Arnold Schwarzenegger’s year in the army
Arnold saw military service not as a pause but as a chance to build a stronger body. This story is about how the barracks gym, harsh discipline and a very clear goal helped him take the next step in bodybuilding.
Why did Arnold keep progressing in the army?
“Arnold Schwarzenegger Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Douglas Kent Hall” paints a fairly direct picture of that time. We had an equipped gym, and I had to start training there every day after lunch. It wasn’t a comfortable health club with mirrors and machines. The weight room had mainly barbells and plates, so I had to bring a few dumbbells and homemade machines from home.
Still, there was one big upside to all of it: training was no longer just a hobby. The command treated my training with complete seriousness and strictness. Whenever the officer of the day happened to walk past the gym window and found me sitting idle, he always threatened to put me under arrest. By today’s standards that sounds harsh, but for a young bodybuilder it meant one thing: nobody was going to let me get lazy.
Daily tank maintenance was a job where slackers faced punishment. Even though my duty was now training, the attitude was no different. It was an order like any other, and it simply had to be carried out. Honestly, there’s an easy lesson here for people who train today, too: if your workout is in the calendar as firmly as work or school, you’re far more likely to get results.
How did Arnold structure his training?
I was content and used it as a chance to continue what I had started three years earlier: building my muscular base. The base didn’t mean only bigger arms or a wider back. It meant strength, habit, eating, and a confidence built on repetitions. I ate four or five times a day. I was allowed to eat everything I wanted and needed.
Throughout my time serving in the army, I split my training into two: bodybuilding and classic powerlifting. That’s an important distinction. In bodybuilding, what counts is body shape, proportion and visible muscle development. In powerlifting, what counts is the weight you actually lift. The two sides supported each other.
Powerlifting had a very striking image in my eyes. I often pictured myself as a strong man capable of lifting heavy weights. That feeling stayed with me for a long time. Before I turned 18, I had even competed in Austria in the heavyweight class and taken first place. It wasn’t just play-acting on a stage. The strength was real.
After the Mr. Europe Jr. title I put an end to powerlifting. Not because it had been bad. It simply wasn’t the main direction anymore. I wanted to prove that bodybuilders don’t just look strong, they are strong. Their muscles aren’t mere stage props.
Arnold and 101 kg: what can we learn from it?
Many people regret the time they spent in the army, but for me it wasn’t wasted time. When I came out of the army I weighed 101 kg. I had gained 11 kg. It was the biggest period of growth I’d ever had, and it had taken just a year.
So what actually happened? There was no single secret trick. There was a fixed place to train, a daily routine, enough food and a great deal of drive. It’s exactly this combination that makes the difference. If a person eats randomly, trains randomly and sleeps randomly, they can’t expect a reliable result.
For today’s recreational lifter, this doesn’t mean copying Arnold Schwarzenegger’s routine one to one. It’s better to look at the principle. Do you have your workout days set? Do you know why you’re doing a given exercise? Do you eat in a way that gives your body what it needs to recover? A simple truth: the body changes when repeated behavior supports the same goal.
Arnold, Schneck and going to London
After I won the Mr. Europe Jr. contest, a judge came up to me, a man I’ll call Schneck from here on. He had his own gym and a magazine editorial office in Munich. He said: “Schwarzenegger, you are a real find in bodybuilding. A great future could be waiting for you in Germany.”
The offer sounded tempting. Once I was out of the army, I could go to Munich, start managing his health and bodybuilding club and train as much as I wanted. The following autumn he even promised to pay for a trip to London so I could watch the Mr. Universe contest.
This is where Arnold’s mindset shows. “What do you mean, watch? What do you mean by that?” I asked. Schneck explained that I could see big men there, gather inspiration and come back with renewed strength. But the word “watch” cut deep. I didn’t want to go and observe from the sidelines. I wanted to go onto the stage.
“Exactly,” I replied. “I intend to compete.” Schneck didn’t believe it. In his view, the Mr. Universe men were too big and too far ahead. But for me the decision was already made. If I go there, it’s to compete, not to watch.
FAQ
Did Arnold focus only on bodybuilding in the army?
No. He split his training into two: bodybuilding and classic powerlifting. Bodybuilding gave him shape, while powerlifting built real strength.
How much weight did Arnold gain in the army?
When I came out of the army I weighed 101 kg and had gained 11 kg. That progress happened in just a year.
What can people who train today learn from this story?
Consistency counts most. A fixed workout schedule, eating enough and a clear goal give a better result than random effort.
Author: joker
Source: WHO – physical activity.
Come work out! ArtGym
