At 78, Arnold Schwarzenegger still hits the gym nearly every day — but these days, his workouts last about an hour and a half, not the five-hour marathons that made him a bodybuilding legend.
“I sometimes trained five hours a day with weights,” he told Business Insider. “That’s a lot of stress on the body — and clearly the body was not meant to do all that.”
Schwarzenegger started working out at 15 years old. At the height of his bodybuilding career, he famously sweated through as many as 80 to 100 sets of exercise to hit every muscle group.
As he’s gotten older, though, even the Terminator hasn’t been immune to the wear and tear of decades under the barbell, he told Business Insider in an interview about his new “You’ll Be Back” campaign with Zimmer Biomet, where he’s the Chief Movement Officer.
To compensate, he’s traded heavy barbells for exercise machines and long sessions for smarter, shorter ones.
That’s not where everyone should start. He believes that people should learn to lift with a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebells. Schwarzenegger’s point isn’t to abandon free weights, but to understand the arc: master control first, then protect your joints.
“For me today, the machines are better simply because there’s certain movements I can’t do because of shoulder problems or knee problems,” Schwarzenegger said.
His new approach offers a blueprint for staying strong even as your joints protest. Here’s what the legendary bodybuilder recommends to get the most out of your workout.
Focus on simple movements
When it comes to choosing the right equipment, consider your unique needs and goals.
“We have so many sophisticated machines now that people sometimes get into the habit of using a machine when in fact the free weights at the beginning are better,” Schwarzenegger said.
Dumbbells or a barbell can work more muscle groups at once because they require you to stabilize the weight as you move. Free weights also allow you to perform more dynamic and explosive full-body movements, like the clean and press, which Schwarzenegger said is a personal favorite.
In contrast, exercise machines offer more support, making them good options for people working through injuries or mobility limitations, as well as older athletes. Machines can also make your workouts more efficient since they’re quicker to adjust.
Regardless of whether you lift a barbell or do your reps on a machine, don’t overcomplicate your workout, according to Schwarzenegger.
He recommends classic movements like deadlifts, squats, rows, and bench presses.
“The basic exercises are the most underrated exercises,” he said.
Consistency is key
Technique builds strength; routine keeps it. And for Schwarzenegger, that’s the real secret to longevity.
These days, Schwarzenegger’s daily workout includes 25 sets of weightlifting exercises along with biking for cardio, usually for around 45 minutes.
Sure, life can get in the way sometimes. “Yesterday I had a flat tire all of a sudden,” he said, and added that it forced him to adjust his scheduled gym session. “Half was a bike ride and the other half was walking back home.”
Schwarzenegger said the key is to try to keep a routine as much as possible. If pain or injury starts to derail your workouts, don’t be afraid to ask for help or seek medical care.
“When people start having pain, then they start limiting the amount of things that they do,” he said. “When you start doing that, then the danger is it’s the beginning of death because movement is life.”
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