'Egyptian Popeye' defends his 31-inch upper arms
MILFORD, Mass. (AP) - Don't tell Popeye. It turns out you don't need to eat your spinach to get the world's biggest arms.
Massachusetts bodybuilder Moustafa Ismail eats seven pounds of protein, nine pounds of carbohydrates and three gallons of water each day to help maintain upper arms that measure 31 inches around - as big as a small man's waist.
Skeptics say there must also be steroids or some other artificial means behind Ismail's beyond-bulging biceps and triceps, and Guinness World Records is waffling on whether to recognize him.
But he insists they are all-natural, the result of a punishing workout regimen he started after a guest at his uncle's wedding in his native Egypt mocked his overweight frame.
"They call me Popeye, the Egyptian Popeye," Ismail, 24, said while working out in the Boston suburb of Milford. But unlike the cartoon character, "I like chicken, beef, anything but spinach."
It's not easy having the world's biggest arms.
Generous amounts of poultry, seafood and shakes provide the protein he needs to fuel daily two-hour workouts in which he lifts as much as 600 pounds. He also takes mineral and vitamin supplements and drinks plenty of water to flush out his system.
Then there's clothes shopping. The rest of Ismail's body is average, so it's a challenge finding shirts that fit his arms without making him look like a little kid playing dress-up.
Not to mention the controversy that ensued when Guinness decided to recognize him as having the largest upper arm muscles on earth and critics accused him of using steroids or other artificial methods.
He lost a night of sleep but then decided the criticism "is motivation for me - it's not something that's gonna put me down."
Ismail started building his muscles in his Egyptian hometown of Alexandria before moving to the United States in 2007 and settling in Franklin, southwest of Boston. To pay for his gym membership and dietary requirements, he worked two jobs as a gas station attendant, but gave up one after his wife complained that he was pushing himself too hard.
Then Guinness called last fall, offering him an all-expenses-paid trip to London for a signature appearance with the world's shortest woman and others.
He went, but then the controversy started. Strangers claimed online that he used steroids or had implants in his arms. Others speculated that he might have injected his muscles with a synthetic oil substance, synthol, used by bodybuilders to fluff muscle tissues.
"It is hurtful," Ismail said, noting that he has no scars that would have resulted from surgery and that supporting a wife in the U.S. and family members in Egypt doesn't leave him with spare cash to buy pricey synthetic oils.
He even went to Tokyo to appear in a Fuji TV documentary program in which independent doctors collected blood samples and X-rayed his muscles. They found nothing abnormal, he said.
Still, Guinness hastily removed references to Ismail from its website. Spokeswoman Sara Wilcox said in October that Guinness was conducting research with medical specialists and reviewing Ismail's category. She did not respond to emailed questions later seeking details about when Guinness would conclude the review and what it entails.
Some fellow amateur bodybuilders at his gym, however, support Ismail and say they believe his arms are natural.
"When I first saw him I thought 'Oh my God, he's a freak' - the big Popeye arms, he's incredible, but he works out hard, so good luck to him," said Janice Vincuilla.
Ismail has lifted as much as 600 pounds but said he doesn't typically focus on how much weight he is hoisting.
"It's not about me lifting heavy weights," he said. "It's about me making the right techniques, even with the light weights, but getting good results out of that."
Massachusetts bodybuilder Moustafa Ismail eats seven pounds of protein, nine pounds of carbohydrates and three gallons of water each day to help maintain upper arms that measure 31 inches around - as big as a small man's waist.
Skeptics say there must also be steroids or some other artificial means behind Ismail's beyond-bulging biceps and triceps, and Guinness World Records is waffling on whether to recognize him.
But he insists they are all-natural, the result of a punishing workout regimen he started after a guest at his uncle's wedding in his native Egypt mocked his overweight frame.
"They call me Popeye, the Egyptian Popeye," Ismail, 24, said while working out in the Boston suburb of Milford. But unlike the cartoon character, "I like chicken, beef, anything but spinach."
