rain insane like the one and only 7 time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold's muscle building workouts feature an intense high volume and frequency approach to training.
WORKOUT SUMMARY
Main Goal
Build Muscle
Workout Type
Split
Training Level
Advanced
Program Duration
16 weeks
Days Per Week
6
Time Per Workout
60-75 minutes
Equipment Required
Barbell, Bodyweight, Cables, Dumbbells, EZ Bar
Target Gender
Male
Recommended Supps
Protein Powder
Creatine
Mass Gainer
Multivitamin
Workout PDF
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Workout Description
The following are two typical workouts and split structures used by 7 time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger. They features a high frequency and high volume approach, training each major muscle group 2-3 times per week.
Arnold's Stats
7 time Mr. Olympia - 1970-75, 1980
Height - 6'2"
Weight - 235 lbs
Arms - 22 inches (Many sources claim this number to be inflated)
Chest - 57 inches
Waist - 34 inches
Deadlift - 710 pounds
Bench Press - 440 pounds
Squat - 470 pounds
Recommended: Need help building muscle? Take our Free Muscle Building Course
Arnold's Eating Plan
Arnold backed up this hardcore style of training with plenty of food, and a focus on good nutrition. He structured his eating plan using the following principles:
Frequent Feeding - 5-6 feedings per day: 3 whole food meals and 2-3 whole food "snacks".
Calories - Up to 5,000 calories per day.
Protein Intake - 300 plus grams of protein.
Post-Workout Carbs - Carbs within 30 minutes after finishing a workout.
Protein Shakes - Use if needed to get in your daily protein.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Variation #1
Each major bodypart is trained 2 times per week. This Arnold Schwarzenegger workout variation was featured in the book The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bill Dobbins.
Day 1 - Chest and Back
Day 2 - Shoulders and Arms
Day 3 - Legs and Lower Back
Day 4 - Chest and Back
Day 5 - Shoulders and Arms
Day 6 - Legs and Lower Back
Day 7 - Rest
Notes: Attempt to reach failure around 10 reps for your first set of each exercise.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Chest & Back Workout
Exercise Sets Rep Goal
Bench Press 3-4 10
Incline Bench Press 3-4 10
Dumbbell Pullovers 3-4 10
Chin Up 3-4 10
Bent Over Row 3-4 10
Deadlift 3-4 10
Crunches 5 25
Arnold Schwarzenegger Shoulders & Arms Workout
Exercise Sets Rep Goal
Barbell Clean and Press 3-4 10
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3-4 10
Upright Row 3-4 10
Military Press 3-4 10
Standing Barbell Curl 3-4 10
Seated Dumbbell Curl 3-4 10
Close Grip Bench Press 3-4 10
Standing Barbell Tricep Extension 3-4 10
Wrist Curls 3-4 10
Reverse Wrist Curls 3-4 10
Reverse Crunch 5 25
Arnold Schwarzenegger Legs & Lower Back Workout
Exercise Sets Rep Goal
Squat 3-4 10
Lunge 3-4 10
Leg Curl 3-4 10
Stiff Leg Deadlift 3-4 10
Good Mornings 3-4 10
Standing Calf Raise 3-4 10
Crunches 5 25
Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Variation #2
Each major bodypart is trained 3 times per week. This Arnold Schwarzenegger workout variation is a typical example of his higher frequency workouts.
