“I always said I wanted to do what I’ve done. I always said I wanted to be a four-time NCAA champ and that I wanted to go to the Olympics. But the more I’ve grown, I’ve learned that I don’t really care for those things,” said Aaron Brooks, now an Olympian and four-time national wrestling champion. Brooks always had big dreams, starting young like Arnold Schwarzenegger. He broke a world bench press record in elementary school, a feat even Schwarzenegger couldn’t match at 16.

Recently, Brooks won the 2024 US Olympic Wrestling Trials, beating David Taylor to secure his spot at the Paris Olympics. In a special interview with Negley, he shared the story of his early bench press record. A 14-year-old YouTube video of him setting the record has gone viral again, bringing his incredible achievement into the spotlight.

Aaron Brooks lifts Arnold Schwarzenegger’s teenage record

Aaron Brooks recently shared his journey to breaking the bench press record at 9 years old. In a YouTube interview, he reflected on his early years, lifting 99.21 lbs—a feat Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t achieve at the same age. When asked about the viral video, “You set a raw bench press record in elementary school, and you’d only been bench pressing for a couple of weeks, right? How did all that happen?” Aaron said, “Yeah, so kind of going back to when I was six, I told my dad how good I wanted to be, and we started training. There was a guy named Herschel Walker, a Georgia product, who never lifted weights. My dad said, ‘push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups.’”

Aaron dedicated himself to these exercises. “All I did in my room, I got put on headphones. I had time where, you know, me and Zay would hang on game, but at nighttime, I’d go in my room and just knock them out.” His dad worked at the ISS program at South Hagerstown. His students knew about Aaron’s wrestling and strength. “They brought in this book from the library, showing the world record,” Aaron recalled. “My dad was like, Aaron could probably bench that, so we went home and I benched it. We were like, okay, we’ll go break it.” Despite not lifting weights regularly, Aaron Brooks quickly got used to the bar. He spent a couple of weeks on stabilization exercises before his attempt. Brooks explained that he hadn’t been lifting weights recently and needed to adapt to the bar, focusing on stabilization for those few weeks.

Aaron’s rigorous wrestling training had already given him a solid foundation of strength. “Training for wrestling, I think I got strong,” he noted. This achievement is particularly impressive compared to Arnold Schwarzenegger, who didn’t reach such feats until later in life. At 15, Arnold Schwarzenegger began weight training in a local gym in Graz, Austria. By 16, he started intensive training under Kurt Marnul, a former Mr. Austria. Despite his rapid progress, Arnold’s bench press at that age did not reach Aaron’s level. His accomplishment set him apart and highlighted the significance of his hard work and determination at such a young age.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the greatest athletes and superstars of all time. He revolutionized the bodybuilding industry, winning Mr. Olympia seven times. Schwarzenegger’s success in bodybuilding led to Hollywood contracts, making him a top actor in the 1980s and 1990s. Before his fame in acting, he was a beast in bodybuilding. The Terminator actor claimed a max bench press of 525 pounds, an impressive feat. While Schwarzenegger moved from the gym to Hollywood, Brooks is evolving from a record-setting youth to an Olympic contender.

From youngest record holder to Olympics wrestler – the journey of Aaron Brooks 

Brooks’ journey is nothing short of inspirational. After winning his fourth consecutive NCAA championship, he didn’t slow down. Instead, he took his talents to the U23 World Championships, dominating his weight class. His relentless work ethic and dedication earned him a coveted spot on the Olympic team. In a thrilling match against David Taylor, Brooks showcased his skill and determination, outscoring Taylor 7-2 across two rounds and achieving what many thought impossible.

In an interview with FlowWrestling, Brooks shared that he felt the need to quit weightlifting as he grew. He focused on undertaking wrestling, believing strength could be gained through wrestling alone. “Just wrestle. Underhooks. I’d lift when the team was lifting and I didn’t mind it, I liked it,” he said. His goal is to break records in weightlifting and push the boundaries of wrestling. Brooks’ transition from a record-setting child to a world-class wrestler shows the power of dedication. Now, he’s focused on winning gold at the Paris Olympics, aiming to achieve what Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t.

Unlike Schwarzenegger, who shifted from bodybuilding to a career in acting and politics, Brooks is committed to his sport and helping others achieve their dreams. As the wrestling event takes place from August 5th to 11th, with 288 wrestlers across 18 weight divisions, the question remains: will Brooks secure a medal, or will he return with renewed determination? Share your thoughts in the comments!