Kayce
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Arnold Schwarzenegger, famous for playing the Terminator has donned many hats in his lifetime. But his career as a professional body builder prior to his Hollywood debut is the one closest to his heart. His chiseled physique and obvious muscular strength continue to invoke awe and envy even today. But nothing comes easy and becoming the proud owner of a perfect body is hard work indeed! Schwarzenegger too has worked hard to achieve his enviable physique and continues to adhere to strict regulations in order to maintain his muscle girth. This is how it all began…
The Training Begins
Arnold Schwarzenegger aspired to be an athlete in his early days and began participating in a number of sporting events at the young age of 11. It was his soccer instructor, though, who saw the potential in his protégé and took him to a gym where he picked up a barbell. The rest was history!
How Schwarzenegger Achieved the Perfect Body
The multi-talented man recalls that he had a clear-cut goal even at the tender age of fifteen. His motive was simple: To become the most pumped up guy in the world. So began his punishing training where the focused Arnold would push his then lithe body to the fullest with almost no resting period in between. Not surprisingly, his muscles responded and he gained strength from his punishing workout regime. His father Gustave, fearing that his son was becoming obsessed, forbade him to go to the gym at all. Schwarzenegger promptly built a functional gym at home and continued as before thus proving that nothing can stop him from achieving his goals. Arnold experimented with every form of body building but power lifting excited him the most. However, he also won championships in other forms including squat, bench press, and snatches and clean & jerk.
Schwarzenegger’s Body Building Routine
Arnold Schwarzenegger found the perfect routine for himself by working out on six days of the week and then taking it easy on Sunday. This split routine helped in developing his muscles as well as resting them adequately. He also tried to work on a different set of muscles each day thus focusing equally on legs, arms, shoulders, back and chest thereby ensuring that his body looked healthy and strong without becoming lopsided or unduly bulky in a particular area.
Diet and Arnold
There were no sports nutrition experts or dieticians available when Arnold started his bodybuilding. Schwarzenegger remembers how the great hulks of his time used to devour large amounts of meat, eggs and milk in order to let their body obtain the required amount of protein. Arnold had other ideas though. He believed in eating healthy and had 30 grams-50 grams of protein every three hours which helped in building the lean muscles of his body. He remained dedicated to his cause and never ever indulged in processed foods. Whole foods were high on his list and he strongly believed that nature knows best, not the scientists. Carbohydrates weren’t shunned by him completely either and Schwarzenegger managed to intake around 70-100 grams of carbs on a daily basis.
Use of Steroids
Schwarzenegger did believe in using the banned group of steroids in order to enhance his strength and maintain muscle mass during his heyday as a body builder. However, he does emphasize that these ‘tissue builders’, were not illegal back in the 70s.
Winner of Body Building Titles
The ‘Austrian Oak’ managed to win every title in the world of bodybuilding starting with the ‘Junior Mr. Europe’ in 1968. The Mr. Europe, NABBA Amateur Mr. Universe as well as the IFBB title followed. Arnold did not rest though; he strived to win the Mr. Olympia contest in 1969 only to come in second. This made him fiercely determined which resulted in him winning the title the very next year and he became Mr. Olympia for six years in a row after that.
How Body Building Helped his Film Career
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s body building career helped him become a film star of repute in Hollywood too. He was chosen to play the role of Hercules in the 1970 film, ‘Hercules in New York’ because of his impressive body. There was no looking back after that. He went on to star in umpteen numbers of movies almost always playing the strong man. ‘Pumping Iron’ based on body building boosted both his profiles; that of a body builder and an actor.
The man who acknowledges his long and varied career with his love for body building believes that there are no shortcuts when it comes to working out. He is angered when he hears people say that they do not find time for working out. The 65 year old Arnold Schwarzenegger remains dedicated to the cause even today and continue to work out with weights every day.
Copyrighted musclemecca.com 2013
