This book was written when Arnold Schwarzenegger was 30 years old. It recounts his life up until that point, well before he ever rose to stardom as an actor. The book recounts his life starting at his childhood in Thal, Austria and we see how he became a champion bodybuilder. His career takes him all over the world from Munich, Germany to the UK and finally to his permanent home, Los Angeles California.
This book is extremely inspiring. The most valuable part about this book is the way Arnold clearly lays down his mindset.
When you read it, you feel inspired, not just to lift heavy weights at the gym, but to work your ass off in whatever goal or endeavor that you may be pursuing. The relentless dedication and fierce ambition that Arnold had is simply unmatched. You will meet very few people who had his drive and motivation.
While he comes off as playful and enthusiastic in his writing, he also describes all the pain, physical and mental, that he went through in order to achieve his goals.
To quote Mike Cernovich from Danger and Play: 'His success is due to one thing – pain. Most people move away from pain. They think that the absence of pain leads to pleasure. Yet people who have lived pain-free lives are boring and almost always unsuccessful. Always seek pain in what you do, because pain leads to pleasure. That’s true of life inside the weight room and outside of the weight room.'
This post is simply a short summary of the book, with the workouts and diet. While I think everyone should read the entire book I am posting this as a detailed reminder of all the important points.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
BEST QUOTES
"Whatever I thought might hold me back, I avoided. I crossed girls off my list - except as tools for my sexual needs. I eliminated my parents too… I grew accustomed to hearing certain questions: "What's wrong with you Arnold? Don't you feel anything? Don't you have any emotions?
How can I answer that? I always let it pass with a shrug. I knew that what i was doing was not only justifiable, it was essential. Besides, if I did miss out on the emotional thing because I was so dedicated, I believe I benefited in other ways that finally brought everything into balance. One of these was my self-confidence, which grew as I saw how much control I was gaining over my body. In two or three years I had actually been able to change my body entirely. That told me something. If I had been able to change my body that much, I could also through the same discipline and determination, change anything else I wanted. I could change my habits, my whole outlook on life."
"The secret is contained in a three-part formula I learned in the gym: self-confidence, a positive mental attitude, and honest hard work. Many people are aware of those principles, but very few can put them into practice"
"I was always honest about my weak points. This helped me grow. I think it's a key to success in everything: be honest, know where you're weak; admit it."
"My biggest dream had always been to go to America and train with American bodybuilders. I wanted to learn from them, to get more information and - ultimately - to beat them… It was a fact that up until then America had produced most of the best bodybuilders in the world. Since the percentage had been so high, I thought there must be a reason. Perhaps it was knowledge, or better food, or better drugs. If not these things, maybe it was just being surrounded by the best bodybuilders - as in Gold's Gym. Positive thinking can be contagious. Being surrounded by winners helps you develop into a winner."
"For me, life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer."
"The mind is incredible. Once you've gained mastery over it, channeling its powers positively for your purposes, you can do anything. I mean anything. The secret is to make your mind work for you - not against you. This means constantly being positive, constantly setting up challenges you can meet - either today, next week, or next month. "I can't..." should be permanently stricken from your vocabulary, especially the vocabulary of your thoughts. You must see yourself always improving and growing."
"I taught myself discipline, the strictest kind of discipline. How to be totally in control of my body, how to control each individual muscle. I could apply that discipline in everyday life. I used it in acting, in going to school. Whenever I didn't want to study I would just think back and remember what it took to be Mr. Universe - the sacrifice, the hard work - and I would plunge myself into studying."
"I've had no problem making it work. I just looked back at how I did it in bodybuilding and then applied it to other things. With acting, now, I am determined to work as hard as removing my accent as i was on improving my poor calves.The same with business I'm so determined to make millions of dollars that I cannot fail. In my mind I've already made the millions; now it's just a matter of going through the motions."
WORKOUT AND DIET
The workouts outlined in this book are tough. Fitting, as the intensity of these workouts fit Arnold's intense personality. However, he does emphasize how important it is to stick to more basic, foundational programs until you have more or less mastered the exercises. You should not be dabbling in the more advanced workout routines or else risk injury or even burn-out.
Arnold's Guidelines for Training
This is meant to be a foundational workout program that you do before you hit the barbells- you can work all the muscles in the body with simple bodyweight exercises. Moreover, you can build a decent body with these basic exercises and never enter the gym.
