Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Program 3. The Austrian Alps: Arnold Schwarzenegger's Incredible Workout Secret Revealed

The lesson plan of the legendary athlete is based on, that is, the study individual groups muscles in one workout (and not the whole body as a whole).

It is known that "iron Arnie" trained each muscle group three times a week: his fitness schedule included almost 6 workouts in a row. According to the athlete, it was easier for him to control which muscle groups he was working on.

The basis of his studies was classical strength exercises. “All the basic exercises formed the basis of his program,” comments Irina Terentyeva, instructor Club World Gym - Krasnodar.- Arnold trained hard in the truest sense of the word, and the emphasis was on exercises with free weights (barbells, dumbbells) - squats, lunges, deadlifts and his own body weight - pull-ups / push-ups. Also used isolated exercises for maximum concentration on a particular muscle group. His signature Arnold press is an example of a basic multi-joint exercise on the shoulders, where there are 2 variations of presses for almost all bundles of deltas in one exercise.

The athlete invented some movements to work out individual muscles on his own: the already named Arnold press, which has a strong effect

“Later he gained a very high-quality mass in his shoulders, but he did it through powerful workouts legs! The body strives for proportions between arms and legs. Arnold knew about this and used this principle in his training: that is, if you create conditions where the legs are powerful, then the hands will begin to “catch up” or respond with growth faster than ignoring leg training. And any other weak muscle group.

In addition, training the lower body produces more testosterone, which is needed for muscle growth. Blood carries it throughout the body and getting into freshly trained muscle groups, they also begin to grow faster, ”says Irina Terentyeva.

Is the Schwartz workout program for everyone?

Alas, no: these classes are only for experienced athletes who already know how to perform basic exercises and work correctly with free weights. “For beginners, I would not recommend copying the Schwarzenegger program,” says Mikhail Vishnyakov, personal trainer club "Fitness Territory Zhulebino". - Especially for a beginner who has not trained before, who does not yet have proper coordination. This category of those involved must first learn to control their body, working in simulators, then with own weight. Gradually, you can use certain basic exercises and add other exercises of a smaller weight volume to them. Otherwise, there is a risk of serious injury."

Despite the popularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger's training, his methodology has its advantages and disadvantages. “His workouts are good because they are based on basic strength exercises. I would also call the advantage of his programs the presence of a split approach and the use of periodization in the training system - all this will help in building mass, ”says Mikhail Vishnyakov.

The disadvantages of the program relate to the technique of performing movements. “All the strength exercises that Arnold uses must be performed only under control. experienced trainer. I would not advise watching Schwarzenegger's training and trying to copy his technique, he has a peculiar one, many exercises performed by him differ from the technically correct ones and are associated with injuries, ”adds Mikhail Vishnyakov.

We asked Mikhail to show us 10 basic exercises from the Schwarzenegger program to the mass.

Schwartz Workout Exercises: How to Use Them

It makes no sense to collect them in a single complex: not all athletes will “pull” such a volume of load. “It is better to group 2-3 exercises for a specific muscle group and make splits out of them: on the chest, legs, back,” explains Mikhail Vishnyakov. “I also recommend including 3-4 sets of ab exercises on each of the training days - classic twists, for example.”

Here sample program training, which can be compiled from these Schwarzenegger exercises. Without a coach, it will be difficult to follow this scheme. It is advisable to supplement the program with other exercises.

Day 1, chest split and arm workout:

Bench press at an angle of 45 °;

Pullover;

French press;

Press exercise.

Day 2, back split and shoulder workout:

Pull-ups;

T-bar pull;

Bent over row;

Arnold press;

Press exercise.

Day 3, arm split and leg workout:

Squats;

Deadlift;

French press;

Lifting the bar for biceps while standing;

Press exercise.

For muscle growth, not only regular exercise is important, but also proper recovery: Leave about 48 hours to rest between workouts.

How to build an activity

Start your workout from the warm-up . "Easy articular gymnastics and 10-15 minutes on any cardio machine will improve blood circulation and “warm up” the muscles,” says Mikhail Vishnyakov.
Take your time - do the exercises at a relaxed pace tracking technique.
Use weights weighing 80% of your maximum .
Complete your workout light stretching . “But no more than 3-4 minutes, since this is also a load for the muscles, it is important not to overwork them,” the expert adds.