It's not easy having the world's biggest arms.
Generous amounts of poultry, seafood and shakes provide the protein he needs to fuel daily two-hour workouts in which he lifts as much as 600 pounds. He also takes mineral and vitamin supplements and drinks plenty of water to flush out his system.
Then there's clothes shopping. The rest of Ismail's body is average, so it's a challenge finding shirts that fit his arms without making him look like a little kid playing dress-up.
Not to mention the controversy that ensued when Guinness decided to recognize him as having the largest upper arm muscles on earth and critics accused him of using steroids or other artificial methods.
He lost a night of sleep but then decided the criticism "is motivation for me - it's not something that's gonna put me down."
Ismail started building his muscles in his Egyptian hometown of Alexandria before moving to the United States in 2007 and settling in Franklin, southwest of Boston. To pay for his gym membership and dietary requirements, he worked two jobs as a gas station attendant, but gave up one after his wife complained that he was pushing himself too hard.
Then Guinness called last fall, offering him an all-expenses-paid trip to London for a signature appearance with the world's shortest woman and others.
He went, but then the controversy started. Strangers claimed online that he used steroids or had implants in his arms. Others speculated that he might have injected his muscles with a synthetic oil substance, synthol, used by bodybuilders to fluff muscle tissues.
"It is hurtful," Ismail said, noting that he has no scars that would have resulted from surgery and that supporting a wife in the U.S. and family members in Egypt doesn't leave him with spare cash to buy pricey synthetic oils.
He even went to Tokyo to appear in a Fuji TV documentary program in which independent doctors collected blood samples and X-rayed his muscles. They found nothing abnormal, he said.
Still, Guinness hastily removed references to Ismail from its website. Spokeswoman Sara Wilcox said in October that Guinness was conducting research with medical specialists and reviewing Ismail's category. She did not respond to emailed questions later seeking details about when Guinness would conclude the review and what it entails.
Some fellow amateur bodybuilders at his gym, however, support Ismail and say they believe his arms are natural.
"When I first saw him I thought 'Oh my God, he's a freak' - the big Popeye arms, he's incredible, but he works out hard, so good luck to him," said Janice Vincuilla.
Ismail has lifted as much as 600 pounds but said he doesn't typically focus on how much weight he is hoisting.
"It's not about me lifting heavy weights," he said. "It's about me making the right techniques, even with the light weights, but getting good results out of that."
Instead of "Popeye" they should call him "Pooparms" because his arms look like sh.....
I swear I have nothing unnatural except the butt cheeks I had implanted in my arms lmao
So NOT attractive!Â
"Then there's clothes shopping. The rest of Ismail's body is average, so it's a challenge finding shirts that fit his arms without making him look like a little kid playing dress-up." I wore a batman shirt just like that growing up...
How can he support his wife, and family members back home, plus pay for seven pounds of protein and nine pounds of carbs daily, on even both full time gas station gigs,much less just one of them?Â
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And as everyone else has already pointed out, how could he possibly build those without building the rest of his arms?
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Everyone here who knows something about weightlifting and strength training, don't you use a lot more of your arm muscles than just your biceps to lift 600 pounds?
 @MargeGundersonÂ
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If this guy lifted 600 pounds, it was in British currency and used to pay for the injections. A proper dead-lift incorporates hamstrings, quads, glutes, hip adductors, lower back, and a whole hell of a lot of grip.
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No one curls 600lbs and the guys that can press 600lbs make this idiot look like an insect.
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I'm thinking the 600lbs claim is his total for the day 40 at a time 15 REPS. LOL he is a fake Margy
Oh Roids,Roids,Roids.
A clear example of how NOT to weight train. Regardless of how his arms got that big, they are disproportionate to the rest of his body and it looks very weird. In most of the pics it looks like he has tumors because his forearms and shoulders are much smaller. I couldn't see how one would get biceps and triceps that big and not their forearms, if they lifted correctly.
