If you’ve ever dreamed of building a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger, you’re in the right place. This article will break down one of Arnold’s iconic workout routines for sculpting chiseled shoulders and formidable arms. Don’t be fooled, this is no beginner’s workout but rest assured, the results will be worth it.
One of Arnold’s key principles of training was shocking the muscles by constantly changing his exercises and his routines. This kept his body guessing and, consequently, growing. He believed in stretching, warming up properly, and working out to the point of muscle exhaustion. Arnold often used advanced bodybuilding training techniques.
The best activities for your health are pumping and huffing. Believe me, I have tried them all.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Unveiling Arnold’s Shredder Shoulder Plan
Arnold would assault his shoulders utilizing his signature high-volume approach, emphasizing every differing angle of each deltoid head. The multijoint presses from the front of the neck predominantly targeted the anterior delts in comparison to behind-the-neck presses. Thus, both exercises formed a significant part of his shoulder workout to optimize overall muscle development.
As Arnold once exclaimed, “No single exercise is capable of engaging all three segments of the deltoids. Consequently, configuring your shoulder workout requires incorporating a wide range of movements to achieve comprehensive shoulder development.”
Sometimes, Arnold’s full-on approach meant an impressive 50 or more sets in a single session! Moreover, Arnold combined shoulder training with arms at least twice per week. This demanding combination of volume and frequency contributed to establishing the most enormous delts seen in his era.
Let’s delve into some of the fundamental principles that Arnold adhered to in his shoulder training:
- Arnold opted for heavier weights when doing presses and upright rows, especially at the start of his training sessions when his stamina was at its peak. Multijoint exercises such as these are excellent at building mass, as they exercise the most muscle in the deltoid region.
- He experimented with alternate exercises that target the same muscle from varying angles. For instance, while performing overhead presses with dumbbells instead of a barbell, he would lower the weights a few inches below the barbell movement’s lowest position, and unite them at the top thereby extending the range of motion.
- His emphasis on training variation was a key factor in the rise of the Arnold press. This is an overhead press that starts with your hands towards your body in the lowest position. You revolve your wrists while lifting the weights, a motion that applies greater emphasis on the front delts than the regular overhead dumbbell press.
- Arnold incorporated single-joint movements to supplement overhead presses and isolate each delt head. He also sought subtle variations that would contribute to superior overall growth. For instance, performing a cable lateral raise in front of the body creates a unique sensation compared to when the cable runs behind you.
- To target the upper traps, Arnold included several exercises, such as barbell cleans, upright rows, and shrugs. Even though he preferred shrugs for their ability to create thick upper traps, he knew when to reduce the weight to achieve a maximum shoulder shrug height.
- Arnold’s typical strategy followed a pyramid pattern, meaning that he added more weight on successive sets while reducing the number of reps. Nevertheless, he maintained the weight within classic muscle-building rep ranges, striving to execute no fewer than eight reps.
Arnold's Shoulder Workout
| # of exercise | Exercise name | Sets | Reps | Rest | Tutorial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seated barbell shoulder press (perform the first set as a warm-up set) | 4 | 12,10,10,8 | 90 sec | Exercise link |
| 2 | Dumbbell lateral raise | 4 | 12,12,10,8 | 1 min | Exercise link |
| 3 | Smith machine shoulder press | 4 | 12,10,10,8 | 90 sec | Exercise link |
| 4 | Seated rear deltoid fly | 4 | 12,10,10,8 | 1 min | Exercise link |
| 5 | Barbell upright row | 4 | 12,10,10,8 | 1 min | Exercise link |
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Arm Workout
Arnold’s impressive arm physique was his iconic trademark. His mental visualization of his biceps as mountain peaks reflected his larger-than-life approach. Typically, Arnold would complete up to 20 sets just for biceps, evenly divided between exercises for bulk and those for definition.
Arnold had a regular practice of supersets for bicep and tricep exercises (as you will see in his favorite arm workout below). This method pumped his arms full of blood, adding volume to his muscles. Along with his high-volume approach, his sleeve-stretching regimen incorporated exercises aimed at isolating the three different tricep heads, achieved through variations in arm positioning.
Here, we’ve compiled some of Arnold’s most effective arm training advice, drawn from numerous articles and interviews he’s given over time.
- Arnold placed the standing barbell curl at the top of his list for building mass, but would often incorporate incline bench dumbbell curls too, which target the long head of the bicep more effectively. For Arnold, three criteria defined a good mass-building exercise: the ability to lift heavy weights; ensuring full extension to a full contraction in each movement; and using weight that permitted him to execute only 6-8 quality reps.
