Arnold’s strength numbers across his competitions

Schwarzenegger’s strength numbers always come up when you look at his old training photos and competition footage. Big arms are one thing, but how much did he actually press, squat and pull?

Here are the known results from Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting competitions, pulled together in one place. Some numbers are clear from the official protocol, while others come from old magazine stories or hints in a book, so read them with an honest dose of caution.

Why Arnold’s strength numbers are still interesting

Have you ever wondered what Arnold’s strength numbers were in his prime? I certainly have. We have seen plenty of impressive photos and training videos, but the numbers on the bar often stay in the background.

Schwarzenegger was best known as a bodybuilder, but his background was not only posing and fine-tuning the shape of his muscle. Before his bigger bodybuilding wins, he also trained seriously in Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting. That goes a long way toward explaining why his physique looked powerful rather than just dry and sculpted.

The simple truth: a strong base adds a lot later on. Arnold, Ronnie Coleman and Johnnie Jackson are good examples of athletes whose heavy basic training carried over into the muscle mass visible on stage.

Arnold’s strength numbers year by year

Olympic weightlifting competition, 1963

In an interview with Peter McGough, published in M&F in July 1997, p. 60, Schwarzenegger talked about competing in a beer hall in Graz in 1963. This was probably Arnold’s first competition. He did a standing press of 75 kg, or 165 pounds. His previous record was said to be 67.5 kg, or 150 pounds.

It is not known exactly whether this was a strict press or a push press. Translator’s note: I think it was a strict press rather than a push press after all. The result is simply not that big.

Steinmark junior championships, 1964

An article by Albert Busek in Kraftsport revüü no. 30, January 1967, reported that Schwarzenegger became Steirischer Jugendmeister in the autumn of 1964. The winning total was given as 280 kg.

The English version of the same article, H & S, 30 March 1967, gave the total as 705 pounds, which is 320 kg. Here lies a small confusion: neither article says which lifts the total was made up of.

Austrian Olympic weightlifting championships, 1965

In the book ‘Education of a Bodybuilder’, Arnold says that before turning 18 he won the Austrian Olympic weightlifting championships. Busek also wrote about the summer of 1965: Kraftsport revüü no. 30 and H & S, 30 March 1967 noted that Schwarzenegger took an undisputed first place.

‘Education of a Bodybuilder’ gives the impression that this was Arnold’s last Olympic weightlifting competition. According to the H & S article, Schwarzenegger’s lifts at this competition were as follows: standing press from the chest 120 kg, or 264 pounds, snatch 110 kg, or 243 pounds, and clean and jerk 135 kg, or 298 pounds.

What Arnold’s strength numbers showed in powerlifting

The 1966 international powerlifting championships already give a very clear picture. The results of the Internationale Meisterschaft Kraftdreikampf were published in Kraftsport revüü no. 30, pp. 36 – 37. Arnold won, Michelik Stanko was second and Leo Pelekies third.

Schwarzenegger’s lifts were: deadlift 250 kg, bench press 165 kg and squat 170 kg. The competition protocol gave a total of 585 kg. Busek’s article in H & S gave 1290 pounds, which is the same result.

The 1967 German powerlifting championships were covered in Kraftsport revüü no. 34, pp. 34 – 35. Arnold finished second. The winner was Georg Aschipper and third was Klaus Schumann. Arnold’s lifts were: bench press 170 kg, squat 200 kg and deadlift 280 kg.

A photo of Arnold deadlifting at this competition was also published in Flex, May 2005. The caption wrongly gave the year as 1966. At the 1966 German championships Arnold did not compete in powerlifting but was there as a guest poser.

The 1967 Paradise Keller championships in Graz are thinly covered in the sources. Wendy Leigh writes that Arnold lost to Helmut Cerncic. Kurt Marnul, Karl Kainrath and Adolf Ziegner also competed at the same event.

The 1968 German powerlifting championships are interesting because the numbers get especially big there. Kraftsport revüü no. 45, p. 38, published a short summary. The results suggest that Arnold deadlifted 310 kg and his total was 725 kg.

The full results appeared in issue no. 46, which the author of the article did not have. Thomas Klose has written that the results of this competition were published later after all: Arnold squatted 215 kg, deadlifted 310 kg and bench pressed 200 kg. Judging by ‘Education of a Bodybuilder’, it seems this was the last major official powerlifting competition he took part in.

The bigger picture: what to make of these numbers

The photo shows Arnold pulling his deadlift record of 322 kg. Put next to the competition numbers, the later estimates don’t look plucked out of thin air at all. Translator’s note: the maximum press result given for Arnold online is a range of 205 – 227.5 kg. The figures vary between 450 – 500 pounds.

I also believe the result may have landed somewhere in between, probably closer to 200 kg. That Arnold was so keen on powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting back in the day was, frankly, news to me.

All in all, the impression is that Arnold pressed 205 – 227.5 kg in his day, and squatted and deadlifted approx. 320 – 330 kg. These aren’t just nice legends. They fit with how he trained and with the strength base he built before reaching the top of bodybuilding.

Translator’s note: the same page also listed the strength numbers of Franco Columbu, Arnold’s training partner.

• Press: 235 kg
• Squat: 297.5 kg
• Deadlift: 340 kg
• Standing overhead press (olympic press): 147.5 kg
• Snatch: 122.5 kg
• Clean and jerk: 181.5 kg

Titles won in powerlifting:

• Italian Champion
• German Champion
• European Champion
• World Champion

FAQ: Arnold’s strength numbers

Was Arnold only a bodybuilder?

No. In his youth, Arnold Schwarzenegger also did Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting. That strong background is exactly what helped him later build muscle mass and move on to heavy compound exercises.

What was Arnold’s best known deadlift?

The competition records list 310 kg, but the text also mentions the deadlift record shown in the photo, 322 kg. A later summary puts his squat and deadlift at approx. 320 – 330 kg.

How much did Arnold bench press?

Competition records list 165 kg, 170 kg and later 200 kg. According to the translator’s note, estimates of his maximum press range from 205 – 227.5 kg, or 450 – 500 pounds.

Translated by Janar Rückenberg

Source: Turg.Fitness.ee

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