Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Timeless Bodybuilding Advice For Building Muscle and Strength

Born on Jul. 30, 1947, in Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the undisputed GOAT of bodybuilding. “The Governator’s” rise to fame in the 1970s propelled bodybuilding into the mainstream.

Schwarzenegger started weight training at the age of 14 and won the Mr. Universe title at 20. The Austrian Oak won the first of his seven-consecutive Mr. Olympia titles two years later in 1970.

Arnie trained with some of the most knowledgeable people of his era, amassing a wealth of bodybuilding knowledge. Schwarzenegger has shared his bodybuilding wisdom in books like The Education of a Bodybuilder (1977) and The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding (1988).

Schwarzenegger’s training advice is apt for pro bodybuilders and beginner lifters alike.

In this article, I’ll take you over Schwarzenegger’s timeless bodybuilding advice and tips for building muscle, maximizing workout performance, and achieving your dream physique. We have a lot to cover, so grab your protein shake and sit tight.

Arnold’s Training Philosophy

Here are the workout fundamentals the Austrian Oak swore by:

Compound Movements Should Be Front and Center

Back when Arnie was rising through the ranks, gym machines had started gaining popularity, and equipment makers like Nautilus were coming out with pathbreaking training machines.

However, Schwarzenegger still primarily relied on free-weight compound movements like the squat, bench press, deadlifts, rows, and overhead presses to build muscle size, balance, and proportions.

Schwarzenegger started out in Olympic weightlifting. Although he moved away from snatches and clean & jerks when he transitioned to bodybuilding, Arnie included the clean and press in his training regime to build overall strength.

A study published in the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that compound exercises allow you to lift heavier loads than single-joint exercises, potentially leading to greater muscle growth. (1)

While compound movements should form the basis of your workouts, isolation exercises can be incredibly effective for fixing muscle and strength imbalances by allowing you to focus on a particular muscle group.

The Importance of Variety

While compound movements are great, you shouldn’t do the same exercises in every workout.

That said, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel in each workout, either. You can opt for exercise variations to spice up your workouts. For instance, you could use a wider grip on the barbell bench press or opt for the incline variation instead of the flat bench.

Furthermore, you must constantly shock the muscles to avoid hitting plateaus.

Arnie incorporated advanced training principles like supersets, dropsets, and forced reps in his workouts to keep his muscles guessing and growing.

Develop a Robust Mind-Muscle Connection

Building a mind-muscle connection involves focusing on the target muscle group during an exercise. It can help improve muscle contractions, leading to better hypertrophy.

A slow and controlled range of motion is key to improving the mind-muscle connection. Avoid using momentum, as it can recruit secondary muscle groups and take tension off the target muscles.

Factor the Intensity and Volume

To build muscle tissue, you must push yourself hard in the gym.

Arnold pushed himself and his training partners to the limit in the gym. In the iconic scene from the cult classic documentary Pumping Iron (1977), Arnold pushes Ed Corney to the breaking point on the squats. Corney collapses after racking the barbell.

Training for Arnie wasn’t just about performing the recommended number of reps with the perfect form. He pushed himself on each set to maximize muscle growth.

The Arnold Schwarzenegger Mindset

Schwarzenegger’s mindset set him apart from the competition, whether it involved going full-send in training or playing mind games with his rivals before and during a bodybuilding competition.

Here are some of Schwarzenegger’s mindset principles that you can embody:

Unwavering Belief

Schwarzenegger’s every action and aspiration was grounded in unshakeable confidence, from clinching the Mr. Olympia title to becoming an A-list Hollywood icon and the Governor of California. His self-belief and conviction in his abilities never wavered.

I have devoured several of Schwarzenegger’s books and speeches, and I’ve never seen him commit to something half-heartedly.

“Do or do not. There is no try.” This quote from Yoda is apt for Arnie.

Embrace the Pain

Bodybuilders are pump chasers. However, working through a set with a muscle-ripping pump is easier said than done.

Schwarzenegger jokingly compared the feeling of getting a muscle pump to reaching an orgasm.

