A Breakdown of the Living Legend’s Workout

Bodybuilding has certainly changed since the 1970s Golden Era. Back then there was more of an emphasis on shaping an aesthetic physique with a great v-taper, rather than just building massive muscle. Sure, bodybuilders in the Golden Era also had to build quality muscle mass, but they also focused on symmetry and definition as well, and the Arnold Split is something that surely helped them get there.

To be a championship level bodybuilder, in those days it meant having a perfect balance of diet, training, and supplementation, rather than just excelling in one particular facet of the game. As massive and defined bodybuilders are these days, their aesthetics aren’t emphasized nearly as much as it should be.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Overview

One of the greatest, if not the greatest, bodybuilders of all time was no doubt the “Austrian Oak” himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The seven time Mr. Olympia winner, who essentially was a pioneer in bodybuilding, is undoubtedly a great source of inspiration for any bodybuilding athlete out there looking to transform their physique into something great.

During his early days, Arnold worked hard, went to school, and continued to constantly train as hard as possible improve his physical form at every competition. He always got his protein in too! Arnold said that they would spend up to five hours a day in the gym. Bodybuilding back then was all about the love of the sport, and Arnold was the poster boy for it. Year in and year out, he improved upon his weaknesses as well as his strengths which made him a formidable opponent to face.

Steroids in the Golden Era

It is no secret that steroids are used in bodybuilding, and people outside of the sport tend to think automatically that all progress a bodybuilder makes is thanks to these substances. However, back in the Golden Era, it was a much different approach to steroid usage than it is today. When it came to training as well as using anabolic substances, high volume training and diet regimens were far more focused on than the anabolics. Many current bodybuilders use not only more of the anabolics than the competitors of the Golden Era, but also different substances, such as human growth hormone (HGH), which is why you see differences in the physiques.

The new age of training in bodybuilding focuses less on volume and more on increased weight. The pros of the past performed high volume sets in order to achieve hypertrophy and in doing so they were able to build a great deal of muscle without having to sacrifice their aesthetics. Arnold was a master of this method of training and it carried him to not one, not two, but seven big wins at the Olympia.

But what exactly did Arnold do in the gym to get such an impressive physique? It can be easy to look at a legend such as Arnold and only see a perfect untouchable being. Someone who is impossible to emulate. But the truth is, iconic champs like Arnold Schwarzenegger are just regular human beings and had to work extremely hard to get where they are. So let’s break down the mystique of the legend. It looks like the answers to Arnold’s workout plan have finally been revealed. Check out below to see the greatest bodybuilder of all time’s training routine. Can you handle it?

The Arnold Split

The workout routine of the Austrian Oak himself is one of the most popular workout splits out there, the Arnold Split. It is a high volume, high frequency split that is certainly not for the faint of heart. What did it consist of?

Monday: Chest and Back (Version 1)

• Flat barbell bench press –4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Bent Over rows – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Dumbbell incline bench press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Cable crossovers – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Dumbbell pullovers – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Seated cable rows – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Incline barbell bench press – 4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Pull-Ups – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Dumbbell pec flyes – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Kroc rows – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Dips – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Lat pulldowns – 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Tuesday: Shoulders and Arms

• Overhead press – 4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Seated Arnold press – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Lateral raises – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• EZ curl bar bicep curls – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Hammer curls – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Skull crushers – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Seated dumbbell press – 4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Face pulls – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Close grip bench press – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Overhead tricep extensions – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Bicep 21s – 3 sets
• Shrugs – 3 of 15-20 reps

Wednesday: Legs

• Squats – 3 sets of 6-8 reps
• Straight-leg deadlifts – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Leg press – 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Hamstring curls – 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Calf raises – 4 sets of 15-20 reps
• Cable crunches – 2 sets of 25 reps
• Deadlifts – 3 sets of 6-8 reps
• Hack squat – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Good mornings – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Glute ham raise – 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Leg extensions – 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Lying leg raise – 2 sets of 25 reps

Thursday: Chest and Back (Version 2)

• Bench press -5 sets of 6-10 reps
• Incline bench press (set to shift between low, medium, and high incline setting) – 3-6 sets of 5-20 reps
• V-bar dips – 3-6 sets of 6-10 reps or until failure
• Dumbbell flyes – 3-5 sets of 10-15 reps
• Cable crossover – 3-6 sets of 10-12 reps
• Dumbbell pullover – 5 sets, 15-20 reps
• Pull-ups (wide/overhand grip) – 3-6 sets of 5-15 reps
• Cable pulldowns (wide/overhand grip) – 3-5 sets of 10-20 reps
• T-bar rows – 5 sets of 6-10 reps
• Barbell bent-over rows – 3-6 sets of 8-20 reps
• Seated cable rows – 3-6 sets of 8-20 reps
• Barbell deadlift – 3 sets of 6-10 reps.

Friday: Shoulders and Arms

• Overhead press – 4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Seated Arnold press – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Lateral raises – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• EZ curl bar bicep curls – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Hammer curls – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Skull crushers – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Seated dumbbell press – 4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Face pulls – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Close grip bench press – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Overhead tricep extensions – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Bicep 21s – 3 sets
• Shrugs – 3 of 15-20 reps

Saturday: Legs

• Squats – 3 sets of 6-8 reps
• Straight-leg deadlifts – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Leg press – 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Hamstring curls – 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Calf raises – 4 sets of 15-20 reps
• Cable crunches – 2 sets of 25 reps
• Deadlifts – 3 sets of 6-8 reps
• Hack squat – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Good mornings – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Glute ham raise – 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Leg extensions – 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Lying leg raise – 2 sets of 25 reps

Sunday: Rest

Benefits of the Arnold Split

Some may argue that the Arnold Split is far too much volume and you are essentially just overtraining by utilizing it. However, look at the man who lived by this split, it certainly has its benefits, so what are they?

For one, it allows you to train antagonistic muscles in the same workout session, which prevents the stress of having to dedicate separate routines to focus on more muscle groups at a time.

This split also helps to strike a balance in your routine. It actually provides an opportunity to give each muscle group an equal amount of focus and energy without feeling burnt out. Dedicating these exercises to specific days helps to keep each part well-rested until it’s their turn to be engaged in intense, high-volume exercises.

Wrap Up

Overall, the Arnold Split is something certainly worth giving a shot. The bodybuilders of the Golden Era loved it, and it clearly worked for them.

Are you man enough to try out Arnold Schwarzenegger’s workout routine? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.