Seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger made sure to leave a lasting legacy in the realm of bodybuilding with his tons of achievements and extremely jacked physique. Even though he had some unorthodox training and dietary preferences, his bodybuilding record is a testament to the fact that he did yield results from some of the unconventional training methods that are often criticized by science-based lifters.

Even though bodybuilders nowadays are against the concept of overtraining, during the golden era of bodybuilding, it was common for many athletes to do more than 20 sets per muscle in a workout. Back in 2015, during a video with bodybuilding.com, Schwarzenegger gave his honest take on this and admitted why he preferred a high-volume training style.

Arnold Schwarzenegger explains his take on overtraining 

Back in the 1970s, when Schwarzenegger competed, things were a lot different compared to now. Everything from diet to training has evolved over the years. Even the standards of the sport have changed drastically. Modern open-class bodybuilders look out of this world with their mass-monster physiques. As there were many components and even drugs that were not available back in the day, athletes used to rely on various other ways to get lean and stage-ready. Speaking along the same lines, Schwarzenegger admitted that those extra sets helped him get in better condition.

Schwarzenegger revealed the exact reason during the video, stating, “Well, I think that I liked to be a little bit overtrained because, to me, I responded better and I got more definition because, remember, in my days, we were not as sophisticated when it comes to dieting. Adding to this, he said, “And we didn’t have the food supplements that are available today for getting definition and, you know, cutting down and all those things.”

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Schwarzenegger has previously even admitted to using alcohol in his protein shakes. Even though it’s not something that most would rely on, he did have a reason to follow this crazy routine.

The reason behind Schwarzenegger mixing alcohol in protein shakes

Being in this field for decades now, Schwarzenegger has tried countless things when it comes to training and diet. For example, back in 2022, during a Zoom interview with The Insider, Schwarzenegger was sipping on his protein shake that had a special ingredient mixed in it. This was when he revealed that he often mixes schnapps into his protein.

He said, “I add a little bit of schnapps or tequila; tequila is also good.” When asked why he is adding alcohol to the protein drink, he said it might make protein reach the bloodstream faster. Even though scientific research suggests that alcohol actually leads to muscle loss, this illegal way of pumping protein is what Schwarzenegger prefers.

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Before jumping to conclusions about his dietary preferences, it is important to understand that every body responds differently to different diets and exercise. While stuff like overtraining and mixing alcohol in his protein shake used to work for ‘The Austrian Oak,’ it might be useless to many. What are your views on this? Let us know in the comments.