“The greatest feeling you can get in a gym or the most satisfying feeling you can get in the gym is the pump. It feels fantastic. It’s as satisfying to me as cumming is, you know, as in having sex with a woman and cumming. So, can you believe how much I am in heaven? I am like getting the feeling of cumming in the gym; I’m getting the feeling of cumming at home; I’m getting the feeling of cumming backstage; when I pump up, when I pose out in front of 5,000 people, I get the same feeling, so I am cumming day and night. It’s terrific, right? So you know, I am in heaven.”

Competitive Drive

Arnold is among the most competitive individuals of all time, period.

During his bodybuilding days, Schwarzenegger worked hard on his physique, posing, and presentation to be the world number one. He then joined the biggest movie projects to set new box office world records. Arnold chose to contest the gubernatorial election in California, one of the most competitive states. Now, he is working hard to make the Arnold Sports Festival the biggest sporting event in the world.

Set big goals and give everything you’ve got until you achieve them.

The Power of Visualization

Schwarzenegger popularized the concept of visualization and manifestation way before Rhonda Byrne wrote the bestselling book The Secret (2006).

“When you visualize something very clearly, you believe that you 100 percent can get there,” said Arnold.

While training biceps, Schwarzenegger would think of his arms as mountains. He visualized himself posing in front of a packed theater and picking up the trophy before stepping on stage.

Arnie didn’t go through the motions just for the sake of them. He was deliberate with each rep and understood their importance in crafting the perfect physique.

Schwarzenegger believed visualization and mind-muscle connection are interconnected.

Nutrition for Muscle Growth

Schwarzenegger had mastered the art of sculpting the human physique. However, he still needed the raw material to carve the picture-perfect body. Arnie fueled himself with top-quality nutrition for the best results. Here are his most crucial nutrition advice for building muscle:

A Balanced Macronutrient Diet

If you aim to build lean muscle tissue while limiting body fat gain, you must follow a balanced macronutrient diet.

Protein

Protein is the building block of muscle. Arnie aimed for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight to maximize muscle gain.

His primary source of protein included chicken, fish, eggs, and low-fat dairy. Schwarzenegger also consumed multiple protein shakes throughout the day to meet his daily protein intake goals.

Carbs

Our body breaks down carbs into glycogen to use as fuel.

Arnie preferred complex carbs like brown rice, oats, and whole-wheat bread for sustained energy release. He kept his simple carb intake to a minimum to stabilize his blood sugar and insulin levels and minimize fat storage.

Meeting your carb intake goal via nutrient-dense whole foods ensures you have enough energy to get you through a grueling workout.

Fats

Contrary to what most people think, eating healthy fats doesn’t result in body fat gain.

Cutting out fats from your diet can negatively impact natural hormone production, which can, in turn, hamper muscle growth and recovery.

Nuts, avocados, olive oil, and fatty fish were the go-to for Arnie.

Frequent Meals

Arnold ate five to six small meals spread throughout the day to maintain a high metabolic rate.

A high metabolic rate ensures you burn calories throughout the day, even when you are not physically active. This approach also delivers a constant supply of nutrients to the muscles and prevents muscle breakdown.

Supplements

Although Arnold primarily relied on whole foods to meet his daily nutrient demands, he used supplements to plug the gaps and prevent deficiencies. Here are the supplements Schwarzenegger used:

• Whey Protein Powder: A convenient way to meet your daily protein intake goals. Arnie mainly used it after a training session.
• Multivitamins: A multivitamin supplement can help avoid micronutrient deficiencies that can lead to nagging joints, tendons, and muscle aches and pains.
• Creatine: It is one of the most researched and scientifically proven supplements that can help boost your training performance and recovery.

Remember, you shouldn’t hunt for Schwarzenegger’s exact diet and supplementation routine online in hopes of replicating his results.

Every individual responds to a training and diet regimen uniquely. I recommend working with a fitness professional to build a personalized fitness plan that fits your lifestyle and training objectives.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Techniques

Have you mastered the basics and are ready for more advanced tips to take your physique to the next level? Here are the Governator-approved training techniques:

Instinctive Training

Although Arnie began each training session with a plan, he didn’t tie himself to it.

Schwarzenegger advocated listening to your body and being open to adjusting your training regime on the fly. For example, if Arnold felt good muscle contractions during an exercise, he would do one to two additional sets to maximize muscle stimulation.

Similarly, he would skip an exercise after the first set if he didn’t feel a connection after the first set.

