The man and workout plan that inspired Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Anyone who’s a fan of bodybuilding should know the name Reg Park. The man is truly a legend of the sport and has been a major influence on many bodybuilders for decades now. Heck, the man was a major influence on the most famous bodybuilder of all time, Arnold Schwarzenegger and it’s easy to see why…

Reg competed in an era of bodybuilding when many competitors were large, but not mass monsters. He was perhaps the prototype, the preview of things to come. Reg’s size and equally impressive strength were attributes that the bodybuilding world hadn’t been privy to before. But Reg wasn’t only just a bodybuilder. His popularity would lead to becoming a star of the silver screen, famously making multiple appearances as Hercules in a number of Italian made films.

Reg was also renowned as a trainer, having done so during his military service in the 40’s. Up until the time of his death in 2007, Reg was a well respected trainer and fitness enthusiast. One of his many contributions to the bodybuilding world was his three phase 5X5 training program. It was simple and accessible, a full body workout that targeted multiple muscle groups. The name comes from performing 5 sets of 5 reps with different compound movements. The program is meant to build both size and strength. Take a look at his classic system on the next page.