Squeezing in a training session can be a challenge when you’re short on time, but Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s got a solution. In a recent Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter shared on July 31, 2025, he broke down a strength shortcut that can reduce workout time by 30% without sacrificing results.
Having left the sport on top with seven Mr. Olympia titles, Schwarzenegger has remained in the public eye, helping individuals master their fitness and health. Between his acting gigs and training demands, “The Austrian Oak” boasts a full schedule at 78 years old.
Strength training can be time-consuming, depending on your exercise selections, volume, and tempo. This led Schwarzenegger to take a closer look at the benefits of a high-intensity training circuit that he swears by for muscle growth and fat loss.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Shares the Strength Shortcut That Saves Time and Still Delivers Gains
In the newsletter, Schwarzenegger explained that high-intensity circuit training can build just as much muscle and strength as traditional lifting while cutting workout time by 30%.
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“The Strength Shortcut That Saves Time
If you’ve ever skipped strength training because it “takes too long,” here’s good news: You can get the same results in less time—without sacrificing gains.”“High-intensity circuit training builds just as much muscle and strength as traditional lifting—but in nearly 30 percent less time.”
During an eight-week study, scientists compared high-intensity circuit training with traditional strength training. Though both groups stuck to the same number of sets and reps, their resting periods were different. Ultimately, the group that engaged in consecutive exercises with five-minute rests between circuits achieved the same results but shaved off 25 minutes of their total workout time.
“In an 8-week study, researchers compared the effects of high-intensity circuit training and traditional strength training on trained women. Both groups trained three days a week, performing 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps at or near failure across various compound exercises.
The only difference? The circuit training group performed back-to-back exercises with just five minutes rest between circuits, while the traditional group performed one exercise at a time with 3 minutes rest between sets. That resulted in workouts that were about 25 minutes shorter.”
“Despite the time spent in the gym, both groups increased strength, gained muscle, and lost fat.”
Supersets, or performing two exercises consecutively with minimal rest, can be a fantastic way to finish workouts faster without sacrificing results, explained Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“If you’re short on time—or just want to finish your workouts faster without compromising results, supersets can be just as effective as traditional lifting.
Just make sure you can handle the pace, and choose exercises that don’t compromise form under fatigue. For example, it’s more effective to pair reciprocal exercises — such as chest and back — as opposed to working the same muscles back-to-back.”
In addition to consistent workouts, Schwarzenegger has paid closer attention to his diet in retirement. According to the bodybuilding legend, plant protein is the ultimate anti-aging macronutrient that can help you reach older age free of disease.
Time is money, and Schwarzenegger believes this change of pace could deliver results. For the best outcome, he recommends pairing reciprocal exercises together, like for the chest and back.
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