Rejecting Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Famed Training Method, 81-YO Bodybuilding Legend Who Brought a Aesthetics Revolution, Carved His Own Path

Bodybuilders have developed various training regimes over the years to become shredded. While some follow the HIT method, which includes training three to four days a week, others train for more days. But it all depends on how the body responds to the intensity. The 3x Mr. Olympia champion, Frank Zane, has over time developed a way of training that made him the Father of Aesthetics.

The 81-year-old bodybuilding icon recently opened up about his training regime while appearing on a podcast. Zane spilled beans on how he differed from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s training rituals.

Frank Zane’s training routine

The Chemist is revered as one of the three bodybuilders who defeated the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger in bodybuilding competitions. The Golden Era icon often recounts how he trained at the Gold’s gym with the Austrian Oak and other elite bodybuilders while learning their training rituals. So when the host asked Zane about his “typical all-body workout” during his prime, Zane stressed two forms. 

Adding more details, the veteran bodybuilder said, “One was the two-way split routine, which for me was upper body one day and legs the next.” He also added that he follows the routine even now. However, for most of his training regime, he followed the “three-way split.” Listing out the routine in detail, the 81-year-old confessed that he followed “pulling muscles on the first day,” which included forearms and back biceps. 

The second day was all about “legs, thighs, and calves,” while “chest, shoulders, and triceps,” for the third day. According to Zane, the fourth day was a rest day, and the routine fetched him great results. The Chemist also noted that “I tried training five-six days a week like the Arnold method, I just got overtrained doing that.” While Arnold Schwarzenegger is known for his massive chest and seven Sandow trophies, Zane managed to make his name resonate with an aesthetically pleasing physique.

How did Frank Zane become the God of Aesthetics and carve his own path?

Before the mass monster era took over the bodybuilding stage, aesthetics dominated the Mr. Olympia events. Zane’s unparalleled symmetry and conditioning were etched in the memories of the audience, and he came to be known as the Father of Aesthetics. But to build such an incredible physique, the Chemist was clear in his vision. He believed a bodybuilder could work as a sculptor while developing a jacked frame.

“What does your silhouette look like? What does the outline of your body look like? What do areas like your lats, your width, small waist, developed deltoids, wide shoulders, prominent calves, hamstrings, and quads develop? Body looking good from every angle.,” were the questions he posed himself before sculpting his body. No doubt, his plan was perfectly executed.

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Frank Zane and Arnold Schwarzenegger changed the scope of bodybuilding with their physique and knowledge. Both try to share their knowledge about the sport with the younger generations, thus promoting the sport. What are your thoughts on Zane’s physique and the training regime from his prime? Let us know in the comments below.   

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