“Real World Strength”: Man Squatting Massive Log in Forest Reminds Arnold Schwarzenegger of His 1985 Film

Bodybuilding icon Arnold Schwarzenegger carried a log on his shoulders in Commando (1985). Even four decades later, Arnie’s intro scene from the 1985 action film remains iconic. One man recently brought a similar scene to life when he posted a video of himself squatting with a massive log in the forest. The incredible feat of strength caught The Terminator’s attention.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was so impressed by this feat that he posted the video on his Instagram profile and tagged Mark Carpenter, the man behind the lift. Carpenter isn’t your typical fitness enthusiast. “I enjoy pursuing mental and physical strength by training outside of the gym,” the strongman describes in his Instagram bio. Carpenter reminded Arnie of his 1985 film.

“This is fantastic real-world strength and had me thinking it was a cut scene from Commando!” the 76-year-old bodybuilding icon wrote in the caption. “There is something so amazing about doing this kind of thing in nature,” said the 76-year-old. The seven-time Mr. Olympia also explained what made the lift even more difficult than it looked.

“The mud makes it that much harder to push the feet through the floor, and the awkward shape of the log, and the unknown weight is a true feat of strength. This was so impressive, I thought he had an overhead press in him! Because we’ll never know, he gets a 9/10,” wrote Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnie’s kind words inspired Carpenter.

“Arnold, This means more to me than you will ever know. You have always been an inspiration to me. I grew up watching you. You continue to touch people’s lives… Thank you for who you are and all you have done. Thank you for your encouragement. I’m blown away. Beyond. Words.” Carpenter wrote.

As Arnie compliments the lifter, one might wonder if he ever tried out powerlifting himself.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: The powerlifter

While Arnold Schwarzenegger trained to win Mr. Olympia titles, he competed in powerlifting meets early in his career. So, The Austrian Oak continued to test his strength periodically in the gym. Schwarzenegger has said that his best bench press in the gym was a whopping 525 lbs, which was close to his 545 lbs squat. Arnie also deadlifted 710 lbs.

The 76-year-old bodybuilding icon recently said that his best squat was 610 lbs during an interview with Pat McAfee. Yet, the seven-time Mr. Olympia was humble enough to say his best lifts were “not at all great in comparison to what some of the bodybuilders and lifters are doing today.”

While Arnold Schwarzenegger may feel his lifts did not stand the test of time, he felt that Mark Carpenter pulled off something some of the strongest men on earth might struggle with. What do you think of Carpenter’s attempt? Let us know in the comments.