To complete the complex, you will need dumbbells, a bench, a barbell, a rack with a T-bar, and a horizontal bar.

Schwartz training: a set of basic exercises

Try to perform them with maximum control of the muscles. Correct technique performance of exercises affects the effectiveness of classes and protects against injuries.

45° Bench Press

Take dumbbells in your hands, sit on a bench with an inclined back. Bend your knees, place your feet at an angle of 45 ° to the body, press your shoulders, shoulder blades and sacrum to the support, maintain a natural curve in the lower back. Bend your elbows, spread your arms to the sides and lift the dumbbells up. Extending your elbows, squeeze the dumbbells up. Then slowly return to the starting position. This will make one repetition. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets By 10-12 repetitions in everyone.

Pullover

Take a dumbbell in your hands, sit on the floor, lean back on the bench. Raise your pelvis up, bend your knees to a right angle, place your shoulder blades on the bench - the body and hips should form one straight line. Stretch your arms with a dumbbell forward and up. Working with the muscles of the chest, arms and back, smoothly take the palms with the dumbbell back and down, behind the head, closer to the floor. Keep your elbows straight. Then gently pull the projectile towards you, returning your hands to their original position. This will make one repetition. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets By 10-12 repetitions in everyone.

Arnold press

Take dumbbells in your hands, sit on a bench with an inclined back. Bend your knees, put your feet parallel. Bend your elbows and raise the dumbbells in front of you. Then, without unbending your elbows and holding the dumbbells at face level, gently spread your arms to the sides. At the extreme point, straighten your elbows and squeeze the dumbbells up. Then return to the starting position: bend your elbows and smoothly connect the dumbbells at face level, bringing your forearms together. This is one repeat. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets By 10-12 repetitions in everyone.

french press

Sit on a bench with an inclined back, place your feet parallel, press your spine to the back. Take the barbell, stretch your arms up. Lock your shoulders in one position. Bend your elbows, lowering the barbell back and down, then gently straighten your arms, raising the projectile to its original position. This is one repeat. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets By 10-12 repetitions in everyone.

Barbell curl for biceps

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Grab the bar with an overhand grip. Bending your elbows, lift it up to chest level. Don't arch your back or slouch. Extend your elbows and lower the barbell to the starting position. This is one repeat. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets By 10-12 repetitions in everyone.

Deadlift

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Place the bar in front of you. Take the pelvis back, lean forward with the body, take the barbell with a direct grip, straighten your knees and straighten up. Then take the pelvis back, bend your knees and lower the projectile to the floor. This will make one repetition. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets By 10-12 repetitions in everyone.

Bent over row

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Grab the bar with an overhand grip. Take your pelvis back, bend your knees slightly, lean your body forward. Lower your hands with the bar down. Bend your elbows, bring your shoulder blades together, and pull the bar towards your body. Then slowly lower the projectile down. This will make one repetition. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets By 10-12 repetitions in everyone.

T-bar pull

Place your feet on the platforms of the simulator with a T-bar, lean forward with your body, grab the handles. Bending your elbows, bring your shoulder blades together and pull the bar to your waist. Do not bend in the lower back, work with the abdominal muscles. Then slowly lower the barbell to its original position. This will make one repetition. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets By 10-12 repetitions in everyone.

Pull-ups

Grasp the horizontal bar with your hands, placing your hands shoulder-width apart. Bending your elbows, pull your body up, try to touch the horizontal bar with your chest. Work the muscles of the press, back and arms. Then slowly lower your body down, straightening your elbows. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions in each.

Squats

Place the bar on your shoulders, grab the bar with a straight grip on the sides of the body. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Bending your knees, push your pelvis back and lower yourself into a squat. Then gently straighten your knees, returning to the starting position. This will make one repetition. Do the exercise in 3-4 sets By 10-12 repetitions in everyone.

Take note of these exercises when compiling your weight training plan. Do not forget that in addition to classes, there are other important components of the program. “The regime of the day is important: nutrition and sleep, drinking regimen. But the most important thing is that the psychological attitude is important, confidence in what you are doing, and what is already behind the scenes, long before entering the stage (even at the time of preparation in the hall) - you are already a champion, ”concludes Irina Terentyeva.

