Despite Retirement Decades Ago, Bodybuilding Rivals Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno Locks Horn Again: “He’s a Fantastic Player”

Schwarzenegger and Ferrigno have been friends since their bodybuilding days. They always competed against each other on stage but were also friends who spent most of their time with each other and even did Pumping Iron together. And the two have now reconnected over… 20 bucks for the right guess… Chess!

Arnold Schwarzenegger is not only passionate about bodybuilding but also about chess. He has engaged in matches very often with his friends and colleagues and promotes the game whenever and wherever he can. Recently he sat down with his long-time friend and competitor Lou Ferrigno for a session of chess, and unlike back in the good old days of Pumping Iron, Arnie wasn’t winning. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno play a game of chess

Even though the 76-year-old and 72-year-old have competed with each other on stage, their hunger for a challenge does not dwindle even after retirement.  The picture showed both hunched over Schwarzenegger’s chessboard while sitting on an antique wooden dining and Arnie definitely looked tense since Ferrigno was winning. He captioned the post saying, “We never stop competing! It was fantastic to hang with my friend @theofficiallouferrigno and play chess yesterday. He’s a fantastic player!”

Arnold complimented his colleague and rival who also happened to play the best version of the Incredible Hulk on TV. Sorry Bana, Norton, and even Ruffalo, but Ferrigno takes the cake on this one.

 READ MORE – ‘Terminator’ Arnold Schwarzenegger vs ‘Aquaman’ Jason Momoa: Who Has a Better Body?

Now, the duo had always trained together, even when they were competing on stage. The 7-time Mr Olympia winner was motivated by  Ferrigno which made their friendship stronger over the years. They even had similar body measurements and competed over everything as you would see in the Pumping Iron movie. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno battled over physique

Pumping Iron which was the start of a series of iconic documentaries featured some of the best clips from the 1970s bodybuilding era. It showcased Schwarzenegger and Ferrigno at their peaks. Even though the Austrian Oak had achieved Olympia seven times, Ferrigno was almost always right behind.

At the time, he weighed 285-295lbs and stood at 6’5″. Arnie weighed 225-235 lbs and stood at 6’3″. The Austrian Oak had a chest that was 57 inches, and Ferrigno had a mammoth hulk-like chest of 59 inches. So just like the game of chess, they were also at par with each other during the competitive years.

Watch This Story: Bodybuilding Legend Lou Ferrigno Gained a Whooping 6x Profit on His $325 Million Mansion He Bought in 1980

What do you think about the friendship and camaraderie?