Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Arm Workout
By Samuel Nichlos / May 18, 2023
Arnold Schwarzenegger is widely regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. His physique was the result of years of hard work and dedication to his craft.
One of the areas that he focused on the most was his arms. In this article, we will take a closer look at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s arm workout and what made it so effective.
The Blueprint for Incredible Biceps and Triceps:
First and foremost, it’s important to understand that Arnold Schwarzenegger believed in a balanced approach to bodybuilding.
He didn’t just focus on his arms, but rather on his entire body. However, he understood that the arms are one of the most visible muscle groups, and therefore required special attention.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s arm workout consisted of a combination of exercises for the biceps and triceps. He believed in working with each muscle group from different angles to ensure complete development.
Biceps Exercises:
For biceps, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s go-to exercise was the standing barbell curl. This exercise targets the biceps brachii, which is the primary muscle responsible for flexing the elbow joint.
To perform this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip.
Keeping your elbows close to your body, curl the barbell up towards your chest, squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement.
Slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position and repeat for several sets and reps. Arnold Schwarzenegger also liked to incorporate the concentration curl into his arm workout.
This exercise targets the biceps brachii and brachialis muscles, which are located in the upper arm.
To perform the concentration curl, sit on a bench with your legs spread apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
Rest your elbow on the inside of your thigh and curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder, squeezing your bicep at the top of the movement.
Slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position and repeat for several sets and reps.
Triceps Exercises:
In addition to these exercises, Arnold Schwarzenegger also believed in working the triceps just as hard as the biceps.
One of his favorite exercises for the triceps was the lying triceps extension, also known as the skull crusher.
To perform this exercise, lie on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and hold a barbell with an overhand grip.
Lower the barbell towards your forehead, bending your elbows, and then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
Repeat for several sets and reps. Arnold Schwarzenegger also liked to incorporate dips into his arm workout.
Dips are a compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, including the triceps, chest, and shoulders.
To perform dips, place your hands on parallel bars and lower your body down towards the ground, bending your elbows.
Push your body back up to the starting position, squeezing your triceps at the top of the movement. Repeat for several sets and reps.
Conclusion:
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s arm workout was all about balance and hitting each muscle group from different angles.
He believed in working the biceps and triceps equally hard to achieve a complete and symmetrical physique.
Exercises like standing barbell curls, concentration curls, lying triceps extensions, and dips can help you achieve similar results in your arm workouts.
However, it’s important to remember that consistency and dedication are key to seeing progress and achieving your goals.
FAQ’s
Arnold Schwarzenegger trained his arms as part of his overall bodybuilding routine, which typically involved training each muscle group two to three times a week.
However, it’s important to note that Arnold Schwarzenegger believed in a balanced approach to bodybuilding and didn’t solely focus on his arms.
While Arnold Schwarzenegger’s arm workout is effective, it may not be suitable for beginners.
Beginners must build a foundation of overall strength and technique before incorporating advanced exercises like those in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s routine.
Starting with compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups, such as push-ups, pull-ups, and basic dumbbell curls, can be more appropriate for beginners.
The specific number of sets and reps Arnold Schwarzenegger performed for each exercise may have varied based on his training phase and goals.
However, he typically followed a high-volume approach and performed multiple sets of each exercise, ranging from 3 to 5 sets. The number of reps per set varied as well, with a typical range of 8 to 12 reps for hypertrophy (muscle growth) purposes.
While the article focused on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s preferred exercises for the biceps and triceps, he incorporated other exercises into his arm workout as well.
Some additional exercises he included were hammer curls, preacher curls, cable curls, triceps pushdowns, and close-grip bench presses.
These exercises provided further variation and targeted different parts of the biceps and triceps muscles.
Arnold Schwarzenegger utilized various training techniques to stimulate muscle growth and development in his arms.
These techniques included drop sets, where he would decrease the weight after reaching failure to perform additional reps, and supersets, where he would perform two exercises back-to-back without resting.
He also focused on maintaining strict form and using controlled movements to maximize muscle engagement.
While Arnold Schwarzenegger’s arm workout can be effective for building arm strength and size, it’s important to understand that genetics, diet, overall training program, and individual dedication all play significant roles in achieving similar results.
It’s unlikely that following the same workout alone will guarantee the same outcome.
Consistency, proper nutrition, and personalized adjustments to suit your own body and goals are key factors in achieving success in any fitness regimen.