Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career as a bodybuilder may have been a thing of the past now after he became an actor and later, a politician. During his heyday as a champion bodybuilder, he had learned a lot of bizarre yet effective ways to improve his physique.
In fact, one of the best exercises he had done in the past was initially a strange method for him. With his curiosity and desire to improve, Schwarzenegger humbled himself and approached another legend to teach him a new routine.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Found Vince Gironda’s Gym Routine Weird
In a contribution post via CNBC, Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger shared some of the valuable lessons he has learned through experiences in life, particularly in the field of bodybuilding. As a former athlete, it was very important to him to be open to new things. He wrote:
“In the gym, if I saw someone trying a new training technique that didn’t make sense to me, I would ask them about it because maybe it would help me. When I saw the great bodybuilder Vince Gironda do the side-lying triceps extension at his gym, for instance, I admit I thought it looked like a little Mickey Mouse with the tiny dumbbell he was using.”
The exercise looked quite strange to Schwarzenegger all because he had never tried it before. Instead of ignoring it and just getting on with his practice, he tried to do 40 sets of it. The Expendables star admitted it was effective and it really worked for him, though he ended up with more questions in mind. He continued:
“The exercise was so effective, I had to ask Vince about it: How did you come up with this exercise? Why does this work better than other similar movements? How should I best incorporate it into a workout?”
Gironda was famously known as the Iron Guru, a fellow bodybuilder and personal trainer to many champion athletes and even celebrities. Schwarzenegger thought his method was weird, but all because he was not yet opening his mind to new ways until he decided to approach Gironda. The Predator star further added:
“By being curious, I showed humility and made myself an ally to Vince, which made it more likely that he might share other valuable training techniques.”
The former governor of California also noted in his article that “people are resources” and it only applies when one is willing to absorb new knowledge.
Vince Gironda Became Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Trainer
Arnold Schwarzenegger was indeed trained by Vince Gironda when he first came to America, working tirelessly in the famed Vince’s Gym. At the height of Gironda’s career, he was able to impart his knowledge to several champion bodybuilders, such as the first Mr. Olympia, Larry Scott, and three-time Mr. Olympia, Frank Zane. The True Lies actor was a seven-time Mr. Olympia titleholder.
Gironda’s workouts were called ‘honest’ workouts because all of his routines were grounded in science, and he also promoted a ketogenic diet. His pieces of advice were direct, just like the time he told Schwarzenegger he looked like a “fat f—k.”