This training technique is based on analyzing subtle cues to maximize each training session.

Focus on Weak Points

Most people have a lagging muscle group. For Arnold, it was his calves.

Arnold cut all his sweatpants below the knees to constantly remind himself that his lower legs needed work.

He turned to Reg Park for guidance, who told him to go ‘hard and heavy’ in his calf training sessions. Schwarzenegger hit his calves with 500-pound standing calf raises, donkey raises, and seated calf raises six days a week. Soon enough, his calves had grown into full-blown bulls.

Posing as Training

According to Arnie, posing helps achieve a better mind-muscle connection and muscle contractions, which reduce shaking and vibrations while posing on stage.

Arnold joined a ballerina class before the 1975 Olympia to improve his posing. He ended up winning the show convincingly. Arnie also recommends practicing posing between sets to achieve a better muscle pump and spot muscle imbalances.

Discipline and Consistency

Although Schwarzenegger was blessed with incredible genetics, he also possessed an iron will to put in the work to achieve his maximum potential.

Here are Schwarzenegger’s discipline and consistency tools that you should aim to replicate:

The Gym is Non-Negotiable

During his peak bodybuilding days, Arnold considered the gym non-negotiable.

It didn’t matter if he was sore, tired, or motivated. When it was time for the gym, he would show up and give the training session his everything.

“The first and most important muscle-mind connection is making it automatic that you go and do your training every day,” Arnold said. “It should require no thinking. It should become an instinct that you train no matter what.”

Small Wins Add Up

Arnold believed in breaking big goals into smaller objectives.

Ticking off a small win each day creates momentum, which can fuel you to go after the big, hairy, audacious goal with full conviction.

Establish a set, rep, and weight target for each training session and a daily meal target. Pat yourself on the back if you hit all the objectives.

Embrace the Grind

Arnold won almost every big bodybuilding show there was to win. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that he worked super hard to break through plateaus to build his physique.

Remember, you will face challenges and setbacks, and you must push through those to achieve your goals.

Track Your Progress

Monitoring your progress allows you to determine if you are on the right path. Use the weight scale, body circumference measurements, and progress pictures to track improvements.

Adjust your training, nutrition, and recovery if you don’t see the desirable progress. On the flip side, you can stick to your existing regime if the needle is moving in the right direction.

Find Your Tribe

Arnold always surrounded himself with like-minded people who shared his passion and were after the same objective. There is no reason why you shouldn’t do the same.

A supportive circle will lift you up and assist you, especially when self-doubt creeps in and you don’t feel like sticking to the objectives.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Lasting Legacy

Schwarzenegger’s impact on fitness extends beyond the bodybuilding stage. His advice and principles are a source of inspiration for athletes across different sports.

Arnold hosts the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, OH, each year, which is deemed the biggest sports exhibition in the world. The coveted Arnold Classic and Arnold Strongman Classic are a part of the event.

Adapting Arnold’s Advice

Now that you know about Arnold’s legacy and his timeless bodybuilding advice, here is how to implement the tips into your life and training.

• Start Where You Are: You don’t have to wait until you have built 18-inch biceps before you start implementing Arnie’s workout tips and techniques into your workouts. His beginner-friendly advice is scalable and great for exercisers of all experience levels.
• Consistency: Regardless of your fitness levels and training objectives, you must be consistent in your training, diet, and recovery regimes to achieve your dream physique. Carving a Greek god body takes time, and you must be patient and persistent.
• Listen To Your Body: Don’t hesitate to dial it back when you feel your body needs some time to rest and recover. However, don’t use this as an excuse to skip training sessions.

Conclusion

Many believe that the sport of bodybuilding is ever-evolving, and they must stay updated with the latest research on training, nutrition, and recovery to make consistent gains.

While new research findings might help you gain an edge, the age-old bodybuilding principles still stand. Employ Schwarzenegger’s timeless training, mindset, nutrition advice, and tips detailed in this article to take your gains to the next level.

If you have any questions about the tips mentioned in this article, drop them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References

1. Gentil P, Soares S, Bottaro M. Single vs. Multi-Joint Resistance Exercises: Effects on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy. Asian J Sports Med. 2015;6(2):e24057. doi:10.5812/asjsm.24057

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