How did Arnold Schwarzenegger train? The keys to his bodybuilding routine

Before becoming the Terminator and one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Arnold Schwarzenegger was already a bodybuilding legend.

He won Mr. Olympia seven times and helped popularize bodybuilding far beyond the gym. Decades later, his way of training continues to spark the question: what was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s routine actually like?

The short answer is: high volume, high frequency, and an intensity that would not make sense for most people to copy literally today.

How many Mr. Olympia titles did Arnold Schwarzenegger win?

Arnold Schwarzenegger won seven Mr. Olympia titles: six consecutive ones between 1970 and 1975, and a final championship in 1980, after having temporarily retired from competition.

Before that, he had already become the youngest Mr. Universe winner, and when he arrived in the United States in 1968, his goal was to become the best bodybuilder in the world.

His physique ended up becoming one of the most iconic images of the so-called Golden Age of bodybuilding.

What is the famous Arnold Split routine?

One of the training splits most associated with Schwarzenegger is the so-called Arnold Split.

Instead of training each muscle only once a week, he organized his body into three major sessions:

• Chest and back
• Shoulders and arms
• Legs

He would then repeat the sequence, resulting in six days of training and one rest day.

This allowed him to work many muscle groups approximately twice a week and accumulate a huge amount of volume.

Did Arnold train twice a day?

During some stages of his competition preparation, yes. Arnold reached the point of performing split sessions between morning and afternoon to complete the enormous volume of training he used.

Schwarzenegger's own website notes that during the Golden Age, he could train twice a day, up to six days a week.

That doesn't mean it's necessary to train like that to gain muscle. In fact, even current content published within his fitness circle insists that those marathon sessions are not necessary for most people.

Why did he train chest and back together?

One of Arnold's most famous combinations was chest + back.

These are antagonistic muscle groups: while one primarily performs pushing movements, the other is closely related to pulling movements.

Arnold frequently used supersets, alternating a chest exercise with a back exercise.

For example, he might combine a press with a row, or flyes with pull-ups.

This way of training allowed him to maintain a high pace and produce the enormous muscle congestion or "pump" that became one of the best-known characteristics of bodybuilding from that era.

Basic exercises were at the center of his training

Although there are currently machines to work virtually any muscle from every possible angle, a large part of bodybuilding during Arnold's era was built around free weights and basic exercises.

Bench presses, pull-ups, rows, squats, overhead presses, curls, dips, and other classic movements appeared continuously in the workouts of the so-called Golden Era.

The philosophy was simple: first build a solid foundation and then use more specific exercises to work each area of the physique.

How important was the "pump" to Arnold?

Very important.

The pump or muscle congestion is the sensation of a temporary increase in muscle volume during a workout due to increased blood flow and accumulated work.

Arnold turned that sensation into an almost inseparable part of his training philosophy.

To achieve it, he used many sets, repetitions, supersets, and relatively short rest periods.

The goal was not just to lift the maximum weight possible, but to work the muscle from different angles and accumulate a large amount of stimulus.

The mind was also part of the training

Another concept highly associated with Schwarzenegger is visualization.

Long before talking about the mind-muscle connection became common in gyms and on social media, Arnold explained the importance of focusing on the muscle he was working and visualizing the physique he wanted to build.

For him, bodybuilding didn't just consist of moving a bar from one point to another. Physical training and mental concentration were part of the same process.

Should you train exactly like Arnold?

Probably not.

The routines used by a professional bodybuilder during his competition preparation were designed around his experience, recovery capacity, and personal circumstances.

Copying six days of high-volume training—or even two daily sessions—doesn't automatically turn anyone into Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The most interesting thing about his training is not copying every set and rep, but understanding some principles that remain recognizable decades later: consistency, progression, basic exercises, intensity, concentration, and a coherent training structure.

From Mr. Olympia to gym icon

Arnold's influence ended up transcending bodybuilding. Afterward came Hollywood, Conan, Terminator, and an image of strength that eventually became part of popular culture.

But it all started long before the movies: with weights, discipline, and the obsession with building the physique he wanted to become a champion with.

That is why, decades later, his image continues to appear in gyms, on posters, in memes, and in fitness-related designs.

At Siempre Original, we also play with that mix of Arnold, the gym, and film culture. You can discover our Come With Me If You Want To Lift collection.