In the 70s, there was no need to consult gray-haired climbers or flip through the tattered pages of National Geographic magazines in your dentist's office to find the most incredible mountain peak in the world.

Regulars of any local gym it was known that the most impressive mountain is located in Venice, California, where a mountain man from Austria lives and trains, bearing a very famous surname. Even today, many agree that when it comes to developing biceps, no one has yet been able to surpass. Boasting a pair of powerful weapons that claim a 22+ inch bicep girth, this Austrian Oak has managed to shatter previous standards and create an entirely new role model that every generation of bodybuilders aspire to.

Open question

But 30 years later, we still ask ourselves: How did he manage to do it; how did he form the Matterhorns from the muscles located between his rotator cuffs and elbows? And much more significant for all bodybuilding enthusiasts is the question: “Can I use Arnold’s biceps training to accelerate growth muscle tissue my own hands?"

The answer is definitely yes. While it's worth noting that Schwarzenegger was physiologically unique for becoming an elite bodybuilder, the principles behind the visualization, intensity, and consistency of his training plan can be used by anyone from beginner to pro.

To help chart the course that Schwarzenegger is taking to build the world's biggest biceps, we've selected key information and quotations from Wilder's wide range of Arnold-related publications.

Mighty oaks grow from tiny seeds

It is important (and necessary) to note that Schwarzenegger did not have similar musculature at a young age. In fact, his first bodybuilding training took place in 1962 at the age of 15, when the future Mighty Oak was a young tree, which was 6 feet tall and weighed 150 pounds. But he pointed to the following: “When I was 10 years old, I was already training my arms every day. By the time I started bodybuilding at 15, my biceps were already the most notable muscle group in my body. Through the development of these muscles, I have learned to fully control them.

“Then this ability helped me in bodybuilding when I started weight training. When I did the flexion exercises, I felt very special, because I instantly felt the flow of blood to the muscles.

Watch your biceps, be biceps

Many of us are aware of intellectual games, which were used by Schwarzenegger, trying to intimidate his opponents during the competition (as shown in the movie ""). However, he did not use similar tactics for Lou Ferrigno, or. In fact, the main person on whom he applied the most intense psychological tricks was himself.

“Throughout my entire career,” says Schwarzenegger, “I was constantly working on my mindset. It was for this reason that I began to look at my biceps as mountains, and not flesh and blood body parts. This type of thinking made my muscles grow faster and increase in volume significantly.”

“When you think of your biceps as simple muscles, you subconsciously set a limit for yourself in their volume, which is about 20 or 21 inches. When you limit yourself to these numbers, it becomes difficult for you to reach this level, let alone exceed it. But when you think about mountains, the limit of your biceps disappears, so you have a chance to overcome the usual mental barriers.

However, Schwarzenegger points out how important it is to temper our zeal with a healthy dose of pragmatism. “Enthusiasm is extremely important at all levels of bodybuilding. However, a beginner should learn to enjoy even a small increase in muscle. Don't tell him that great success comes easy and that he can become a giant if he trains like a champion."

"His progress should be a series of small successes, and he should look forward to each increase in mass."

Follow the prize

"Whether it's muscle or money, you have to think about it all the time," Dub recalls. “I once asked a guy I watched train for four years if he ever wanted to win the title of Mr. Universe. And he said, "No, I never thought that." And it is right. With that attitude, he would never have made any serious progress." Are you ready to accept it? Great! Let's get down to the main elements.

shock approach

Applying this principle to every aspect of his life, Arnold Schwarzenegger analyzed in detail what steps to take in order to create the largest biceps in the world. Although his early workouts mostly consisted of barbell raises and dumbbell crunches, when he began to feature in American bodybuilding magazines, he began to do new exercises, such as: isolated flexion hands By the age of 19, Schwarzenegger had already formed a biceps training methodology that was different from many others and helped build his developing muscles. “includes barbell curls, dumbbell crunches (sitting or standing), isolated bench curls, and concentration crunches. However, keep in mind that my training style has changed many times as I have always tried to shock my muscles,” says Schwarzenegger.

