Arnold Schwarzenegger Debunks the Biggest Myth About Muscle Growth: “There’s an Art and Science to Training”

At the crest of his bodybuilding career, Arnold Schwarzenegger had one of the best physiques in the bodybuilding community. Schwarzenegger always preferred the “classic physique”, not too bulky but with all the right muscles tight and popping out. But even a classic physique needs bulking. To attain bulky muscles, Arnold Schwarzenegger developed a routine of his own. A routine that clearly worked for him, because he won the Mr. Universe title when he was merely 20 years old and then went on to win the Mr. Olympia title seven times.

A man who has won so many accolades during his career must know what he’s doing. So when Schwarzenegger drops some advice, one better soak it up like a sponge.

Arnold Schwarzenegger proffers invaluable advice in his newsletter

Schwarzenegger publishes a newsletter every month, aptly named ‘The Pump Daily’, in which he includes pieces of advice, photos, and videos that he does not put on social media, as well as his unfiltered thoughts. These newsletters are a treasure trove of useful tips and a peek into Schwarzenegger’s mentality.

In a recent newsletter, Arnold Schwarzenegger busted some myths about muscle training and working out. Generally, people might think that if they do infinite reps of a lighter weight, they can still get ripped. However, according to Schwarzenegger, the same is not possible. He suggests, “There’s an art and science to training. Intensity determines your outcome. You need to challenge your body and push towards failure, which means you could find yourself doing 20 or 30 reps in some instances.”

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According to him, the best way to train one’s body is to drive it to the limit. He adds, “Simply doing a lot of reps isn’t enough; you need to near the limit of what your body can do, and that’s when your body will grow. So each time, you need to be adding more — whether reps, sets, or weight; that’s the progressive in progressive resistance.” In addition to giving sound advice, Schwarzenegger also went on to explain the logic behind his reasoning.

The art and science behind Schwarzenegger’s training methods

While explaining the science behind the intensity approach, Schwarzenegger wrote, “The higher rep approach won’t necessarily make sense for more complicated exercises. You might think a set of 30 reps on squats with 100 pounds would be “better” than 300 pounds for 10 reps, but it’s not that simple. Those 30-rep squats could cause fatigue in other ways, which could leave you more susceptible to injury (possibly your back) or cause bad reps that leave results on the table.”

One might keep repeating the exercise thinking quantity might be better than quality. Clearly, that’s not always the best approach to follow. Arnold Schwarzenegger also talked about compound moments and how they are best when limited to a particular range of reps. He explained, “In general, compound movements (presses, rows, squats, and deadlifts), are best done in the 5 to 12 rep range. Whereas more isolation movements — think lateral raises, calf raises, and biceps curls — might be safer to push at higher rep ranges.”

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If these simple tips can pave the way to a body like a Greek God, what is left to be doubtful about? Are you ready to get a buffed-up physique by following Arnold Schwarzenegger’s advice?