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Egyptian Popeye? Popeye's biceps were small, it was his forearms that were big.Â
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The important part is he is happy with how his body looks.
MADE SOME GAAIIINNZZZ MAYAN!
 @Erxkeel lol, TMW? :)
Can you say mental issues.
Clearly synthol use.  It's not going to show up in an x-ray and the chemical is completely absorbed by the body in a matter of weeks. The visual cues give it away immediately. No vascularity or definition of either muscle - just a big mound of flesh.Â
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Look at any legitimate weight lifter and tell me you can't see the difference between this guy's fakeceps and an actual bicep/tricep.
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The people that use this crap deserve less respect than the ones that use steroids in competition. It's just visual enhancement. There's no performance gain at all; note his "massive" 40lb curls. I've seen women do that.
@silens Word-synthol all the way ! looks like a load of crap, dead give a way.
other googel images synthol.
 @BocaBob  @silens Remember, the article started out saying people made fun of his excessive weight at his uncle's wedding. So he's lost most of the fat on the rest of his body but probably still has a fair layer of it that would hide the vascularity and muscle definition.
 @jcman  @BocaBob  @silensÂ
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Yeah but the human body doesn't work like that. When you lose fat mass, it's a cumulative loss from your entire body, not specific areas.
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A good way to tell if a fitness program is a load of crap is if they mention targeting specific "fat deposits" or anything that could be construed as spot reduction. Get a great butt! Get 6-pack abs! It's all just marketing designed to keep you chasing a perfectly sculpted carrot.
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But seriously, the guy is an insult to anyone who takes fitness seriously.Â
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 @BocaBob Frankly I find it totally weird. It would have been a lot more interesting if his forearms were muscled like that. Then he could have really claimed the name Popeye of Egypt.
Please check out other images of synthol abuse and you will see what the rest are talking about. It is clear and is why  guinness dropped him and why the docs cleared him also why he uses 40lbs bells to curl. His 600lbs claim must be the total for the day. but he did get his 15 seconds fame 9the new 15 min in cyber space) :0)
Most likely injected himself with synthol, an oil that give the appearance of bigger muscle mass but does absolutely nothing to make the individual stronger.
 @3rase I'm sure Guinness would have made sure that wasn't the case.
@Shabadoo @3rase They did and they dropped him like a hot potater!
GROSS!!!!! This is no way sexy or a turn on.
That is no way real. For those who really Into body building, you know that it doesn't work that way. Just look at his forearm, are you kidding me?! Even if you only work your biceps, your forearm compensate and take some of the load and it will form a muscle. besides, he s just lifting 45 lbs or biceps and pretending to be heavy. What a joke!
That's in NO way appealing...I'm jus' sayin...
Ewwwwwwwwwww.
As others said, his arms are full of synthol. That's oil, not muscle. He definitely doesn't qualify for world's biggest arms, which should be made mostly of muscle, not oil or fat. Even if steroids or HGH were used to build that muscle, it's still muscle that had to be built with hard work. Injecting yourself with oil takes absolutely no skill or discipline whatsoever. The only thing he qualifies for is a mental disorder.
hmmm, anyone ever heard of "Greg Valentino"??? he looks EXACTLY THE SAME!!
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take a look at what i have provided you HERE:
http://s2.mcstatic.com/thumb/1117529/6211795/4/flash_player/1/1/a_muscle_mans_huge_arms_greg_valentino_talkin_with_dave_5.jpg
Whatever floats your boat...
So... does he speak out of the side of his mouth by muttering disconnected half-syllables - and does he eat spinach?
Somewhere a cannibal is planning their next meal...
Muscles are like boobs; once they get obnoxiously big / fake, they're just unattractive. Hooters or biceps the size of basketballs is just dumb.
 @Ron Burgandy Especially if on someone you just met in a dark alley!