“I remember the days when my training partners and I did 20 extremely heavy sets of biceps using four to five reps each. On other days or two days later, we could do 10 sets of 15 reps each using a lighter weight.”

“This shock method made a big difference in my preparation. Your muscles tend to resist growth if you keep doing the same exercises. But if you try to use different types workouts, exercises, weights, combinations of approaches and pace, then you can keep them in balance. They kind of say to themselves, “Wow, there's something new. He did 10 sets of 20 reps, and the next workout he will do 20 sets of 5 reps. We will never get used to this. We won't be able to resist training, so we'll just have to grow."

“And his hands did just that. Their girth grew to 17 inches when he was 17, to 18 at 18, and reached 19 inches when he was 19.”

In fact, Schwarzenegger used this seemingly haphazard, but actually carefully planned, shock approach system for his biceps in order to achieve 20 inches of volume. Interestingly, despite the great success he had with this program, he instinctively knew that he could build much bigger biceps with just a few tweaks to his training methodology.

Fine tuning

Being a perfectionist, Dub decides to change the training program for biceps, which brought him success. Where before his only concern was to improve his stamina, now that he has become competitive professionally, he has realized that he will have to be more selective in how he achieves this. To that end, he decided to split his biceps training into two programs: the off-season, the post-Mr. Olympia period, which lasted nine months, and the pre-training season, three months before the competition.

The off-season program focused on building quality mass, and during pre-workouts, he focused on the relief of his massive muscles.

Off-season program

Gaining mass, Schwarzenegger stuck to a six-day split, working on his arms twice a week. Incredibly, each workout could take up to two hours: 45 minutes for triceps, 45 minutes for biceps, and 30 minutes for forearms, in that order. “Strictly following the absolute maximum during each exercise of this super program requires a break of three to four days between arm workouts, during which there is a full recovery and maximum growth,” says Schwarzenegger.

Dividing crunches into two main categories for building and isolating mass, Schwarzenegger chooses two exercises from each group to ensure that he will gain really high-quality mass.

Exercise 1: Barbell Raises

“Changed lifts make a big difference to mass gain. I start the movement by holding the barbell at hip level, holding a shoulder-width grip, and propel it with a small push. This gives me enough momentum to overcome any obstacles as long as I continue to concentrate. I fully flex my biceps and then return the barbell to the starting position.”

“When the palms are facing up, I take advantage of the supination, which peaks at the outer head of the biceps during full flexion and develops the central portion of the muscle.”

Exercise 2: Incline Dumbbell Raise

“I lie down on a bench that is at a 45-degree angle. I prefer a low incline as it helps to fully expand the biceps at the bottom and keep that tension for a long time. One of the rules of muscle kinetics says that the stronger the initial tension in the muscles, the more muscle tissue is included in the work during flexion.

“When all the fibers of muscle tissue are included in the work, you gain mass. I strive to perform movements as efficiently as possible.

“The moment the blood supply to the arms increases, Schwarzenegger begins to perform isolated movements.”

Exercise 3: One Arm Curl Concentration

"This exercise is performed in a standing position, the second hand is used for support."

The position of the body during bending with concentration is very important. Even the most experienced bodybuilders can pull their elbow to their chest excessively during this movement. The elbow should not move during the twist. The shoulder should remain in a vertical position, the dumbbell should be pulled up to the shoulder. Although this movement may seem uncomfortable, it is very beneficial for the development of the biceps.

Finally, with his hands begging for mercy, Schwarzenegger returns to the dumbbell rack for the final exercise.

Exercise 4: Standing Dumbbell Raises

“During the exercise, the little finger of the hand should, as it were, try to touch the head of the biceps at the peak of flexion.”
By using this exercise you'll get that slight bump at the peak of the biceps head that gives the final touch to any musculature. Therefore, you must remember that the movements must be performed evenly. The biceps acts as a powerful arch support for your arm, including during flexion. This little movement helps me develop my shoulders and lower bicep thickness.

It's enough

Four exercises, 20-26 sets, 45 minutes workout for huge biceps that will suit everyone. For Schwarzenegger, this was quite enough. "If I've done them right, I don't need more," he says.