Day 1 - Chest, Back and Legs
Day 2 - Shoulders and Arms
Day 3 - Chest, Back and Legs
Day 4 - Shoulders and Arms
Day 5 - Chest, Back and Legs
Day 6 - Shoulders and Arms
Day 7 - Rest
Arnold Schwarzenegger Chest, Back, & Legs Workout
Exercise Sets Rep Goal
Bench Press 5 6-10
Dumbbell Flye 5 6-10
Incline Bench Press 6 6-10
Cable Crossovers 6 10-12
Dips 5 Failure
Dumbbell Pullover 5 10-12
Wide Grip Pull Up 6 Failure
T Bar Row 5 6-10
Seated Pulley Row 6 6-10
One Arm Dumbbell Row 5 6-10
Stiff Leg Deadlift 6 15
Squat 6 8-12
Leg Press 6 8-12
Leg Extension 6 12-15
Leg Curl 6 10-15
Barbell Lunge 5 15
Standing Calf Raise 10 10
Seated Calf Raise 8 15
One Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise 6 12
Wrist Curl 4 10
Reverse Barbell Curl 4 8
Wrist Roller Machine 4 Failure
Non-Stop Abs Training 30 Minutes By Instinct
Arnold Schwarzenegger Shoulders & Arms Workout
Exercise Sets Rep Goal
Barbell Curl 6 6-10
Seated Dumbbell Curl 6 6-10
Dumbbell Concentration Curl 6 6-10
Close Grip Bench Press 6 6-10
Tricep Pushdown 6 6-10
Barbell French Press 6 6-10
One Arm Dumbbell Tricep Extension 6 6-10
Seated Barbell Press 6 6-10
Lateral Raise 6 6-10
Rear Delt Lateral Raise 5 6-10
Cable Lateral Raise 5 10-12
Standing Calf Raise 10 10
Seated Calf Raise 8 15
One Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise 6 12
Wrist Curl 4 10
Reverse Barbell Curl 4 8
Wrist Roller Machine 4 Failure
Non-Stop Abs Training 30 Minutes By Instinct
FAQs about Arnold’s Workout Routine
Listed below are some of the most common questions asked about the program above. Read through them and see if they address any of the questions you may personally have.
If you don’t see your questions, please feel free to leave us a comment down below and we will do our best to respond. We may even add it to this list if we think others may have a similar question.
1. What Supplements Should I Take?
Supplementation is highly individualized based on the person performing the routine and what their diet looks like – not to mention goals.
For someone who is trying to add lean body mass, adding creatine into your pre or post workout regimen would be beneficial. Simply take it at the same time each day and aim for about 5g daily.
If you struggle to get enough protein in your diet, a protein supplement may also be beneficial. And if you struggle to eat enough calories, adding drinkable calories, such as those in a mass gainer, might also help you accomplish your goals.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you are in a fat loss phase, you may want to add a multi-vitamin and fish oil to your supplementation. As we cut down on our food intake, a lot of times we also cut down on our nutrient intake. A multivitamin can help with this.
Likewise, those on fat loss diet plans may not consume enough fatty fish in their diet. A fish oil supplement may prove to be a beneficial add in this scenario.
2. How Much Cardio Should I Do?
With the amount of activity Arnold’s high volume training style calls for, I wouldn’t recommend any additional cardio. Instead, I’d recommend focusing on getting adequate rest outside of the gym.
If, however, you feel you need to do something, it is recommended that you add in walking as a form of active recovery to help push out some of the lactic acid that will inevitably by chilling in your muscles with this amount of volume.
3. Which Arnold Workout Variation Would Yield Better Results?
It depends on your goal. I’d recommend performing the first variation over the second for most people simply based on the time restraints most have.
Both incorporate a lot of volume which isn’t suitable or necessary for most lifters.
However, it worked for Arnie and if you want to train like the legend, by all means go for it.
4. How Much Sleep and Water is Recommended?
Here’s the difference between Arnold and you. Arnold was a professional bodybuilder. You’re likely not.
At minimum, you should be sleeping 8-10 hours nightly with this routine. Arnold was also likely able to nap between workout sessions during the day, which would be valuable for you as well to optimally recover. But again, you're probably not a professional bodybuilder with the ability to do that.
In terms of water, drink at least half of your body weight in ounces and an additional 20 ounces after your workouts. Once you’ve hit that number in a day, drink based on your thirst.
5. How Would You Warm Up?
Everyone warms up differently. Work out any problem areas you may have with a foam roller and lacrosse ball. Then perform a few dynamic stretches relevant to the muscle groups you are training that day.
If you need help figure out what this might look like, you’ll find this article helpful.
6. Do I have to Work Out Twice a Day?
No. You don’t. Arnold did, but you certainly don’t have to.
In fact, depending on certain factors, you might have better results from training once daily. That’s why I suggested the first variation for most people in a previous answer.
7. Won’t This Workout Cause Overtraining?
It certainly could. Or, depending on your age, diet, and lifestyle, it may not.
I said it before, and I will say it again. This was Arnold’s style of training. He was one of the greatest bodybuilders of all-time. His genetics were insane.
You probably aren’t a competitive bodybuilder. You may have good genetics, but they’re probably not Arnold level.
Experiment and do what feels right.
8. How Long Should You Rest Between Sets?
I would recommend resting as needed to fully recover from each set during your workouts.
If you want to put a time limit on things, 2 minutes on big lifts, 60-90 seconds on accessory lifts, and 30-45 seconds for isolation lifts should do the trick.
