Shaquille O’Neal is 53 now, and he’s been on a serious fitness journey these past few years. After his NBA retirement, Shaq had put on a lot of weight, and he wasn’t shy about it. But in recent years, he’s made a conscious effort to get back in shape. From diet changes to intense gym routines, the transformation has been impressive.
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Still, there’s one goal he hasn’t quite hit yet, taking his shirt off in public with full confidence. That’s exactly what Shaq told Arnold Schwarzenegger on a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq.
He told the bodybuilding legend that he wants to take his shirt off this summer, but doesn’t feel his chest is quite there yet. Shaq thinks he has a good chest, but it’s just not great. So, he asked for help. And who better than Arnold? After all, Schwarzenegger is a seven-time Mr. Olympia winner and arguably the most iconic bodybuilder of all time. He knows a thing or two about sculpting the perfect chest.
“What would you tell me to do to get that big Arnold Schwarzenegger chest? Because my chest is okay, but I want to take my shirt off this summer,” Shaq said. The bodybuilding legend gave Shaq four chest workouts that he can follow for his summer dream. Bench press, incline press with a barbell, flyes with dumbbells or with a flying machine, and pullover.
Shaq’s commitment to getting in shape has been ongoing for a while now. During an interview with US Weekly in 2023, he said, “I want to be able to take my shirt off on Instagram more than last time … I got a four-pack, but I want a 12-pack.” Shaq admitted that he makes a lot of excuses that keep him away from achieving the desired physique. Maybe Arnold’s advice will do its trick this time.
Shaquille O’Neal hated working out during his NBA days
As dominant as Shaq was in his prime, he was never the hardest-working athlete. He was blessed with a rare physique, and he took full advantage of it, even at the cost of not living a disciplined life. Many believe that the locker room tension between him and Kobe Bryant started because of Shaq’s lack of discipline, especially when it came to workouts.
But that wasn’t the only instance when Shaq avoided working out. Even when he was sent to Miami, he continued to live his life on his own terms. On Pardon My Take, Dwyane Wade talked about how Shaq used to cheat Pat Riley’s body fat rules by using baby oil on his body.
“Shaq would come in so you could not like, grab the fat, like it was too slippery. So, you couldn’t just grab it,” Wade said. Not obeying rules in the Pat Riley camp was also one of the main reasons why he had to leave Miami as well.