"Exist additional exercises, which I do between sets, such as stretching the bicep muscle. I feel like the blood vessels are freed, which contribute to the flow of blood, performing its functions.

Pre-competition program

“Three months before the competition, I completely change my training program,” says Arnie. “Now my goal is to improve the relief and form. I reduce the number of approaches and try to pump up the muscles as much as possible during the workout. ” During this period, Schwarzenegger needed to speed up and train each arm as intensely as possible with virtually no rest between sets. He embarked on a six-day double split (two workouts a day, six days a week), loading his muscles into a grueling program three times a week. After all, you thought that his mass gain program was different! But that is not all.

“When I was about to compete in big competitions, I stood in front of the mirror, watching the biceps and flexion of the arm, holding static position within two or even three minutes. I did this because the competition program was difficult. Having muscle mass is one thing, but being able to control it is another.”

Though he warns, "This system was perfect for me, but such a grueling training program is not recommended for beginners." So, who, apart from the Austrian giant, can successfully use one of these programs?

Do as I say, not as I do

The great Boyer Coe once said, "Hard mode is the only way to train unless you're Mike or Ray Mentzer." Steve Michalik ran out of steam faster than many of his partners to keep up with his "intense" or rather "crazy" approach to training. It can be argued that Arnold Schwarzenegger is no less, if not more, physiologically gifted than any professional of them all. Its restorative abilities are almost unique, as is its legendary pain threshold. The desire to emulate one of these two programs can be overwhelming for even the most experienced bodybuilder. But regardless of his abilities, Schwarzenegger can be called a bodybuilder with the strongest willpower. He hasn't done any random or haphazard activities throughout his career, which means his program can become a proven template for achieving your own bodybuilding success regardless of your experience or parameters.

“For beginners, I would suggest doing five sets with a barbell and dumbbells for a total of 10 sets of 8 to 12 reps,” says Schwarzenegger. “Focus on movement and try to improve your endurance. Experiment with various types movements until you find the ones that give you the most resistance to your biceps.”

After training for about a year, the bodybuilder switches to average level, for this period, Schwarzenegger recommends doing the following: “Look at your biceps and identify weaknesses. You can then develop individual program to help you work through these areas."

“If you lack volume in your biceps,” he continues, “pay attention to dumbbell raises. If you are lacking in relief, dumbbells can also help with this. Do more concentration curls and exercises with dumbbells lying on the bench like Reg Park did." Schwarzenegger says 12 common approaches should become the norm for an intermediate level bodybuilder.

Finally, he gives additional advice to those who train at an advanced level: “The biggest mistake experienced bodybuilders make is burning the biceps. It is based on a small group of muscles that you can only work on with intense training,” Terminator instructs. So what is overtraining? “I will note that the upper limit for biceps is 15 sets during a hard workout, but I meet a lot of bodybuilders who do 25 to 30 sets on a regular basis.”

A workout that includes 25-30 sets would be nothing special if you were Schwarzenegger.

Goodbye!

Schwarzenegger shared with readers tips on how to form massive biceps, and now it's your turn to use them. Stop reading, go to the gym and start working out! Before you do, listen to one more piece of advice from Arnie, the muscle-building axiom that has contributed to his success with every workout: “This is the case when the mind prevails over the material. If you direct all the power of thought to achieve your goal, then you will get what you want!

Arnold's Off-Season Biceps Training Program

Exercise

With cheating: 5-8 sets of 8-12 reps

Incline Dumbbell Raise: 5-8 sets of 8-12 reps

: 5 sets of 10 reps

Alternate curls with dumbbells in a standing position: 5 sets of 10 reps

Pre-competition training program

Super Approach 1

Bending arms with dumbbells incline bench

: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Super Approach 2

Standing dumbbell curls: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Super Approach 3

: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Super Approach 4

: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Super Approach 5

Bending the arms with a barbell on the Scott bench reverse grip: 5 sets of 10-12 reps

Barbell Wrist Curls: 5 sets of 10-12 reps

Let's reach the Alpine peaks!

