Who better to give advice on working out than the one and only Anrold Schwarzenegger? Recently, Arnold shared some of his top tips and tricks on working out and staying fit, responding to questions from around the world.
1. Advice For Gym Newbies
The session started with a question that resonated with many people. Arnold was asked if he had any tips for newcomers to the world of fitness who feel intimidated about the gym in general – and, of course, the former Mr. Olympia had some reassuring words to offer.
“People in the gym are kinder than you think,” Arnold says. “You can watch videos of exercises online ahead of time but also ask the people who work at the gym or the regulars.”
2. Introducing Kids To Fitness
One mother offered up a question that struck a chord in Arnold. She asked how he felt about introducing children to the world of fitness and weightlifting in general and if he had any tips on making it happen.
“I think letting your kids see you train from a very early age is important,” Arnold confesses. “I have photos of my kids as toddlers sitting in my lap while I do rows. Focus on sports and fun until they show an interest in your training (since they’re watching it), then you can introduce bodyweight moves. Don’t force it. It has to be fun, and they have to decide to do it.”
3. The Best Time To Exercise
Sometimes straightforward questions elicit the most in-depth response, and Arnold didn’t disappoint when asked what time of day is best for working out.
“I always go for the morning,” Arnold reveals. “That way, nothing can get in the way. My morning is completely on autopilot: start the coffee, feed the animals (Lulu, Whiskey, Dutch, Schnitzel, and Cherry eat first), have coffee while reading the newspaper, check my email, and get on my bike and ride to the gym.
The first time my brain has to work is when I finish my training and bike ride. It is all about routine.”
4. The Stale Workout Conundrum
Gymgoers are creatures of habit; before they know it, they’ve been stuck in the same routine in the gym for months or even years! So one man had to know: is it ok to keep doing the same workouts repeatedly without changing anything?
“You can, but you want progress in some way,” Arnolds says. “The weight should go up, the reps should go up, the sets should go up, the rest time should go down, or the time it takes to do the stretch and flex of each movement should go up. That’s why it’s progressive resistance training!”
5. Benefits of Tracking Your Workouts
While Arnold almost assuredly considered this an easy question to answer due to its obvious nature, he still responded genuinely and thoroughly to being asked if tracking all your workouts is beneficial.
“Yes,” Arnold says definitively. “I tracked every workout. I used a chalkboard in the gym and marked off my reps. I wrote it down ahead of time and then marked off each set as I finished.
You can use your phone for this or music – but nothing else! – in the gym. (I shared a study in the newsletter about social media reducing strength by 30% pre-workout).”
6. Going Against the Grain
Sometimes, gymgoers move to the beat of their drum and do not follow conventional workout routines. One person was dying to know: Is working out different muscle groups in the same workout wrong?
“There are a million ways for success,” Arnold says. “Don’t let anybody, even me, try to tell you there is only one way. Anybody who says their diet or program is the only way is absolutely a shyster selling you something.
I’ve trained total body when I travel, I’ve done upper and lower splits, and I’ve done my famous split. If you love it, do it. Just hit all your muscle groups and progress in some way week to week.”
7. Pushing Through Minor Injuries
Before clarifying that she was only referring to smaller, minor injuries, one woman asked Arnold for advice on handling them since many people who go to the gym daily find themselves pushing through them.
Somewhat surprisingly, Arnold advises erring on the side of caution. “Get it looked at by a PT,” he suggests. “A month off is much better than screwing it up and having three months off for surgery.”
8. How To Motivate Yourself To Meet Your Goals
Finding the motivation to go to the gym regularly can be tough, especially if a person suffers from poor sleep habits or depression. Arnold was candidly asked for tips on how to push through these factors and hold yourself accountable. In true Arnold fashion, he came through in a big way with his excellent response!
“My routine is just so locked in that I do something no matter what. When I recovered from heart surgery, I talked about it in the PDF at the link and was a little depressed. That meant doing something really small.
But I had it written on the board in my room in the ICU, and I marked it off the same way I would normally mark off squats or deadlifts. That’s the key. Write down your daily goal and mark it off every damn day. Even if it’s doing ten squats, do something, mark it off. That’s a win!”
9. Nutrition Practices For Gaining Weight and Muscle
In his prime, Arnold was renowned for having some of the largest muscles in the world – his back and lats were things of beauty, especially. As a result, several people asked him for eating tips for men and women looking to put on serious muscle and size.
“Focus on simple things,” he recommends. “Get protein every meal. Try that for a month. Anytime you put food in your mouth, make sure there is a protein source. I have a test group doing this simple challenge, and they saw crazy results.”
10. Best Strategy For Leaning Out and Losing Weight
Only some people seek ways to cultivate mass through weight training – others would like information about the opposite! One man asked Arnold for food suggestions when he felt like he was getting bulky and slightly overweight. As usual, Arnold has an answer for everything.
“I love omelets or scrambles with absolutely every vegetable in them with a salad for lunch/breakfast or green yogurt and granola if I actually do breakfast,” he suggests. “I snack on almonds. I normally have a protein shake. I just have vegetable soup for dinner.”