Considered as one of the finest bodybuilders who set a blueprint for the golden era physique, Frank Zane was dubbed the King of Aesthetics. With perfect symmetry that eventually won him three Mr. Olympia titles, the icon inspired many bodybuilding veterans including Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Fitness freaks often sought guidance in the form of Zane’s training plan and techniques, since he set the bar high. Recalling how he maintained his physique before and after competitions, the former bodybuilding star revealed a maintenance program he followed to keep up his strength.
Before getting into his workout, Zane revealed how his affinity for yoga led him to follow the philosophies surrounding it. He began with how maintenance before and after competitions demanded a single-track focus, which was difficult to achieve.
“I was able to get into a single-minded concentration, a state the yogis call Samadhi, before the 1979 Mr. Olympia competition. Through lots of practice I managed to maintain this focused state for weeks at a time, but without regular practice it doesn’t last.”
Therefore, before Zane began working out, he had to keep in mind to focus only on his workout and nothing else. A full body routine was divided into three to four days, focusing on the back, biceps, and forearms first.
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For the back
Front pulldown
Cable crossover behind the neck
Low cable row
Dumbbell shrug
One arm cable rows
For the bicep
Dumbbell concentration curls
Curling face down on a steep incline bench
Preacher Bench curl
For the forearm
Reverse wrist curl
Barbell wrist curl
Hand gripper
For the thighs
Leg extension
Squats
Standing calf raise
Calf raises on leg press machine
Donkey calf raise
Seated calf raise
For the abs
Partial situps
One arm cable crunch
Incline leg raise
For the chest
One arm shoulder stretch
30° dumbbell press
Pec deck
Parallel dips
Close grip bench press
One-arm dumbbell extension
Rowing
Throughout this, Zane took care to not injure his lower back or exert too much force. He wrapped up his workout with a 12-minute walk on the treadmill at 3.3 miles/hour.
“I always seek the best nutrition keeping my fat calories under 25 percent of my total caloric daily intake, and at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight with carbs equaling protein intake most days…”
Zane was the torchbearer for many aspiring bodybuilders who wanted an aesthetic yet full physique like his. When Schwarzenegger met him in 1968, he immediately wanted to train alongside him after losing the Mr. Universe title to the icon. And that gave birth to an epic friendship between the two.
How Frank Zane helped Arnold Schwarzenegger through bodybuilding and life
Schwarzenegger always credited others and never claimed to be self-made as a star. One of the icons who helped him up was Zane. The veteran beat him at the 1968 Mr. Universe championship when the Austrian Oak was a newbie to the country. However, instead of wallowing in sadness, Schwarzenegger invited his onstage rival to train with him, building a strong bond.
Soon, the duo would often train together, and while Schwarzenegger was pursuing education alongside, Zane even helped him with college algebra since he was a teacher. This set goals for fellow bodybuilders to learn from one another rather than locking horns to compete every time.
