Arnold Schwarzenegger is known as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, and has since become the most successful man that has ever retired from the sport.
In this article we will discuss exactly how much dedication it takes to become one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. It will include Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Workout Routine, his diet plan and what supplementation he used to take him to the top of the sport.
Before I dive into training programs and diet plans I am going to tell you some background information about the man himself.
Introduction to Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Austrian Oak
Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on July 30, 1947, in Thal, Austria. He is the son of Gustav Schwarzenegger and Aurelia Jadrny Schwarzenegger. In 1965, when he turned 18, Arnold had to enlist in the military for a one-year minimum commitment, he famously left base once without permission to compete in a bodybuilding competition and won.
After his military stint, he focused solely on his strength and sports aspirations. He moved to Munich, and often slept in the gym because he did not have anywhere else to live.
At the age of just 19, Arnold shocked the world by winning the 1967 NABBA Mr Universe. After winning 2 of the 3 contests he had entered, Arnold went into the 1968 IFBB Mr. Universe as favourite, but lost to the smaller but much leaner Frank Zane.
After rebounding from his loss, Schwarzenegger moved to the United States full-time and won four international titles in 1969. The same year he made his Mr. Olympia debut, placing second to defending champion Sergio Oliva. This was his last ever defeat in competitive bodybuilding.
Arnold went on to dominate Mr. Olympia for most of the 70s, winning it in 1970-1975. He retired after his victory in 1975, until coming out of retirement in 1980 and winning it for the seventh time.
After his successful career in bodybuilding and winning his seventh Mr. Olympia, Arnold moved his attention to Hollywood, where he quickly made a name for himself. In 1977, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognized him with a Golden Globe for new Male Star of the year for his role in ‘Stay Hungry.’
He went on to star in over 50 movies, including famous movies ‘Conan the barbarian’ and ‘terminator 1, 2 and 3.’ In 2003 after a very successful career in Hollywood, Arnold turned his attention to politics.
He entered politics for the first time by running for Governor of California in a recall election. He was elected Governor and served the remainder of Davis’ term between 2003 and 2007.
Arnold was re-elected in 2006 to serve his first full term between 2007 and 2011. He was unable to run for a third term due to term limits imposed by the California Constitution, but he has remained involved in public life since leaving office.
Since retiring from bodybuilding, the Arnold Sports Festival, the second biggest professional bodybuilding event in recent years has been named after him and he is regarded as one of the most significant figures in the history of bodybuilding.
So, what does it take to become one of the most successful professional bodybuilders of all time? Let’s take a look at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s workout routine and find out.
Breaking Down Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Workout Routine
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s workout routine was in a league of its own. He would train twice a day and his workouts lasted hours, with a seemingly endless number of exercises and sets.
This style of extremely high volume workouts is criticized by most training experts today as it does not allow enough time for your muscles to fully recover. But there was a method to Arnold’s madness and who can really argue with possibly the greatest bodybuilder of all time.
Arnold used two main workout variations, one where he trained each major body part twice per week and one where he trained each major body part three times per week.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Routine (Variation 1)
Variation 1 of Arnold’s workout would look like this:
- Monday – Chest and Back
- Tuesday – Shoulders and Arms
- Wednesday – Legs and Lower Back
- Thursday– Chest and Back
- Friday – Shoulders and Arms
- Saturday – Legs and Lower Back
- Sunday – Rest and Recovery
Monday and Thursday: Chest and Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Targeted Muscles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 3 | 4-10 | Chest, Triceps, Shoulders |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 4-10 | Upper Chest, Triceps, Shoulders |
| Dumbbell Pullovers | 3 | 4-10 | Chest, Lats, Triceps |
| Chin Up | 3 | 4-10 | Back, Biceps |
| Bent Over Row | 3 | 4-10 | Back, Biceps |
| Deadlift | 3 | 4-10 | Entire Back, Glutes, Hamstrings |
| Crunches | 5 | 25 | Abdominals |
Tuesday and Friday: Shoulders and Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Goal | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Clean and Press | 3 | 4-10 | Strength/Power | Shoulders, Triceps, Upper Back, Legs |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Shoulders, Traps |
| Upright Row | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Shoulders, Traps, Upper Back |
| Military Press | 3 | 4-10 | Strength | Shoulders, Triceps, Upper Back |
| Standing Barbell Curl | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Biceps |
