VIDEO: Bodybuilding Legend Arnold Schwarzenegger Counting Reps as He Trained Prisoners in a Rare Footage

Before Pumping Iron followed him around town, Arnold Schwarzenegger had already set out on a special project involving working out. One highlight of his life was visiting prisons in California, meeting up with inmates, and encouraging them to take up weight training. This was to help them cope, as well as to find a sense of purpose in working out.

In rare footage posted by the Bodybuilding channel on YouTube, Schwarzenegger and his friend, Franco Columbo, visited one of the prisons in California. The duo aimed to promote better and healthier living among inmates. However, this wasn’t a serious lecture from a bodybuilder to a bunch of people. In fact, there were many fun moments. Let’s take a look at some!

Arnold Schwarzenegger counted reps for inmates

The video immediately begins with some wise words by Schwarzenegger. He pointed out right away that prisoners already faced a tough time being told what not to do, which could lead to demotivation. Therefore, the 7x Mr. Olympia’s first goal was to cheer the inmates on their positives.

He would do that by complimenting their strength, their form, or just merely the pump they were trying to achieve. The goal was to boost their confidence so they would continue to work out and help each other build a better community. With that thought, Schwarzenegger interacted with the inmates and helped them lift weights.

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One of the most heartwarming shots in the footage is Schwarzenegger counting reps for the prisoners while they lifted weights. Various inmates came up and tried their luck at getting a good chest pump or a satisfying biceps curl. While the star joked around and even taught them how to pose, the star-struck eyes of the inmates were evident in the video.

Was Pumping Iron entirely true?

Pumping Iron shaped an entire generation and created a wave of motivation for fans to consider bodybuilding as a viable career option. However, amidst a lot of plot lines and backstories that caused some drama, the audience wondered if it was all real.

The film portrayed Schwarzenegger as a mastermind who would manipulate and ‘psyche’ out of his rivals. Whereas Lou Ferrigno was more of an underdog against Schwarzenegger. But in an interview later, the Terminator star revealed that a lot of the narrative contained dramatic effects.

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In order to instill a sense of drama and emotion, they decided to add some fictional elements to the movie, so the audience enjoyed it. In the end, the movie inspired generations of bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts.