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When you say the word ‘bodybuilding,’ the name that instantly comes to mind is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold has been crowned the ‘king’ by many in the bodybuilding field, as he really did take the sport to a whole new level.

As such, many involved in bodybuilding today look up to him and try to recreate the programs he used, hoping to sculpt a body that resembles the one he built. In doing so, you’ll fare better if you can recreate the Arnold Schwarzenegger workout routine as outlined in his book ‘ The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding’. This program was utilized when he was initially working on developing a good foundation of mass, in his early 20s. At the end of this period, Schwarzenegger weighed in at a solid 240 pounds, due to the fact that he focused on building the greatest proportion of his strength early on with this program.

When it comes to his approach to training, Arnold Schwarzenegger has some key principles that he stresses must be present in any program regardless of who you are. First of all, Schwarzenegger notes that people do have individual needs and, therefore, you must listen to your body to some degree when deciding on the type of program you should utilize. Variations will depend on your body type; how fast or slow you’re able to gain muscle (this is partially genetic); your own individual metabolic rate; what weak points you have in your body; and the level of recuperation you normally experience.

In his early training days, Arnold Schwarzenegger spent a lot of time doing power-lifting movements, trying to gain as much strength and raw muscle mass as possible. As he progressed onward, he realized that, to stay on top of his game, he would need to focus on really working on that definition and separation. This was accomplished by performing a greater amount of high-rep isolation training.

During this time, though, Schwarzenegger didn’t want to sacrifice the thickness, density or hardness he had created in his earlier days, so he would be sure to dedicate at least one day a week as a ‘heavy day,’ and on that day he would use maximum strength moves. This enabled him to get the best of both worlds.

Finally, the last principle that rounds out the basic program requirements of the Arnold Schwarzenegger workout is that there must be sufficient time for rest between lifting. Schwarzenegger notes that different muscle groups will take longer to recover than others, with the biceps being the fastest and the lower back taking the longest. However, a 48-hour window between sessions should work well as guideline.

Often, Schwarzenegger feels that bodybuilders can get past a ‘sticking’ point by taking more rest rather than by working harder, as is commonly done. When you are lifting with such intensity, you are going to require more time to gain strength between sessions, so if the weights are not moving up, this could be a strong signal that you’re not allowing for enough down time between sessions.

Finally, the last thing you must keep in mind is that if you are looking to make extraordinary gains the way Arnold did, you are going to have to make building muscle a priority in all aspects of your life — this includes the way you think, the way you eat, the way you sleep, and the people you socialize with. What you do outside the gym is going to be just as important as what you are doing inside the gym.

Nutrition, in particular, is of great importance and is what Arnold believes is responsible for some of the big improvements we see in the bodybuilding world today. He recommends at least one gram of protein per pound of body weight and found himself eating a diet comprised of about 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 20% fat. At 240 pounds and doing intense training, Arnold’s total caloric requirements were phenomenally high, therefore at these values he was getting more than he needed to support basic nutritional requirements.

So, be sure you do not overlook this part of the equation. Even if you follow the Arnold Schwarzenegger workout principles, you still won’t get optimal gains unless you take into account everything else you are doing that can impact your training progress. Arnold took his training very seriously — he made it a way of life. So, if you want to get yourself even close to resembling him, you should aim to do the same. 

(Adapted from ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout’ by Jeff Bayer)