Where's the muscle definition? If you're an avid lifter you would the your forearms would be bigger and that the biceps would be alot more cut. The body doesn't matchÂ
sheesh what some people do to sculpt their bodies... I am sorry but there is such thing as excessive... I am content with my body build as long as I am height weight proportional and am still flexible I for one avoid too much muscle for this reason alone.. just no point in my eyes. But this is what a rush for a meaningless record does to people...the practice should be abolished as a spectacle like it is now
 @Freespeech Guinness has eliminated several categories over the years when it became known people were putting themselves, or worse, their children or pets, at harm to chase the titles.Â
It looks like maybe it's time to reevaluate this one if there are more of these out there.Â
He looks silly.
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What in the stupid. It's so clearly snythol, that it's hilarious the article even mentioned steroids. This guy is a joke. I have 15.5 inch biceps and concentration curl five more pounds (45lb dumbbells) than he demonstrated in the video , for ten reps. I only weigh 165lbs. This guy is a disgrace for continuing to lie and belittle the incredible amount of work it takes legitimate bodybuilders, steroids or not, to reach competition-level physiques. I hope, at the very least, Guinness sues him for a return on their all expenses paid trip. For your entertainment, here are other examples of synthol injection: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNvtGKE0VcU
 @windtreeman Just curious here, not disputing you, but wouldn't someone this hard up for attention use both steroids and synthol?
Is there logic (not that this guy is very logical about this subject, obviously) to choose just one, assuming he doesn't care about any other risk factors or financial implications?Â
 @MargeGunderson I think the only logical reason he'd shy away from steroids is that they're incredibly expensive and somewhat difficult to obtain. Not counting the legality or financial reasons, for steroids to have any effect at all, you still have to lift weights excessively; based on the video and the fact that he didn't use proper form in a single lift he did, this guy rarely lifts weights. I'm guessing the root of the problem is, he has no desire to put in the effort and instead, injects his arms with enough synthol oil to instantly achieve the record circumference.Â
@windtreeman I curl 40, used to do 45 until I had tennis elbow a year and a half ago. Then had a severe accident and couldnt workout for 6 months, now am back at 40. Im 160 so we are fairly similar I bet.
Btw, I clicked on your video, did you see the other video on that page about the guy whose biceps exploded? He was in the ER unconscious, and his arms were cleary visible, with huge tears in the flesh. Gross.
 @northwestsurfer  @windtreeman Nice man! Tennis elbow is terrible; I've got jumper's knee so I'm dying during squats, ha. I did, in fact see that video and I was genuinely scared to do my bicep workout tonight, haha. I think I took it a little easier, for sure.Â
@windtreeman yeah, I would not wish tennis elbow on my worst enemy.
Your biceps would never explode like that from just working out. Steroid users are more prone to injury because their muscles grow at a much faster rate, and their bodies are not able to keep in sync. So their bones, connective tissue, or even muscle tissue can tear and break easier.
Wonder if he has considered what will happen when he ultimately stops the exercise and heavy food intake. Â
Looks like a case of body dysmorphic disorder.
Looks like plastic surgery to me - muscle implants. His forearms are wildly underdeveloped versus his upper arms...which seems almost impossible to do. Similarly, his shoulders look undersized as well.
Thats freakin gross!
That's a lot of steroids and he looks like a freak of nature
It's called Synthol and no he is not doing this 'naturally".Â
Wowee, his arms are bigger than my waist! Â He seems like a very nice guy, very happy, I wish him all the best. Â But wowee!
Not sure why they call him Popeye. Â Popeye had massive forearms, not biceps. Â Did this guy have a stroke as well that gave him a speech impediment and lose of muscle control on half his face like Popeye? Â Probably will come soon from the suspected steroid use.
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Why would anyone want to look like this? Â He isn't an attractive man and thus probably suffers from sexual frustration which he replaces with bicep curls. Â Whatever floats your boat dude.