Done 3-5 times a week (not specified)
Push-ups x 50 reps
Row between Chairs x 50 reps
Situps x 100 reps
Leg Raise x 100 reps
Bent-over twists x 50 reps
Squats x 50-70 reps
Calf Raises x 50 reps
Chin-ups x 30 reps
Cardio - Jogging and/or Swimming
Beginner's Barbell Workout
Even though Arnold's workouts are famous for being long and grueling, this basic workout is relatively low volume. Each workout lasts 45-60 minutes. It is very similar to Reg Park's (Arnold's personal hero from young age) beginner workout. It also has most of the same exercises as Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength.
Done 3 times a week (sets x reps), 1 minute rest between sets
Bench Press 5 x 8,8,6,6,6 ( adding a small amount of weight at the beginning of each set)
Wide-grip Pull-Ups - 3 x 10
Military Press - 3 x 10
Barbell Curl - 3 x 10
French Press - 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10
Leg Curl - 3 x 10
Machine Calf Raises - 5 x 15
Sit-ups - 3 x 50
Wrist Curls - 3 x failure
Four-Day Routine
This routine was especially surprising since it is does not even approach the realm of overtraining.It is very similar to a popular routine created by nutrition guru Lyle McDonald. In my opinion, the volume and number of sets could be lowered in most of the exercises for more optimal gains.
Monday and Thursday:
Squats - 5 x 8
Leg extensions - 5 x 12
Leg curls - 5 x 10
Calf raises - 5 x 15
Bench Press - 5 x 8
Dumbbell flyes - 5 x 8
Sit-ups - 200 reps
Leg raises - 200 reps
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Tuesday and Friday
Military press - 5 x 8
Lateral raises - 5 x 8
Chin-ups - 5 x 10
Row - 5 x 12
Barbell curls - 5 x 8
Incline dumbbell curls - 5 x 8
Standing french press - 5 x 10
Skull crushers - 5 x 12
Sit-ups - 200 reps
Leg raises - 200 reps
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Accelerated Six Days a Week
An important note: This routine should not be done by natural, drug-free athletes. Even though Arnold does not mention it in the book, he, along with every bodybuilder of that era, took steroids. They did not take the insane cocktails taken by today's bodybuilders, but none of them (Serge Nubret, Mike Katz, Frank Zane) Unless you are on low doses of steroids or TRT, you will not be able to recover or see any substantial growth from these workouts. Please watch this video by Ric Draisin, a man who trained alongside Arnold in the 70s.
Monday and Thursday
Squats - 5 x 10
Leg extensions - 5 x 10
Leg curls - 5 x 12
Lunges - 5 x 10
Standing Calf raises - 5 x 15
Machine Sitting Calf raises - 5 x 15
Sit-ups - 200 reps
Leg raises - 200 reps
Twists 5 x 50
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Tuesday and Friday
Chin-ups - 5 x 12
Row - 5 x 10
T-Bar Row - 5 x 10
Bench Press - 5 sets ( 15, 12, 10, 6, 4)
Incline Press - 5 x 8
Flyes - 5 x 12
Dumbbell pullover - 5 x 12
Behind-the-Neck Press - 5 x 12
Lateral raises - 5 x 8
Bent-over Lateral raises - 5 x 8
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Wednesday and Saturday
Tricep Pull-down - 5 x 10
Dumbbell tricep extension - 5 x 12
Lying Dumbbell tricep extension - 5 x 12
Incline dumbbell curls - 5 x 8
Preacher curls - 5 x 8
Concentration curls - 5 x 10
Standing Calf raises - 5 x 15
Machine Sitting Calf raises - 5 x 15
Leg raises - 200 reps
Twists 5 x 50
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Superset Program
This workout routine is more-or less identical as the Accelerated Program. The only difference is that two exercises are done back-to-back without rest. (Bench Press immediately followed by Chin-ups , Squats followed by Leg Curls, etc.) This method is used to shave off time and increase workout intensity, reducing the workout times from 3-4 hours to 1.
DIET
An outline of his daily diet. 5000 calories, 300 grams of protein.
Another important note: This diet will most likely make you fat. This diet is appropriate for Arnold: a 230-250 pound male, exercising intensely for 4-6 hours a day, 5-6 times a week and taking steroids. It is NOT appropriate for a natural trainee, at or below 180 pounds, working out for 1 hour, 3-4 times a week. Here is a link to an excellent Calorie Calculator.