Five rules for biceps from Arnold Schwazenegger

Diversity. Use barbells, dumbbells and cables.
Isolation. Do not include deltas, lower back and other parts of the body when training biceps. Do not swing the shells (except for flexion exercises).
Full range of motion. You need to control the weight if you are not using heavy movements during shock training.
Pick a pace. Develop a pace for each movement.
Total Concentration. Don't let yourself be distracted. Always focus on the movements and sensations in the muscles.

Using the Arnold program

We want to remind all readers that Arnold Schwarzenegger is a truly unique person, "one in a million", as well as an exceptional phenomenon. “Jokes aside,” you say. “Why tell us what we already know since we started training.” We hope to convey to you the fact that the gifted athlete Arnold was able to do things in the gym that would be beyond the power of mere mortals. Even advanced athletes can develop symptoms of overtraining, including chronic fatigue and injury, if they copy Arnold's workouts. We believe that many bodybuilders, regardless of their age and skill level, will be able to benefit from the Arnold principles that are presented in this article.

Bodybuilding is a very individual sport, in any case, you must tailor each training program to your personal characteristics and goals.

Of course, this article we will talk not about the program that Arnold used in his youth, doing hours on end, doing every exercise that could come to mind.

This program is more than detailed description, is in the encyclopedia of bodybuilding, written by Schwarzenegger after he ended his career as a bodybuilder.

Here are the main conclusions about the correct training process, from Arnold's point of view.

Warm up

You can not start working with weights, with large weights. Warm-up except for stretching the main muscle groups, requires several warm-up sets with relatively light weight. The number of repetitions should be at least 15, and preferably 20.

big muscles

These muscle groups require more load, and longer work out, special attention, according to Arnold, should be given to failure, and the number of repetitions in each working approach. These muscles include:

chest muscles

back muscles
Top part legs

For a qualitative study of the muscles of the chest and back, it is necessary to use a weight of 70-75% of the maximum, and perform 4 sets in each exercise, in the rep range from 8 to 12.

If you notice that you can already do 15 repetitions with this weight, you need to increase the weight of the projectile, until you can perform no more than 8 repetitions in one approach, and so each time, reaching the maximum.

The muscles of the legs in their upper part require working out in the rep range of at least 16-20 times in each approach. The same principle of increasing the load applies to them as to the muscles of the chest and back, with one difference that the number of repetitions should reach 25, and after that you can already increase the weight in the load.

Small muscles

It makes no sense to list all these muscles, it is enough to understand that they include all those that are not large.

The most effective way to work them out is to use 60-65% of your max, a little more sets of 5-6, and more reps in each set of 15-20, and in some cases up to 30!

Rest between sets

Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his encyclopedia, expressed the opinion that for a complete rest after a working approach, 3 minutes is enough for a muscle, and to create additional growth stimulation muscle fibers, it is necessary to prevent the muscle from recovering longer than this period. Thus, the optimal interval can be considered from 1 to 2 minutes!

The exercise program itself

If you try to adapt the program and Arnold's advice to a three-day visit to the gym, you get the following plan:

Monday (chest, shoulders, triceps)

Bench press on horizontal bench, 4 sub. 8-12 reps

Bench press at an angle of 35 degrees, 4 under. 8-12 reps

Wiring dumbbells lying on a horizontal bench, 5 under. 15-20 rep.

Seated Dumbbell Press (90 degree angle), 5 under. 15-20 rep.

Mahi with dumbbells standing, 5 under. 15-20 rep.

French press from behind the head, on an inclined bench, 4 under. 10-15 reps

Wednesday (back, biceps, abs)

Medium grip pull-ups, 5 under. 10 rep.

T-bar thrust to the belt, 4 under. 8-12 reps

thrust upper block to the chest 4 under. 8-12 reps

Lifting a barbell or Z-bar, for biceps, 5 under. 10-15 reps

Working out the biceps with dumbbells (hammers) 4 under. 15-20 rep.

Twisting on the bench, at an angle of 35 degrees, 5 under. 25 rep.

Friday (legs)

Squats with a barbell on the shoulders, 4 under. 15-20 rep.

Pumping legs lunges with dumbbells, 5 under. 15-20 rep.

Bending the legs for quadriceps, in the simulator, 4 under. 20 rep.

Working out the biceps of the thigh, in the simulator, 4 under. 20 rep.
Pumping calves, lifting on toes, with a weight of 5 under. 20 rep.

