Richters also holds the record for the "tallest professional bodybuilder" as of 2021, 12.7 centimetres (5.0 in) taller than Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson.[1][2]
He was on the cover of the November 2018 Netherlands' edition of Men's Health,[3] and the subject of a documentary by the magazine.[4] Richters is inspired by Richard Kiel, the actor of equal height who had portrayed the henchman Jaws in two James Bond films.[5]
Due to his size, Richters maintains a regimen of 5,000 calorie intake for filming, and 6,500 to 7,000 calories for all other purposes, within a 24 hour period. The intake is spread out in seven meals, with one of them at 3:00 a.m., consisting of carbs, up to 1,000 grams of various meats[5] and vegetables, in addition to an oat shake, made of "ultra-fine oats, blended with a whey scoop".[2] In his interview with Adil Ray on Good Morning Britain, Richters maintained that he is "pushed" to keep up with his diet.[5]
Richters was born with pectus excavatum, causing the bones of his ribcage to grow in such a way to squeeze the cardiac muscle. CT-scans revealed his heart was 20% smaller than it should have been. He underwent a procedure involving breaking the ribs and allowing the heart and lungs to continue growing, something made possible due to his still young age at the time, and extending his lifespan. Richters spent six months recovering (two under morphine, his third month was spent learning to gain basic mobility – walking, cycling and swimming – and his fourth month saw a return to weightlifting).[7]
According to The Times, Richters' stature is the result of the natural growth process and he does not suffer from gigantism, a condition where a tumor would normally affect the pituitary gland, causing abnormal height growth.[8] A DNA test revealed he was 48.2% Scandinavian.[9]
In March 2013, Richters and his two siblings founded Muscle Meat, a company which provides athletes with resources and foods supplements.[10][11]