Arnold Schwarzenegger’s humble beginnings – from his mandatory service in the Austrian army to his forgotten struggle in the bodybuilding fraternity, have kept the Austrian Oak grounded despite his many successes. The seven-time Olympia champion, who found success in Hollywood, was never content to rest on his many laurels, something that kept him pushing for more.
The 75-year-old still has his regrets. Despite being a bodybuilding god with a mammoth, $450 million empire, the Conan the Barbarian actor star still believes that he never felt like a star. The former Governor of California offered an honest explanation in a recent interview, also sharing how his body changed over the years.
There Is Only One Conan, And There Will Always Be One
In a recent interview, Arnold Schwarzenegger provided an honest explanation about how he felt in the 80s and 90s, a time when he reached the level of stardom only a few actors can. The Predator actor humbly responded:
“I couldn’t give you an honest evaluation because I don’t analyze myself like that. I never felt like a star. I felt that I’m lucky I’m one of the few to be happy in his professional life and personal life.
But I never felt like I was on top of the world — even in my bodybuilding days when I was winning Mr. Olympia. I always was hungry to do more and to do better.”
Schwarzenegger’s modesty continues to remain higher than his success in bodybuilding, acting, and politics, not to mention, the good old war tank days. The former athlete boasted insane measurements in 1967 with a bodyweight of 235; a height of 6’1″; an upper arm of 20½; a chest of 54½; a waist of 31; a thigh of 26¼; and a calf of 17¾.
The Austrian Oak has won an “unprecedented 14 world titles, including seven Mr. Olympias.” The actor’s skills esteemed his mental attitude and his modesty higher than his athletic successes. These qualities helped him with both, that godly body, and early success. But again, t his hunger to do better makes him what he is today!
Arnold Schwarzenegger Had A Body Ritual
When one is Arnold Schwarzenegger, it’s worth it to turn the world into mirrors. Since his bodybuilding days, Conan had a body ritual. He would stare at the mirror, staring at the perfection he created with his hard work and perseverance. That was the time when he gladly boasted about being a “living work of art”.
At 75, the actor certainly follows the ritual but with a bit of a smirk. When asked in the interview about how he sees his old body, the actor sounded nostalgic about his “best-built man” status and responded:
“Nothing! My whole life I look in the mirror and see the best-built man and all of a sudden I see a bunch of crap. It’s terrible! You get these wrinkles under your eyes. You get wrinkles under your pecs. You see the fucking poodle!”
The poodle? “Budle. It’s Austrian for your stomach sticking out. Where the fuck did that come from? It’s not pleasurable. But you cope with it.”
The actor’s thoughts may stem from the natural phenomenon of getting old. Now, the father of five has a newfound love for social media, where he is “figuring out a way of making a better world and being useful,” as people continue to follow superficial standards. As for his Austrian-Budle joke, while it’s true that nothing lasts forever, it is also true that there cannot be another Arnold Schwarzenegger!
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
