Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bodyweight workout for building new muscle

Bodyweight training lays the groundwork for muscle growth, and now the biggest name in bodybuilding has shared his own workout

With seven Mr. Olympia titles under his belt alongside a glittering movie and political career, Arnold Schwarzenegger can inspire anyone.

However, the Austrian recently explained how motivated he is by the goals of others.

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With the new year fast approaching, Arnold’s bodyweight workout will have you hit the ground running in 2019.

Writing on his website Ladder, the workout is to be done on two or three occasions each week, with a day’s rest in between.

Warm Up

• Squat To Stand: 2 sets x 8 reps
• Plank: 2 sets x 20 second holds
• Hip/Glute Raise: 2 sets x 8 reps

Day 1:

• Superman Stretch: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Reverse Lunge: 3 sets x 8 reps [each leg]
• Press Ups: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
• Squats: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
• Side Plank: 3 sets x 20 second holds [each side]

Day 2:

• Step-Ups [with chair]: 3 sets x 3 reps [each leg]
• Mountain Climbers: 3 sets x 12 reps [each leg]
• Hip/Glute Raise: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Five-Second Plank + Press Up: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
• Split Squats: 3 sets x 8-10 reps [each leg]

You should perform all five exercises back-to-back, with 30-60 seconds rest in between. Consider completing all five exercises as one round. Aim to complete two to three rounds per workout.

Ladder is a new subscription-based supplement line Schwarzenegger owns, alongside other famous names such as LeBron James and Cindy Crawford.

Arnold has recently fought back to full fitness after undergoing heart surgery. Penning a piece for CNN, he wrote:

“I had to work my way back from the bottom this year, and learned a lot along the way.

“I’d love to tell you it was because of a certain product or workout or diet, but it wasn’t – I just kept walking. I kept breathing. I kept trying.”

Arnold says he “didn’t worry about six-packs or bench pressing 500 pounds.” His only goal was continual improvement.

If bodyweight workouts are good enough to whip Arnie back into shape, they’re good enough for anyone – newbie or not.

When you progress to free weight exercises, it’s worth sticking to the same frequency Arnold recommends. Provided you take time to rest and recover, training each muscle group two or three times a week is sufficient for growth.

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