Arnold Schwarzenegger was a prodigy in the making, even before he entered the bodybuilding arena. Rising from a small town in Austria, the champion had his eyes set on the image of Hercules even before he outgrew his teens. His journey from a powerlifter to an influential fitness figure at 76 witnessed many roles and responsibilities. Yet, he would always proclaim that he wasn’t self-made. In a recent Instagram post, he had his seniors to credit.
Posting a rare photo of his younger self performing an overhead press, Schwarzenegger’s physique looked impeccable even then. At 16, when his peers would’ve been at school or living their lives, he was busy preparing his physique for future bodybuilding championships. Amidst all this, he thanked his coaches and mentors throughout his life.
When he began his journey as a powerlifter, it’s unclear if he had a particular coach. However, when he was 15, former Mr. Austria Kurt Marnul became one of his idols who got the ball rolling. Schwarzenegger had received words of encouragement from the athlete that ignited the fire in him.
Fans speculated under the post that he could’ve been 16 in the photos, given his powerlifting suit and young looks. Yet, Schwarzenegger’s ripped arms and overall physique looked impressive for a teenager. At that time, he had also watched Reg Park on the silver screen playing Hercules, and that’s where 16-year-old Arnold wanted to be.
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“When I started training, I was lucky to have fantastic coaches and mentors to show me the way.”
Eventually, his idols became his closest confederates and personal mentors. Park had invited him over to South Africa to train after he won the Mr. Universe at 21. Joe Weider, the father of Mr. Olympia, took him under his wing and enabled his training for further competitions. Many of his fellow bodybuilders and colleagues helped him with training, language, studies, and struggles.
“I’ve spent the rest of my life paying them back by showing millions of people the way to health and fitness.”
While Schwarzenegger has always maintained that he wasn’t self-made, he often used to talk about being useful. One of the lessons he learned from his father was to do things that contributed to the betterment of a situation or person. That’s what prompted him to kickstart an inclusive fitness community in the form of the Pump Club. Recently, he met many of the members in real life at the Arnold Classic festivals.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has an emotional moment after meeting his village
At the Arnold Classic UK, Schwarzenegger had organized his own meet and greet with his Pump App members. He interacted with them throughout the segment, listened to stories, shared some tips and advice, and connected with each member. Despite the dip in his energy levels at the time, the meet was a success and he couldn’t be happier.
In an emotional note on Instagram, Schwarzenegger revealed how even in a giant sports festival like the Arnold Classic, he managed to create a safe space. The best part about having a community experience was how everyone came together to share and relate to struggles while pushing each other to do better. Online interaction could never match up to the meet-up, and he was overwhelmed by the stories and experiences his fans shared.
