?Felt Totally Helpless and Alone?: Unequaled King of Bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Bullied for His Physique When He First Set Foot at Gold?s Gym

Arnold Schwarzenegger fans are having the time of their lives. Not only is the icon back with the action-packed Fubar on Netflix, but a recent full-length documentary also has people glued to their screens. The name that echoes through the annals of bodybuilding history, is widely regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. However, even the legendary Schwarzenegger had his fair share of weaknesses when he first arrived in America, striving to leave an indelible mark on the bodybuilding world.?

Stepping into the States was a dream come true for Arnold, but his happiness came to a sudden end almost instantly after he lost his first competition in Florida to Frank Zane. He was even bullied when he first entered the Golds Gym, Venice, a place that is now recognized all over the globe as Schwarzenegger’s training home. This was when he recognized his flaws and decided to work on them.?

Who bullied Schwarzenegger in Gold’s Gym?

The unfamiliar environment and the established hierarchy at Gold’s Gym presented a significant challenge to Schwarzenegger. In his own words, Arnie explained that the Gold’s Venice was the place where all the big names used to train. While Schwarzenegger had already won the Mr. Universe twice already, the Americans had an entirely different definition of a good physique. Moreover, since the Austrian Oak was merely in his 20s at the time, the senior bodybuilders would occasionally pull his leg. Fellow American bodybuilder Vince Gironda pointed out,?“You’re still a baby, we have to get rid of a lot of fat on you but you have a lot of potential.”?“Felt like totally helpless and alone,” Arnold explained in his documentary.?

“Joe Gold immediately called me “balloon belly.” I said, “Jesus.” I realized why it was so important to come to America because they just have a whole different understanding of what it means to being in shape,” recalled Schwarzenegger. Despite being enormous in size, what he was lacking at that point was definition and conditioning.

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Apart from this, another flaw that he had back then was a serious lack of size in his calf muscles. Before entering the bodybuilding scene in America, he was participating in Mr. Universe in European regions like Munich. While the bodybuilding there comprised of portraying a huge frame, the lower body was often not considered as important during the scoring of a competition. After his first loss to Frank Zane, he was taken by surprise that he “got beat by a chicken with 17-inch arms.? Amidst this, it was Wag Bennett who pointed out that what Schwarzenegger was mainly lacking was lower body development.?

Who pointed out Schwarzenegger’s flaws?

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s lower legs were one area of his physique that initially fell short of his lofty standards. His calves lacked the size and definition that he desired. However, he recognized this weakness and implemented a relentless training regimen specifically targeting his calf muscles. At that time, Schwarzenegger trained in a gym which was owned by Wag Bennett.

Wag would say,?“You’re going to train your calves. Your biceps are much larger than your calves. The calves are skinny, the proportion is off. If you want to win, you need to be fine-tuned, you have to have every single thing at 10,”?revealed Arnold Schwarzenegger.

With dedication and persistence, Schwarzenegger transformed his lagging calves into an impressive asset, eventually achieving the harmonious balance that defined his aesthetic appeal.?

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