In 1977, upon the release of the docudrama ‘Pumping Iron’, bodybuilding fans often pitted Arnold Schwarzenegger against underdog Lou Ferrigno. Since the movie portrayed both icons engaging in top-tier rivalry, fans often wondered if they truly harbored animosity between them. Eventually, however, Schwarzenegger clarified that wasn’t the case.
Over the years, the friendship between the ‘Hulk’ and the ‘Terminator’ bloomed. Having embarked upon similar paths where both Schwarzenegger and Ferrigno transitioned to Hollywood from bodybuilding, the icons bonded over many arenas. And recently, they decided to rekindle their friendship with a different kind of battle.
Schwarzenegger recently took to Instagram to post a picture of him and Ferrigno hanging out at what seems to be the Austrian Oak’s residence. Both stars were seated on the opposite ends of a table with a chess board in between. While they enjoyed a good game of strategy, Schwarzenegger was happy to have his old mate around.
“We never stop competing! It was fantastic to hang with my friend @theofficiallouferrigno and play chess yesterday. He’s a fantastic player!”
Schwarzenegger and Ferrigno were two of the top competitors at various bodybuilding championships back in the 70s. Despite rarely directly competing against each other, the icons grew popular after the docudrama instigated a divide among fitness enthusiasts.
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Since then, Schwarzenegger often drew a reputation for playing mental games with his onstage rivals. Whereas Ferrigno earned the title of an underdog who tried to fight his way through for a prestigious reward. Eventually, the Austrian Oak grabbed the 1975 Mr. Olympia title, much to the 6’5 gentle giant’s disappointment. However, things didn’t end there for Ferrigno.
Hollywood spotted the humongous bodybuilder and decided the perfect role for him was that of a superhero. Ferrigno made it to the casting of The Incredible Hulk series back in 1977. Incidentally, both he and Schwarzenegger ended up playing superhero-like figures on the silver screen, gaining all the love from both bodybuilding and entertainment fans alike.
Throughout his bodybuilding career, Schwarzenegger ended up with many rivals onstage. While the athletes maintained a good camaraderie outside the arena, the stage would always be high on testosterone and competitive spirit. One of his fellow bodybuilders who played a key role in shaping his attitude was Frank Zane.
How did Arnold Schwarzenegger come around to beat Frank Zane at his own game?
Zane was a veteran bodybuilder who knew his proportions, size, and aesthetic and worked towards them in full swing. When Schwarzenegger faced him for the first time at the Mr. Universe in Miami, he was intimidated.
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Eventually, Zane won, and Schwarzenegger wanted to know his tricks. They began training together and became good friends. Both having their own Mr. Olympia streaks to their credit, the bodybuilding world has been fortunate to have them both as icons.
