For as long as I can remember, steroid use would be the first thing to come to mind when laying eyes upon a man with a super-human-sized ripped body. More often than not, steroids are indeed the culprits. Despite their deadly potential to damage organs, ‘roid’ use remains rampant among athletes, and they are a mainstay within hypermasculine subcultures, both gay and straight. They are the ultimate shortcut to muscular success and many guys will take the risk for quick incredible gains.
BUT for some guys, even the steroid shortcut isn’t fast enough, and they will do anything to rock the biggest muscles as fast as possible without putting in the work.
Enter Exhibit A from Russia, seen here with monstrous arms, blowdrying his penis in what looks like a co-ed bathroom, because, well why not. I must say the penis looks quite impressive, however how can we trust, it too is not filled with petrol like his arms?
His name is Kirill Tereshin, AKA “Popeye,” and he found internet fame for his massively-sized, cartoon-like biceps. In his many posted images, he can be seen flexing big muscular arms that seemingly do not match the body to which they are attached. Something always looked weird and freakish in his pics – and for good reason. We now know Tereshin had been indulging in an unbelievably dangerous practice of injecting petroleum oil into his body to give the appearance of ginormous muscles.
(Somebody skipped leg day)
Tereshin filled his arms up with petroleum to the point that they looked like he was hauling cantaloupes. It’s comical and grotesque, both at once. But more seriously, it turned out to also be life-threatening. Excessive swelling of the injected limbs became so overwhelming Tereshin could not manage his day-to-day functions. The jellied-petroleum, over time, became hardened and infected, forcing the 24-year old’s immune system to attempt to control inflammation caused by an unnatural, industrial substance. Like seriously, how did he ever consider this to be a wise idea?
Ultimately, with the threat of full amputation looming over his head, Tereshin took his doctor’s advice and began surgical processes to remove the petroleum. The surgeries themselves also posed a risk of damaging vessels, veins, and nerves in his arms that, at the height of swelling, had a circumference of around 60cm (23.622 inches) and weighed three pounds more than usual. Ouch!
This isn’t the first time the phenomenon has occurred of men injecting themselves with industrial substances to get fake muscles. In 2015 the New York Post shared the story of Romario dos Santos Alves, an aspiring Brazilian bodybuilder obsessed with injecting his arms with a concoction of motor oil, painkillers, and alcohol to “look like the hulk.” He too nearly lost both arms due to infection, and at the time, seemed remorseful for having done this to himself. Admittedly he says, it’s an addiction. We all want to have a hot body I suppose – but at what cost? And not to mention, THIS look ain’t hot.
Cis Women and members of the trans community have a history of turning to “black market” options for augmenting their bodies – namely the buttocks, so now men are clearly getting in on the action. For anyone considering this, please don’t do it. Just remember one simple fact: petroleum is crude oil used to propel vehicles, heat buildings, produce electricity, make plastics, polyurethane, and various other solvents. That said, it does NOT belong in your arms, nor your ass.
Read more about Kirill Tereshin, AKA “Popeye at Sportbible