Arnold Schwarzenegger needs no introduction, and his name has long become a household name. And although he shone in the distant seventies and eighties, the example of his success still inspires thousands of novice athletes.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's training is a whole philosophy that includes, in addition to the exercises in the gym, proper nutrition, recovery and All this together is the formula for the success of a bodybuilder.

Now briefly about the system that Arnold Schwarzenegger worked on. Bodybuilding training involves individual. No two people are the same, so no two paths are the same. It is hardly possible to become the same as Arnold by blindly following his methodology. Each person needs their own training and recovery program, which can only be developed over the years, by trial and error. You need to find your exercises and determine your level of load.

Arnold's philosophy

The famous bodybuilder owes his magnificent achievements, first of all, to the correct philosophy with which he approached his classes. And its essence lies in the fact that success will come only in one case - if the athlete is looking forward to every trip to the gym. Classes through force will never bring desired result. Schwarzenegger trained for his own pleasure, and he understood and knew the main thing - after muscle improvement, life in all its manifestations will improve.

Nutrition

The right diet is the basis for success in this difficult sport. Without following a special diet, you should not expect results. Muscles do not grow just like that, but only with a balanced diet, which can provide an increase in body weight without fat. If muscle increases, not fat, then nutrition is correct. And if fat is also gaining, then it is necessary to reduce the caloric content of food.

During the drying period, which is carried out before the competition, Arnold switched to a diet low in carbohydrates, while their level had to be sufficient to have strength for training. One day a week was necessarily high in calories: thus the metabolism was accelerated.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's training system

The famous bodybuilder trained 8 times a week (on some days 2 times). His system consists of four programs designed for several years:

Basic training (two-level).
High-quality bodybuilding (two-level).
Alternative quality bodybuilding.
Preparation for the competition.

Main training program includes muscle building. This requires work with large weights, which must be increased weekly. This stage can take several years: it all depends on the constitution, motivation and performance. When muscle mass reaches the desired size, you can proceed to high-quality bodybuilding.

For beginners, the first level of the main program is intended. Each should be trained twice a week, and the abs daily.

For all muscle groups, it is necessary to select two or three exercises, the first of which (one or two) should be basic, or multi-joint. These include, for example, squats and others. Usually performed with a barbell and dumbbells. After the basic exercises, they do isolated exercises, or single-joint ones. This is wiring, leg extensions and others. For them, as a rule, simulators are used.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's training took place according to the following program:

Monday. Upper back, abdomen, chest.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday. Upper back, chest, stomach.
Friday. Stomach, shoulder girdle, forearm, shoulder.
Saturday. Bottom part back, thigh, shin, foot, stomach.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's workouts consisted of following exercises For different groups muscles:

Breast. and lying down; pullover.
Upper back. (the maximum possible number of repetitions); in the slope, the thrust of the projectile to the chest (three sets - 10, 6, 4).
Shoulder girdle. Bench press standing; lifting arms above your head to the sides and up (three sets - 10, 6.4).
Shoulder. Sitting and standing lifting for biceps; French press; bench press (narrow grip).
Forearm. Flexion and extension of the hands in the carpal-radial joint with a barbell (reverse grip).
Hip. Squats and lunges (on the shoulders of the bar); bending the knees with overcoming resistance (lying on a bench).
Shin and foot. Lifting on toes with a partner on the shoulders (5 sets of 15).
Lower back. With a barbell on the shoulders, straightening and tilting the torso (three sets - 10, 6, 4).
Stomach. Climb bent legs, touching the chest with knees, lying on an inclined board (5 sets of 25).

If the number of sets and repetitions is not indicated, the exercise should be performed 8-12 times in five sets.

Recovery

We must not forget that muscles do not grow during exercise. They increase outside the gym, during the recovery period, which is why the right Arnold advises sleeping 8-9 hours a day is so important. If you can’t sleep that much at night, you need to get the missing hours in the daytime.

Brain work

Arnold Schwarzenegger's training includes another important aspect - the ability to concentrate on working muscle when doing the exercise. It is necessary to learn to isolate the load on it and imagine its growth. After training, it is important to visualize the goal that you want to achieve with bodybuilding.