Happy Birthday to the greatest bodybuilder of all time!

Considered to be the greatest bodybuilder to ever compete, Arnold Schwarzenegger celebrates his 72nd year of life today!

While many people argue over who the greatest bodybuilder ever was, including eight-time Olympia winners Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman, Arnold Schwarzenegger usually ends up at the top of the list and with good reason.

Arnold Schwarzenegger changed the game of bodybuilding during his competitive years. During his tenure as Olympia champion, Arnold Schwarzenegger was known for stirring the pot, intimidating his would-be rivals with psychological warfare as a means to get an edge. These psychological tactics were on full display in the iconic documentary Pumping Iron.

In the documentary, Arnold Schwarzenegger showcased his incredible work ethic, devotion to training and his ability to get inside the minds of his opponents which helped him to secure victory year after year. These elements coupled with his ability to pose on stage made him a formidable foe that few bodybuilders could contend with.

Now at 72 years old, Arnold Schwarzenegger has lived a storied life with major accomplishments such as his near five decade long acting career as well as his tenure as Governor of California. Arnold Schwarzenegger has certainly accomplished a great deal in 72 years. Establishing the Arnold Sports Festival and staying involved in fitness and bodybuilding shows that Schwarzenegger has always stuck to his roots and it’s why so many consider him to be the greatest bodybuilder in the history of the game.

Happy Birthday Arnold!

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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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