Even at his peak, Arnold Schwarzenegger did not feel satisfied with his physique.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is considered by many to be the greatest bodybuilder of all-time. He built an extremely muscular and conditioned physique that led to multiple Olympia titles over the course of his career. Even at his peak, Schwarzenegger revealed that he was dealing with self doubt about his body.
After coming to America from Austria, Schwarzenegger built an incredible career in fitness. He showed a passion from a young age and developed one of the best physique ever seen. Schwarzenegger won seven Olympia titles, along with many other big-time competitions.
In recent Netflix documentary, Arnold, the bodybuilding legend speaks on some of the pressures of training that he felt during his career. Despite having a picture-perfect physique, Schwarzenegger opened up about mental battle that he faced.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Speaks On Body Dissatisfaction
Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted that these feelings continue to this day. Despite great success on stage, Schwarzenegger did not feel confidence heading into shows.
“When I brag about myself, that’s all bullshit. It’s kind of like the other me I want the world to see. In reality, when I’m by myself, I look at my body and I say to myself ‘it’s not there yet.’
I think it’s the very thing that made me always be on the edge and always want more.”
The story continues to show how Schwarzenegger dealt with this feeling. He began training at Gold’s Gym after coming to America and hit the stage shortly after. One of the competitions that he highlighted was his runner-up finish at the Mr. Universe USA event.
View this post on Instagram
“I was so devastated, lying there in the middle of the night in bed, in this hotel room, and I thought the world is coming to an end. I cried the whole night.”
This came early in his career and Schwarzenegger was able to overcome this feeling of defeat and put together a legendary career. He has remained an influential figure in bodybuilding and has been successful in other areas as well, such as acting and politics.
Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke freely and honestly about his feeling of body dissatisfaction during his career. He hopes to be an inspiration to those dealing with the same issue.
Arnold Schwarzenegger comments on the new era in Generation Iron
Arnold Schwarzenegger is no stranger of looking back – whether it be his own life and career or bodybuilding as a whole. His passion for bodybuilding also enables him to look forward and focus on making bodybuilding a better sport withe each passing year.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has appeared in two of the Generation Iron documentary films – 1 & 2. In both, he comments on the new era of bodybuilding and how it compared to his years in the sport. Often, he is both critical and optimistic about how the sport can continue to grow.
You can check out Schwarzenegger’s appearance in the first Generation Iron with this exclusive clip below:
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
