Arnold Schwarzenegger certainly came from humble beginnings as represented in his latest Netflix documentary, Arnold. During an episode, the bodybuilding legend looked back on a gym he called the ‘mecca of weightlifting’ while building his physique in Austria.
In the 1970s, Schwarzenegger proved he was ahead of his time with a massive chest, huge arms, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. While competing actively, he shared the stage with several icons such as three-time Mr. Olympias Sergio Oliva and Frank Zane. Before his time was up in bodybuilding, Schwarzenegger had already amassed seven Mr. Olympia titles.
In addition to his bodybuilding journey, Schwarzenegger established himself as a famous actor. With lead roles in The Terminator franchise, it didn’t take long for the Austrian native’s popularity to skyrocket. Even though he also governed the state of California, the 75-year-old’s focus as of late has remained on acting and staying fit.
Schwarzenegger routinely offers training advice and wellness tips in his Daily Pump Newsletter. Late last month, he opened up about how grip strength is one of the best indicators of long-lasting health. He offered a number of tests and a circuit longevity-inspired training routine.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Discusses Austria Gym He Used Before Moving to North America
Schwarzenegger acknowledged that Gold’s Gym was one of his favorites, but he named the Athletik Union Graz in Austria as his first mecca of weightlifting.
“This weightlifting club became for me, the mecca. I became addicted to it and so I went there everyday.”
“When I walked into this gym [In Austria], there was this wall made of wood, I took a piece of chalk, and I would write down, biceps, triceps, brust, rucken, so I would do a set of biceps curls. And I will write down next to this one line, then another line, then another line, then another line, next one, flyes on the bench, and I know when I did my 20 sets of a specific exercise. After three hours of training, this whole thing would be full of sets that I’ve done to get to that goal that I want to go,” Arnold Schwarzenegger shared.
Schwarzenegger has been honest about his physique since his days of competing in a pair of posing trunks. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Schwarzenegger said he hopes to live forever and has found it difficult to accept his body in retirement given his former status as the world’s best-built man.
As for PEDs, it’s not common to hear Schwarzenegger discuss the subject, however, he gave fans an idea of what his Mr. Olympia-winning cycle was a few weeks ago. According to Arnie, he used a combination of testosterone and Dianabol en route to securing his name in the bodybuilding history books.
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Despite his busy schedule, Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t appear to be slowing down considering his latest offerings to Netflix. Schwarzenegger has honed his physique in various gyms around the world. Yet none of them can compare to the humble home gym in Austria, where his passion for fitness was ignited and nurtured.