Breakfast
3 eggs; ½ pound beef patty; 2 pieces of buttered toast; 2 glasses of milk
Snack
half sandwich, meat; 1 egg, 1 glass of milk
Lunch
1 meat sandwich; 1 cheese sandwich; 2 glasses of milk
Snack
1 egg; 3 slices of cheese; 2 glasses of milk
Dinner
½ pound ground beef; baked potato; salad; vegetables; 2 glasses of milk
Bedtime Snack
Protein shake: 2 glasses of milk, ½ cup of protein powder, one egg, ½ cup of ice cream.
This book is extremely inspiring. The most valuable part about this book is the way Arnold clearly lays down his mindset.
When you read it, you feel inspired, not just to lift heavy weights at the gym, but to work your ass off in whatever goal or endeavor that you may be pursuing. The relentless dedication and fierce ambition that Arnold had is simply unmatched. You will meet very few people who had his drive and motivation.
While he comes off as playful and enthusiastic in his writing, he also describes all the pain, physical and mental, that he went through in order to achieve his goals.
To quote Mike Cernovich from Danger and Play: 'His success is due to one thing – pain. Most people move away from pain. They think that the absence of pain leads to pleasure. Yet people who have lived pain-free lives are boring and almost always unsuccessful. Always seek pain in what you do, because pain leads to pleasure. That’s true of life inside the weight room and outside of the weight room.'
This post is simply a short summary of the book, with the workouts and diet. While I think everyone should read the entire book I am posting this as a detailed reminder of all the important points.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
- He was born and raised in Bern, Austria. His father was a strict disciplinarian who always made sure he did his schoolwork and instilled in him a strong work ethic.
- While Arnold was always an athletic kid, he did not pick up a weight until the age of 15. A few local bodybuilders and weightlifters saw how intensely he trained and mentored him on how to train properly. Arnold fell in love with the sport of bodybuilding. He won a few amateur trophies by the age of 16.
- Arnold posted pictures of his favorite bodybuilders all over the walls of his room. His favorite bodybuilder and personal idol was Reg Park.
- In 1965 he joined the Austrian army. That same year he was invited to the Mr. Europe Contest in Germany. Even though he had to go AWOL. It was his first major victory. Back in the barracks, the army gave him free reign (and supplied him with endless amount of food) to lift and compete in more bodybuilding contests.
- After serving in the army, Arnold was invited by one of the judges at the Mr. Europe Contest, Schneck (not his real name), to help manage a gym in Munich. Schneck tried to seduce Arnold.
- While working at the Munich Gym Arnold set his sights on winning the Mr. Universe contest.
- After some hustling and networking, Arnold went to the 1966 Mr. Universe contest in London. Arnold placed second, losing to Chet Yorton.
- Back in Munich, Schneck sold his gym to Arnold. Arnold didn't have enough money to buy all the equipment in the gym, so he had to scrounge money by doing various odd jobs. This experience would provide him with some essential business experience.
- In 1967, Arnold was finally able to meet his idol Reg Park. For one week, he travelled around with Park doing exhibitions around Europe. They became good friends, and would visit each other often.
- In the 1967 and 1968 Mr. Universe, Arnold won.
- After the Mr. Universe in London, Arnold was invited to attend a separate Mr. Universe contest in Miami, Florida . He lost to Frank Zane.
- Joe Weider, a big bodybuilding publisher, contacted Arnold around this time. Weider agreed to pay for Arnold's living expenses for a year if he came to Los Angeles. In America he would befriend, train with, and ultimately defeat the world's best bodybuilders - Franco Columbo, Dave Draper, Mike Katz and Ken Waller to name a few. 1969 saw him lose to Sergio Oliva.
- Arnold competed in the 1970 IFBB Mr. Universe. One of his competitors was Reg Park. Arnold beat his hero in competition. In that same year, in the Mr. World contest in Columbus, Ohio, Arnold won the title against Sergio Oliva. Lastly, Arnold won the Olympia, the most important bodybuilding show, that same year. He would become the undisputed bodybuilding champion for the next 5 years.
- During the 70s, Arnold established a series of businesses consisting of mail-order products, merchandise, and personalized programs. He also toured the world with seminars. He was a millionaire before the age of 30. This was also the time he got into acting, but his big break in film was still a few years away.