| Seated Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Biceps |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 3 | 4-10 | Strength/Hypertrophy | Chest, Triceps |
| Standing Barbell Tricep Extension | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Triceps |
| Wrist Curls | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Forearms (Wrist Flexors) |
| Reverse Wrist Curls | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Forearms (Wrist Extensors) |
| Reverse Crunch | 5 | 25 | Endurance | Abdominals |
Wednesday and Saturday: Legs and Lower Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Goal | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 3 | 4-10 | Strength | Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes |
| Lunge | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes |
| Leg Curl | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Hamstrings |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 3 | 4-10 | Strength | Hamstrings, Lower Back |
| Good Mornings | 3 | 4-10 | Strength | Lower Back, Hamstrings, Glutes |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 4-10 | Hypertrophy | Calves |
| Crunches | 5 | 25 | Endurance | Abdominals |
Sunday – Rest and Recovery
Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Routine (Variation 2)
Variation 2 of Arnold’s workout would look like this:
- Monday – Chest, Back and Legs
- Tuesday – Shoulders and Arms
- Wednesday – Chest, Back and Legs
- Thursday – Shoulders and Arms
- Friday – Chest, Back and Legs
- Saturday – Shoulders and Arms
- Sunday – Rest and Recovery
Monday/Wednesday/Friday: Chest, Back and Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps/Time | Goal | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 5 | 6-10 | Strength/Size | Chest, Triceps, Shoulders |
| Dumbbell Flye | 5 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Chest, Front Shoulders |
| Incline Bench Press | 6 | 6-10 | Strength/Size | Upper Chest, Triceps |
| Cable Crossovers | 6 | 10-12 | Hypertrophy | Chest |
| Dips | 5 | Failure | Hypertrophy/Endurance | Chest, Triceps, Shoulders |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 5 | 10-12 | Hypertrophy | Chest, Lats, Triceps |
| Wide Grip Pull Up | 6 | Failure | Hypertrophy/Endurance | Back, Biceps |
| T Bar Row | 5 | 6-10 | Strength/Size | Upper Back, Biceps |
| Seated Pulley Row | 6 | 6-10 | Strength/Size | Upper Back, Biceps |
| One Arm Dumbbell Row | 5 | 6-10 | Strength/Size | Upper Back, Biceps |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 6 | 15 | Endurance | Hamstrings, Lower Back |
| Squat | 6 | 8-12 | Strength/Size | Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes |
| Leg Press | 6 | 8-12 | Strength/Size | Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes |
| Leg Extension | 6 | 12-15 | Hypertrophy | Quadriceps |
| Leg Curl | 6 | 10-15 | Hypertrophy | Hamstrings |
| Barbell Lunge | 5 | 15 | Endurance | Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes |
| Standing Calf Raise | 10 | 10 | Hypertrophy | Calves |
| Seated Calf Raise | 8 | 15 | Hypertrophy | Calves |
| One Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise | 6 | 12 | Hypertrophy | Calves |
| Wrist Curl | 4 | 10 | Hypertrophy | Forearms (Wrist Flexors) |
| Reverse Barbell Curl | 8 | Hypertrophy | Forearms (Wrist Extensors) | |
| Wrist Roller Machine | 4 | Failure | Hypertrophy | Forearms |
| Non-Stop Abs Training | – | 30 minutes | Endurance | Abdominals |
Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday: Shoulders and Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Goal | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Curl | 6 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Biceps |
| Seated Dumbbell Curl | 6 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Biceps |
| Dumbbell Concentration Curl | 6 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Biceps |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 6 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Triceps, Chest, Shoulders |
| Tricep Pushdown | 6 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Triceps |
| Barbell French Press | 6 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Triceps, Shoulders |
| One Arm Dumbbell Tricep Extension | 6 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Triceps |
| Seated Barbell Press | 6 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Shoulders, Triceps |
| Lateral Raise | 6 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Shoulders |
| Rear Delt Lateral Raise | 5 | 6-10 | Hypertrophy | Shoulders |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 5 | 10-12 | Hypertrophy | Shoulders |
| Standing Calf Raise | 10 | 10 | Hypertrophy | Calves |
| Seated Calf Raise | 8 | 15 | Hypertrophy | Calves |
| One Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise | 6 | 12 | Hypertrophy | Calves |
| Wrist Curl | 4 | 10 | Hypertrophy | Forearms (Wrist Flexors) |
| Reverse Barbell Curl | 4 | 8 | Hypertrophy | Forearms (Wrist Extensors) |
| Wrist Roller Machine | 4 | Failure | Hypertrophy | Forearms (Wrist Flexors and Extensors) |
| Non-Stop Abs Training | – | 30 min | Endurance | Abdominals |
Sunday – Rest and Recovery
This Arnold Schwarzenegger workout variation is a typical example of his extremely high training frequency. This is a huge amount of volume , even for professional bodybuilders and I would not recommend trying this variation, no matter how experienced you are.
