When he arrived in America in 1968, Arnold Schwarzenegger took the country by storm with his jaw-dropping genetics and physique. After earning the title of the youngest Mr. Universe, he moved to his dreamland with hopes of becoming a household name. Now, at 76, the star is more than just a former bodybuilding icon.
Before he bagged one of his biggest silver screen roles in the form of the Terminator series, Schwarzenegger became the quintessential muscleman. With a jacked physique and toned abs, he would often promote bodybuilding equipment. One such advertisement for a muscle-building tool recently resurfaced on social media.
The infographic featured a ripped Schwarzenegger holding a unique tool that the ad claimed worked on the upper body. A detailed description of the ‘Power Twister’—the muscle-building equipment—was listed on the other side.
The ad claimed that top athletes and bodybuilders used the power twister to achieve more muscle mass on various parts of the body. But what stood out, in the form of an outrageous promise, was how the tool guaranteed gains for life.
Classic Ad: The Power Twister modeled by Arnold Schwarzenegger (1974) pic.twitter.com/tC3ucWbRQh
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 19, 2015
“Just ten minutes a day and you’re on your way to powerful, muscular upper body!”
As Schwarzenegger smiled, posing with the tool in action, it claimed to help work muscle groups that other equipment couldn’t get to. The twister had two ends and a bendable center, meant to work the arms, shoulders, chest, and back.
“$9.95 complete with detailed upper-body-building course.”
While the ad featured a promising physique in the form of former Mr. Olympia Schwarzenegger, the icon followed a different routine for his upper body. However, he always believed that the gym was his place to try out new things and experiment. That’s how he built up his physique.
For Arnold Schwarzenegger, the gym was his lab
During his prime, Schwarzenegger was known for his heavy-duty 500-pound bench press, which left everyone in awe. Having trained for powerlifting before bodybuilding, it wasn’t a surprise that his routine was a bit different from that of a traditional bodybuilder. He once confessed to a village member in his newsletter how he loved trying out different workouts.
Having invented his variant, the Arnold Press, Schwarzenegger spoke about how the gym was his laboratory. He would try new techniques, different placements, hand movements, and so on. This helped him understand what worked for him, and that’s how he won seven Mr. Olympia titles.