BEST QUOTES
"Whatever I thought might hold me back, I avoided. I crossed girls off my list - except as tools for my sexual needs. I eliminated my parents too… I grew accustomed to hearing certain questions: "What's wrong with you Arnold? Don't you feel anything? Don't you have any emotions?
How can I answer that? I always let it pass with a shrug. I knew that what i was doing was not only justifiable, it was essential. Besides, if I did miss out on the emotional thing because I was so dedicated, I believe I benefited in other ways that finally brought everything into balance. One of these was my self-confidence, which grew as I saw how much control I was gaining over my body. In two or three years I had actually been able to change my body entirely. That told me something. If I had been able to change my body that much, I could also through the same discipline and determination, change anything else I wanted. I could change my habits, my whole outlook on life."
"The secret is contained in a three-part formula I learned in the gym: self-confidence, a positive mental attitude, and honest hard work. Many people are aware of those principles, but very few can put them into practice"
"I was always honest about my weak points. This helped me grow. I think it's a key to success in everything: be honest, know where you're weak; admit it."
"My biggest dream had always been to go to America and train with American bodybuilders. I wanted to learn from them, to get more information and - ultimately - to beat them… It was a fact that up until then America had produced most of the best bodybuilders in the world. Since the percentage had been so high, I thought there must be a reason. Perhaps it was knowledge, or better food, or better drugs. If not these things, maybe it was just being surrounded by the best bodybuilders - as in Gold's Gym. Positive thinking can be contagious. Being surrounded by winners helps you develop into a winner."
"For me, life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer."
"The mind is incredible. Once you've gained mastery over it, channeling its powers positively for your purposes, you can do anything. I mean anything. The secret is to make your mind work for you - not against you. This means constantly being positive, constantly setting up challenges you can meet - either today, next week, or next month. "I can't..." should be permanently stricken from your vocabulary, especially the vocabulary of your thoughts. You must see yourself always improving and growing."
"I taught myself discipline, the strictest kind of discipline. How to be totally in control of my body, how to control each individual muscle. I could apply that discipline in everyday life. I used it in acting, in going to school. Whenever I didn't want to study I would just think back and remember what it took to be Mr. Universe - the sacrifice, the hard work - and I would plunge myself into studying."
"I've had no problem making it work. I just looked back at how I did it in bodybuilding and then applied it to other things. With acting, now, I am determined to work as hard as removing my accent as i was on improving my poor calves.The same with business I'm so determined to make millions of dollars that I cannot fail. In my mind I've already made the millions; now it's just a matter of going through the motions."
WORKOUT AND DIET
The workouts outlined in this book are tough. Fitting, as the intensity of these workouts fit Arnold's intense personality. However, he does emphasize how important it is to stick to more basic, foundational programs until you have more or less mastered the exercises. You should not be dabbling in the more advanced workout routines or else risk injury or even burn-out.
Arnold's Guidelines for Training
- Give your full concentration to each exercise.
- Good form is more important than the number of repetitions. Add more resistance as you get stronger, but never at the expense of good exercise form.
- After your workout, stand in front of the mirror and check your body - make an honest assessment of your training.
- Maintain a positive mental attitude at all times.
- You must eat well and get adequate sleep when you are on a serious bodybuilding program.
- Anything worth doing at all is worth doing well. Put your heart and soul into your training, diet and sleep programs
This is meant to be a foundational workout program that you do before you hit the barbells- you can work all the muscles in the body with simple bodyweight exercises. Moreover, you can build a decent body with these basic exercises and never enter the gym.
Done 3-5 times a week (not specified)
Push-ups x 50 reps
Row between Chairs x 50 reps
Situps x 100 reps
Leg Raise x 100 reps
Bent-over twists x 50 reps
Squats x 50-70 reps
Calf Raises x 50 reps
Chin-ups x 30 reps
Cardio - Jogging and/or Swimming
Beginner's Barbell Workout
Even though Arnold's workouts are famous for being long and grueling, this basic workout is relatively low volume. Each workout lasts 45-60 minutes. It is very similar to Reg Park's (Arnold's personal hero from young age) beginner workout. It also has most of the same exercises as Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength.
