“Flexing Would Get the Wrong Message”: When Arnold Schwarzenegger Refused to Go Shirtless to Honor People’s Sentiments

Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger has millions of fans who love him for his work and an absolutely charming personality. Schwarzenegger also never fails to impress his fans and ensures their happiness in any way possible. Schwarzenegger may never miss an opportunity to flaunt his ripped body in front of an audience or his fans. But once, the bodybuilder stopped himself from going shirtless in front of a crowd during an event.

Of course, Schwarzenegger was not shy, he was used to flaunting his body in front of the audience. So what stopped Schwarzenegger from going shirtless?

Arnold Schwarzenegger avoids flexing

If you try to find young Arnold Schwarzenegger pictures, you would see the legendary bodybuilder “shirtless” in most of them. Not just on the bodybuilding stage or in competitions, but Schwarzenegger was requested to rip off his shirt to witness the chiseled body. And “The Austrian Oak” never said “no”.

Read More: “Didn’t Really Want to Be a Part”: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Bodybuilding Rival Denied Working With Him in Pumping Iron Due to the 8-Time Mr. Olympia

However, once when Schwarzenegger appeared on the Johnny Carson show, he revealed that he avoided going shirtless during a book promotion event, to avoid hurting people’s feelings. During the promotion of one of his books, Schwarzenegger did not want to “flex” by taking off his shirt.

He revealed, “I was promoting this weight training program for the general public, and you really have to be careful when you promote like this, how you promote it right. I thought that by promoting it by taking off my shirt and flexing would get the wrong message across.” The bodybuilder also confessed that he just wanted people to be fit and not imitate him. “I just wanted to show the average person how to be in shape,” said a thoughtful Schwarzenegger.

However, it was one of those rare times when Schwarzenegger did not strip for a picture. Otherwise, the bodybuilder-turned-actor did not shy away from posing on the street too.

Schwarzenegger’s iconic shirtless street picture

Recently, a page on Twitter shared a rare picture of the legendary Schwarzenegger posing on the street. With a bare upper body and jeans, he looked absolutely fit.

The source mentioned that the image was from 1974, from a street in Melbourne, Australia. However, what made the photo more iconic was the three women in the background, who seemed to be completely “awestruck” by the great bodybuilder’s body.

Watch This Story: A quick look at the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger museum in Austria

The bodybuilder also looked absolutely stunning in the black & white picture. Of course, Schwarzenegger never failed to impress women.