Arnold Schwarzenegger?has been a pioneer in more ways than one. Besides helping bring bodybuilding to the mainstream, Arnie was among the first generation of powerlifters. Arnie and his friend Franco Columbu participated in powerlifting contests even when an operating training methodology didn’t exist. Despite that, Schwarzenegger lifted impressive numbers. While it wasn’t a strong suit early in his career, Arnie worked up to a 545-pound squat.
Now the 75-year-old looks out for others so they can realize their?bodybuilding?and weightlifting potential. In a recent social media post, Arnie asked his followers not to skip leg day. However, if they had skipped leg day, Schwarzenegger directed them to his newsletter so they could fix their workout mistakes. Shortly after Arnold made his post, a gymgoer replied to Arnie’s post on Threads.
Impressing Arnold Schwarzenegger is no easy feat
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In his original post, Arnie asked everyone,?“Did you skip leg day this week?”?He included a link to sign up for his newsletter and added,?“There?s still time to fix that.”?The seven-time Mr. Olympia uploaded his message with images of himself squatting massive weights back in the day. While many people replied to the post across all social media platforms, The Barbell Backpacker’s response grabbed the fitness icon’s attention.
“Nah. We are good Arnold!”?wrote the Threads user while responding to the former Mr. Universe’s thread. However, the gymgoer didn’t just write a few words; he also uploaded an image of himself doing a squat. The photograph showed the gymgoer at the bottom of the range of motion. The man showcased textbook form in the image.
While he wasn’t lifting insanely heavy weights like Arnie’s 545 lbs squat, he went slightly beyond 90 degrees. While it’s become a topic of debate, the gymgoer also had his knees behind his toes. The image impressed Arnold Schwarzenegger.?“Great lift,”?replied the five-time Mr. Universe. After learning about leg training the hard way, the 75-year-old bodybuilder wants everyone to build strong legs.
The evolution of the Austrian Oak’s leg training
The former Mr. Olympia could officially squat 474 lbs when he was 20. While strength wasn’t the issue, Schwarzenegger focused more on his upper body. Since the Austrain’s upper body genetics were his strength, young Schwarzenegger focused less on developing balanced legs. Schwarzenegger’s mistake cost him a?Mr. Universe title against Frank Zane.
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Later, when he met his idol, Reg Park, the bodybuilder also scrutinized an aspect of Schwarzenegger’s legs. Park pointed out his lack of calf muscle development and?instructed him to work on them. The Austrian became aware that he needed to put more time into leg training. The result was seven Mr. Olympia titles, a 545 lbs squat, and a 710 lbs deadlift. What are your thoughts on Arnie’s advice latest post? Let us know in the comments.
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