- Contrastingly, for definition-building exercises, Arnold used lighter weights for 8-12 reps. The emphasis here was on muscle contraction and maintaining peak contraction for an extended period. Concentration curls, preacher curls, and alternating dumbbell curls were some of his preferred choices for these exercises.
- “The Oak” never stopped at just reaching failure in his curls. When he hit a plateau, he’d generate enough momentum to keep going. Such cheat curls allowed him to eke out a few more reps.
- Arnold tackled the triceps from a different angle. His chest was naturally strong, which put his triceps at an inherent advantage. More frequent than with biceps, he bumped up his rep count to 20 per set to hyper-infuse his muscles.
- When it came to triceps, Arnold often opted for partial reps. For instance, after a set of full-range push-downs, he’d prolong the set with 5-6 partials, either over the top or bottom half of the movement. Read more about partial repetitions.
- Arnold’s tendency to superset bicep and tricep exercises meant pumping copious amounts of blood into his muscles. Blood carries oxygen and growth-promoting nutrients to the muscles, enabling him to achieve what he called “the pump,” which was Arnold’s ultimate training goal. Anyone familiar with Arnold’s training regimen knows of his legendary pursuit of this optimal training state. Read more about using supersets!
Arnold's Arm Workout
| # of exercise | Exercise name | Sets | Reps | Rest | Tutorial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbell curls | 4 | 10,10,10,10 | 90 sec | Exercise link |
| 2 | EZ bar skullcrusher | 4 | 10,10,10,10 | 90 sec | Exercise link |
| 3 | SUPERSET (Perform the exercises in order with no rest between exercises and 1 min of rest between sets) | ||||
| Alternating dumbbell curls | 4 | 10-12 reps (left side, no rest) | 0 | Exercise link | |
| Alternating dumbbell curls | 4 | 10-12 reps (right side, no rest) | 0 | ||
| Cable triceps pushdowns | 4 | 10-12 reps | 0 | Exercise link | |
| 4 | SUPERSET (Perform the exercises in order with no rest between exercises and 1 min of rest between sets) | ||||
| Alternating incline dumbbell biceps curls | 4 | 10-12 reps (left side, no rest) | 0 | Exercise link | |
| Alternating incline dumbbell biceps curls | 4 | 10-12 reps (right side, no rest) | 0 | ||
| Cable overhead triceps extension | 4 | 10-12 reps | 0 | Exercise link | |
| 5 | SUPERSET (Perform the exercises in order with no rest between exercises and 2 min of rest between sets) | ||||
| Concentration curls | 4 | 10-12 reps (left side, no rest) | 0 | Exercise link | |
| Concentration curls | 4 | 10-12 reps (right side, no rest) | 0 | ||
| Single-arm dumbbell triceps extension | 4 | 10-12 reps (left side, no rest) | 0 | Exercise link | |
| Single-arm dumbbell triceps extension | 4 | 10-12 reps (right side, no rest) | 0 | ||
| 6 | Feet elevated bench dip | 1 | 10 | Exercise link | |
| Note: Arnold began with three 45-lb. plates across his lap. Each time he hit muscle failure, a plate was lifted off until he was using just his body weight | |||||
| You don't know what supersets are? Click here. |
Conclusion: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Shoulder and Arms Workout
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s time-tested workouts for shoulders and arms are not only a testament to his unwavering dedication but also an embodiment of strategic bodybuilding. Adherence to his unique workout blueprint demands both physical strength and mental resilience, reinforcing the idea that muscular growth is not born from sheer repetition alone, but involves proficient execution and informed body exploration.
Embracing these workouts requires you to push your limits, change your mindset, and treat your body as an ever-evolving project, much like Arnold himself. The classic Schwarzenegger workout is not just about achieving massive shoulders and ripped arms; it’s about adopting a disciplined lifestyle, fostering a strong body-mind connection, and pushing past the boundaries of your perceived capabilities.
Whether you’re lifting weights for the first time or you’re an experienced gym-goer seeking to spice up your routine, Arnold’s workouts serve as an inspiring benchmark. By cloning Arnold’s workout program, and tailoring it to your own needs and abilities, you’re paving the way for progressive improvement and ultimate success at the gym.
In conclusion, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s shoulder and arm workouts encapsulate the pure essence of bodybuilding – patience, perseverance, and potent execution. It’s the ideal training blueprint for anyone seeking to turbocharge their bodybuilding journey and experience undeniable progress through the lens of a legend.
