackson continues to live on. The friendship Lou Ferrigno and Michael Jackson shared was a special one.
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