So, how is it possible to fuel such an intense workout schedule and keep this “monster” of a man energized through his workouts. Let’s have a look into Arnold Schwarzenegger’s diet plan and find out.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Diet Plan: Fuelling the Machine
Arnold Schwarzenegger is now well known for being a vegetarian, but back in his bodybuilding days Arnold followed a diet that consisted of lean sources of protein, including chicken, turkey, fish, beef, and eggs.
Arnold followed a traditional bodybuilding diet consisting of six meals per day with each meal containing protein, carbohydrates, and fats, to provide his muscles with energy to recovery and grow. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s diet plan varied from 3000 to 4000 calories per day, depending on his training needs.
Arnold’s diet plan looked like this:
| Meal | Food/Components |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | 1 bowl cereal, 2 slices toast, 2 tsp butter, 2 strips bacon, black coffee and 1 cup (8 oz) orange juice |
| Lunch | 6-inch sub on white bread, 4 oz sliced turkey, 2 oz cheese, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, Lettuce and tomato, 1 small bag potato chips and water |
| Pre-workout Snack | 1 high-carb sports bar and water |
| Dinner | 1 small grilled chicken breast (no skin), 2 cups rice, 1 small dinner salad and water |
| Snack | 1 cup ice cream |
The protein intake of Arnolds diet is so high that it is almost impossible to reach it through food alone, so supplements are required to meet average protein needs.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Supplements
Arnold consumed about 3800 calories per day, but used supplements on top of this to fill up on missing nutrients.
Here are some of the supplements Arnold Schwarzenegger consumed on a daily basis:
Whey Protein: All professional body builders use whey protein in their bodybuilding regimen. It aids in building lean muscles and muscle recovery.
Pre-Workout: Pre-workouts are a good way to boost your energy and increase performance during your workout by boosting energy, strength and stamina.
Post workout: Arnold took a post-workout supplement which contained creatine after a workout to add bulk to his muscles and help in post-workout recovery.
BCAA’S: Branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s) are made up of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They help increase muscle growth and enhance exercise performance.
Multivitamins: He takes high-quality multivitamins to ensure he gets essential micronutrients before a competition.
I don’t know the exact brand of the supplements that Arnold used but I have some recommendations.
I have done a lot of research and testing on all of the supplements that Arnold used and written a review on the best product for each supplement.
Here are the best products based on my studies:
Best Whey Protein: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre Workout Powder
Best Pre-Workout: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre Workout Powder
Best Post-Workout: Warrior Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Powder
Best BCAA’s: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard BCAA Train + Sustain
Best Multivitamins: Centrum Advance 50+ Multivitamin & Mineral Tablets
Conclusion: Arnold’s Legacy
Arnold Schwarzenegger is known as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, having won the Mr. Olympia title seven times. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s workout routine was in a league of its own. He would train twice a day and his workouts lasted hours, using an extremely high volume.
His diet plan varied from 3000 to 4000 calories per day, depending on his training needs and consisted of lean sources of protein, including chicken, turkey, fish, beef, and eggs.
If you feel like you have hit a plateau in your training, you now have all the tools you need to take your training and physique to the next level, provided to you by one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
If you are going to give Arnold’s training plan a try, I recommend trying variation 1 of his workout programs as variation two is an extreme amount of volume, even for professional and more advanced bodybuilders.
If you have any question, leave a comment in the comments section below and I will reply as soon as possible.