Done 3 times a week (sets x reps), 1 minute rest between sets
Bench Press 5 x 8,8,6,6,6 ( adding a small amount of weight at the beginning of each set)
Wide-grip Pull-Ups - 3 x 10
Military Press - 3 x 10
Barbell Curl - 3 x 10
French Press - 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10
Leg Curl - 3 x 10
Machine Calf Raises - 5 x 15
Sit-ups - 3 x 50
Wrist Curls - 3 x failure
Four-Day Routine
This routine was especially surprising since it is does not even approach the realm of overtraining.It is very similar to a popular routine created by nutrition guru Lyle McDonald. In my opinion, the volume and number of sets could be lowered in most of the exercises for more optimal gains.
Monday and Thursday:
Squats - 5 x 8
Leg extensions - 5 x 12
Leg curls - 5 x 10
Calf raises - 5 x 15
Bench Press - 5 x 8
Dumbbell flyes - 5 x 8
Sit-ups - 200 reps
Leg raises - 200 reps
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Tuesday and Friday
Military press - 5 x 8
Lateral raises - 5 x 8
Chin-ups - 5 x 10
Row - 5 x 12
Barbell curls - 5 x 8
Incline dumbbell curls - 5 x 8
Standing french press - 5 x 10
Skull crushers - 5 x 12
Sit-ups - 200 reps
Leg raises - 200 reps
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Accelerated Six Days a Week
An important note: This routine should not be done by natural, drug-free athletes. Even though Arnold does not mention it in the book, he, along with every bodybuilder of that era, took steroids. They did not take the insane cocktails taken by today's bodybuilders, but none of them (Serge Nubret, Mike Katz, Frank Zane) Unless you are on low doses of steroids or TRT, you will not be able to recover or see any substantial growth from these workouts. Please watch this video by Ric Draisin, a man who trained alongside Arnold in the 70s.
Monday and Thursday
Squats - 5 x 10
Leg extensions - 5 x 10
Leg curls - 5 x 12
Lunges - 5 x 10
Standing Calf raises - 5 x 15
Machine Sitting Calf raises - 5 x 15
Sit-ups - 200 reps
Leg raises - 200 reps
Twists 5 x 50
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Tuesday and Friday
Chin-ups - 5 x 12
Row - 5 x 10
T-Bar Row - 5 x 10
Bench Press - 5 sets ( 15, 12, 10, 6, 4)
Incline Press - 5 x 8
Flyes - 5 x 12
Dumbbell pullover - 5 x 12
Behind-the-Neck Press - 5 x 12
Lateral raises - 5 x 8
Bent-over Lateral raises - 5 x 8
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Wednesday and Saturday
Tricep Pull-down - 5 x 10
Dumbbell tricep extension - 5 x 12
Lying Dumbbell tricep extension - 5 x 12
Incline dumbbell curls - 5 x 8
Preacher curls - 5 x 8
Concentration curls - 5 x 10
Standing Calf raises - 5 x 15
Machine Sitting Calf raises - 5 x 15
Leg raises - 200 reps
Twists 5 x 50
Wrist curls - 5 x 15
Superset Program
This workout routine is more-or less identical as the Accelerated Program. The only difference is that two exercises are done back-to-back without rest. (Bench Press immediately followed by Chin-ups , Squats followed by Leg Curls, etc.) This method is used to shave off time and increase workout intensity, reducing the workout times from 3-4 hours to 1.
DIET
An outline of his daily diet. 5000 calories, 300 grams of protein.
Another important note: This diet will most likely make you fat. This diet is appropriate for Arnold: a 230-250 pound male, exercising intensely for 4-6 hours a day, 5-6 times a week and taking steroids. It is NOT appropriate for a natural trainee, at or below 180 pounds, working out for 1 hour, 3-4 times a week. Here is a link to an excellent Calorie Calculator.
Breakfast
3 eggs; ½ pound beef patty; 2 pieces of buttered toast; 2 glasses of milk
Snack
half sandwich, meat; 1 egg, 1 glass of milk
Lunch
1 meat sandwich; 1 cheese sandwich; 2 glasses of milk
Snack
1 egg; 3 slices of cheese; 2 glasses of milk
Dinner
½ pound ground beef; baked potato; salad; vegetables; 2 glasses of milk
Bedtime Snack
Protein shake: 2 glasses of milk, ½ cup of protein powder, one egg, ½ cup of ice cream.
