Q & A With Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Austrian Oak. Bodybuilding legend. The Governator. The Terminator. Whatever the cognomen, one facet about the man remains constant: He’s an inspiration to millions. So when Arnie participated in his second AMA or Ask Me Anything (basically a question and answer session) in the r/fitness section of Reddit, we took notice. Here are the most interesting questions and answers from the bunch:

If you had to start all over from scratch, what sort of routine would you do as an absolute beginner?

I would do basically the same thing I did.

The only thing I would change in a perfect world is I would add the training I couldn’t do, because of the lack of equipment. I would add much more direct calf, rear delt, and hamstring work. We didn’t have machines for those things in Graz. It was all barbells and dumbbells, which was great but not the best for bodybuilding.

That training was a blessing, though. It’s why I was able to get so big. Plus, I was strong and my body was ready for the isolation stuff by the time I got to Munich and had that equipment.

Would you change anything diet-wise?

Again, this wasn’t something I could change because it wasn’t possible, but in an ideal situation I could have had more meat. My family just didn’t have enough money. I knew I needed more protein, but it just wasn’t a possibility. Until I was 18, I could only get meat once a week, and I drank skim milk powder with yeast and eggs. It was a horrible drink. In an ideal world, I would have had at least three meals a day with meat.

The year I spent in the army and had meat every day, I gained 25 pounds.

When trying to cut weight after a bulk, what was your best method? In terms of cardio, diet, etc? Do you believe in ketosis at all?

Pretty simple… I would add in extra cardio – running on the beach, swimming, and bicycling. I cut out bread, pasta and desserts. It definitely wasn’t rocket science, but it worked.

As people get older their workouts tend to change. Are you still doing the same lifting you were doing when you were younger? Or has it shifted in a certain way? Or have you taken up something like yoga?

My workouts have definitely changed. I can’t do as many free weight exercises because of injuries. Luckily, the technology has moved forward and I can find some replacements with machines. Here is an example: I loved barbell curls. Because of my two shoulder surgeries, I avoid going heavy, and I use the preacher curl machine.

But I still can do my t-bar rows and bent-over rows, which I love.

What is your most recommended exercise to do without any weights or machines. Push-ups?

Chin-ups, no question. I think if you are doing only one exercise, you’re getting your most bang for the buck. The biceps, serratus, forearms, lats, the whole back. You can switch grips to change the focus, too. So if there is only one, that’s it.

What are your PR’s in the standard powerlifts, i.e. bench press, squats, and deadlift, also have you ever done any Olympic weightlifting?

Bench: 518 (500 in competition) Deadlift: 710 Squat: 540

I started out Olympic lifting. These numbers are from when I was 17:

Clean and jerk: 245
Press(which they don;t do any more): 210 Snatch: 200

My overweight dad (51 yrs) was just told he has hypertension for the first time (runs in the family). I’ve been trying to get him to eat healthier for years and let me teach him how to power-lift, and now I’m worried more than ever.

Could you offer my mother and him any motivation or advice to start taking some time out of their day for this, even if it’s just a half hour of cardio? Something that would say “Hey, I’m not talking crazy over here”?

First, take the positive approach, and tell him how much you love him and want him to be around. Don’t try the negative approach and tell him he eats junk and needs to fix it.

Just remind your dad that there is nothing more important than his health. Everything comes from health. Work, money, family, whatever he enjoys. He can’t have any of that without his health.

The only time to go negative: if he says there isn’t enough time, tell him that’s just terrible math. Any minutes or hours he subtracts from his day right now for health and fitness is multiplied in the months and years he would add to his life. That’s fitness math.

Tell your dad the first step might seem impossible, but like Mandela said, “It always seems impossible… until it’s done.” And once he starts, a body that is in motion tends to stay in motion.

Good luck. And he might like this challenge I’m doing with Fitocracy: www.fitocracy.com/spark (It is geared toward beginners. I hope to add one for the more serious lifters next month.)

What is your favorite exercise or lift?

Clean and press. It trains every muscle at once. Think about it… you could do calf raises, squats, rows, high pulls, shrugs, and military press… or you can do a clean and press.

I also always loved to deadlift.

How do you feel about the popularity of Mass Monsters in today’s bodybuilding scene?

Would you like to see it go back to a focus on Aesthetics, muscle symmetry, smaller waist lines and stomach vacuum poses?

First, I have nothing against monsters. It takes a lot of effort to get there. But we shouldn’t go away from the basic principles of proportions, symmetry, muscularity, performance on the stage, and the idea of a small waist and big shoulders. The further we get from those principles, the further we get from the ideal.