There’s nothing out of the ordinary about wanting to tweak your appearance a bit, but for most people, there are boundaries. While some are just getting used to the idea of surgery, others are pushing the boundaries of safety in order to max out their look. There is perhaps no better example of this than Valdir Segato, the body builder with a risky goal in mind.
1. Humble Beginnings
Mirror Now famous for his abnormally-bulging muscles, Valdir Segato wasn’t always spending large portions of his everyday routine focusing on his looks. The Brazilian bodybuilder first became accustomed to regular physical labor through his day job: construction work. This is what first provoked his interest in building muscle and gaining strength.
2. Bump In The Road
Mirror While Valdir’s past was certainly rooted in humble beginnings, it wasn’t always easy. As a younger man, he struggled with substance abuse issues that caused to him to under-eat and even eroded away at what little muscle he was able to build while doing his construction work.
3. Downward Spiral
Instagram “There was a time in my life that I got involved with wrong things,” said the bodybuilder. “I got involved with drugs and I started losing weight because you don’t eat, you lead a wrong life.” Valdir has said that his gaunt appearance even resulted in people calling him names like ‘skinny dog’ and ’little skull.’
4. Just Say No
Instagram It was at this point that Valdir realized he had to make some dramatic changes in his life. He fought tooth-and-nail to overcome his drug addiction and coinciding mental illnesses, ultimately regaining control over his body and mind. This is what led him to the next step: lifting weights.
5. Starting Off On The Right Foot
Instagram After finally kicking his drug habit to the curb, Valdir had only one goal in mind: get strong enough to prove the people who had insulted him wrong. With a renewed sense of energy and nowhere to go but up, he began hitting the gym to pump iron for hours every day.
6. Fitness Addiction
Instagram As is the case with many frequent gym-goers, Valdir soon became obsessed with getting as big and bulky as possible. He was able to recover his bodyweight back to a healthy level with a little bit of work, but this was not enough for him. He wanted to become a bodybuilder.
7. Pump It Up
Instagram Becoming a competitive bodybuilder meant Valdir Segato would have to make some significant changes in order to meet his goals. After all, he had only initially wanted to get healthy and regain strength. Now, for the first time, it was about making his muscles look as invincible as his mind felt.
8. Picture Perfect
Instagram Valdir began a strict regimen designed, not necessarily to make him feel good, but to at least ensure that his physical appearance was looking as powerful as possible. This meant weightlifting every day (sometimes multiple times), meticulously counting carbs with every meal, and even temporary fasting. This, however, was still not enough…
9. Industry Secrets
Mirror This was when Valdir started getting a bit… experimental with his physique, to say the least. After working his body weight up to 55kg through natural means, the Brazilian strongman was introduced to a substance called ‘synthol’ by a fellow weightlifting enthusiast who noticed that he was struggling to continue building muscle.
10. Sinister Synthetics
Mirror Before too long, Valdir Segato had become addicted to synthol, the substance ironically intended to help him appear stronger as he recovered from his previous addictions. This one was different, however. Instead of a chemical euphoria, injecting synthol into his arms provided a more indirect validation; the oil caused his muscles to swell and look more impressive.
11. Steroid Suicide
Mirror Valdir described one muscle-pumping medication mix that almost took his life. “There was a time that I injected a larger dosage of anabolic steroids and I ended up in the hospital,” he said. “I mixed a cocktail of anabolic steroids that I was using at the time and I used it to excess. I was admitted for several days.”
12. Stubborn Segato
Mirror Despite terrifying threats to his health which often mirrored times he spent hospitilized throughout his lengthy history of substance abuse, Valdir chose to carry on using synthol. “The doctors tell me to stop it, the advice they give me is to stop using. But it’s my decision to use it because I want to, because I like to.”
13. Lonely Hearts Club
Instagram His intense physique has even affected his love life. “At the moment, I am alone, I don’t have anyone,” says Valdir. “In the street, I get a lot of looks when I walk by. Some people love my look but others are not so positive. There are times I hear people mocking me a lot, especially younger kids.”
14. Green With Envy
Instagram So, if not to get attention from women, nor improve his health, why would Valdir inject oil into his muscles to make them look larger? According to him, it’s because he wants to look like the iconic Marvel superhero The Incredible Hulk, and he doesn’t care whether anyone else likes it or not.
15. The Final Result
Instagram After he ballooned up to 80kg with the use of the oil injections, Valdir’s friends began to call into question his condition and even his intentions. “It’s the risk he takes - he wants to look good and wants to be famous,” says fellow construction worker Fernando Carvalho da Silva.