When 24-year-old Mostafa Adel Ismail moved to the U.S. from his native Egypt in 2009, he never expected his favorite hobby would land him in the Guinness World Records.
But with just a few thousand hours of pumping iron, and lots of money spent swizzling protein shakes, the gas station attendant is now enjoying a frenzy of fame – only his biceps are getting the bulk of it.
“People stop me everywhere, even at the gas station where I work, and want to take pictures. I say, ‘Why not?’ I’m not rude. I’m not going to try to hide myself, because I can’t,” said Ismail, who was announced as having the world’s largest biceps in the Guinness World Records 2013 edition, which was released today.
Ismail has a right upper-arm circumference of 25 inches flexed, and 24 inches while relaxed. His left upper-arm is even bigger, coming in at 25.5 inches flexed, and 24.5 inches while at rest.
Ismail attributes his big guns to good genes, loads of work outs – which is no problem for him, since he pumps iron about two hours each day, and up to four hours on his days off.
“When I work out, all the blood flows through my muscles, making me satisfied. Apparently 10 years is enough for my body to get pumped up quickly,” Ismail said.
In his interview with Metro, the Franklin resident was candid about the fact that his impressive and intimidating biceps often cause a stir, whether it is his wife getting jealous of the attention he gets from women, to people cowering in fear.
“My wife is crazy jealous about it, but trying now with the Guiness Book coming out, she is trying to get used to it. She trusts me, but doesn’t always trust others,” he said, adding that she now has high expectations of other men’s muscles.
“The first time my wife met me, she looked at me like ‘…what?’ Now, when she sees skinny men, she asks, ‘Are they sick or something?'”
As for fearful onlookers, Ismail said, “There is no need to be scared. I’m so friendly.”
Perhaps his biggest pet peeve is when people ask whether his muscles are due to steroids.
“Some people think I’m on steroids or something. I don’t like that. Some people have even offered me, but of course I always refused. Yesterday at the gas station, someone approached me and said, “I need some stuff.’ I just looked at him and said, “I never deal with that stuff.’ They think just because I’m this big, I must take it.”
For the average-armed human, it may come as a shock that Ismail is still not satisfied.
“I love my arms like this, but I feel like I need to add more. I know that I have big biceps, but I really want them even bigger, and I know that I can do it. I’m only 24-years-old. They still have time to get bigger.”
