Whether you want to compete in professional bodybuilding competitions or want to build a firm and aesthetic physique, you can try Arnold Schwarzenegger’s workout routine.
Arnold is one of the most respected bodybuilders of all time. He won seven Mr. Olympia titles, six from 1970 to 1975 and one in 1980.
Besides his shapely, well-defined, and muscular physique, he is known for his innovative and intense training approaches.
It’s been more than four decades since Arnold Schwarzenegger last time won Mr. Olympia, yet his workout programs are as relevant and effective as they were then.
From muscle group and upper-lower to hybrid and full body split, Arnold used to follow multiple training programs to enhance his muscle development.
You can also try one of his routines to shape your physique and level up your fitness.
Note: The workout programs I’ve shared in this article are highly inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger, not the exact replica. I’ve also made some changes in his routine so that many fitness enthusiasts can try the Arnold Training program. You can also make some changes based on your fitness level and goal.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Training Principles
1. Warm-up
Arnold says warming up is crucial before lifting moderate to heavy weights because warm-up helps increase heart rate, improve oxygen supply, and prepare for demanding exercises.
He usually performs some dynamic stretching, such as bear crawl, inchworm, and dive bomber pushups, followed by full-body warm-up training with light dumbbells and barbells.
Arnold also performs one lightweight set prior to each different exercise to get his muscles ready for intense exercise.
2. Different Reps Technique
From forced and negative reps to partial and heavy reps, Arnold used to perform different reps sets to maximize muscle development.
He says you’ve to be smart with different training approaches, such as how you can integrate them into your training programs in an effective way.
3. Focus on Every Muscle Group
The best thing about the Arnold workout plan is that it involves exercises for every muscle group, whether it’s calves, abs, or forearms. It is one of the reasons why Arnold Schwarzenegger has one of the best physiques of all time.
4. High Volume Training
Arnold says to be like a bodybuilder, you have to train like one. Bodybuilders usually do high-volume training, which involves various reps and sets for every muscle group. In this article, I’ve shared multiple workout routines from the Book – The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding.
5. Progressive Overload
Constantly increasing the load over time helps stimulate strength and mass growth. For example, you can gradually put more weight on the bar, lift heavy dumbbells, and decrease rest time between sets to put more stress on the muscles.
6. Quality Reps
Bodybuilding is about training muscles, not lifting weights only. Arnold used to perform each rep with the full range of motion. He suggests focusing on the quality of reps instead of quantity and lifting heavy.
12-Week Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Program for Ultimate Growth
I’ve shared Arnold’s different workout splits in this article. You can follow one of them depending on your fitness level and goal or you can mix them into your 12-week workout program.
Arnold’s Muscle Group Split (Routine 1)
- Monday – Chest
- Tuesday – Legs
- Wednesday – Back
- Thursday – Abs
- Friday – Shoulder
- Saturday – Arms
- Sunday – OFF
I’ve crafted this routine based on Arnold’s workout videos available on YouTube. This program involves training one muscle per session. It is great for people who want to follow a straightforward workout routine.
Monday – Chest
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Bench Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 8 |
| Incline Bench Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 8 |
| Flat Dumbbell Flyes | 3 | 8-12 |
| High Cable Flyes | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 3 | 8-12 |
| Bar Dips | 3 | Till failure |
Tuesday – Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squats | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 8 |
| Lunges | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 8 |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 8-12 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlifts | 3 | 8-12 |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 8-12 |
| Calf Raises | 3 | Till failure |
Wednesday – Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 4 | 6-8 |
| Bent Over Row | 4 | 10-12 |
| T-Bar Row | 4 | 10-12 |
| Lat Pulldown | 4 | 10-12 |
| Seated Row | 4 | 10-12 |
| One-arm DB Row | 3 | 10-12 |
Thursday – Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Hanging Knee Raises | 3 | 10-20 |
| Crunches | 3 | 10-20 |
| Roman Chair Sit-ups | 3 | 20-30 |
| Cable Crunches | 3 | 10-12 |
| Broomstick Twists | 3 | 10-12 |
Friday – Shoulder
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Smith Machine Overhead Press | 5 | 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Behind The Neck Shoulder Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Lateral Dumbbell Raises | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Arnold Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Cable/Barbell Upright Row | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Cable Facepull | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8 |
Saturday – Arms (Superset)
| Biceps | Triceps | Reps | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | Triceps Pushdown | 8-10 | 4 |
| Alternating DB Curl | One-arm Overhead Extension | 10 | 4 |
| Preacher Curl | Lying French Press | 10 | 4 |
| Concentration Curl | Reverse Triceps Pressdown | 8-10 | 4 |
| Reverse Preacher Curl | Barbell Wrist Curl | 10-12 | 4 |
Arnold Schwarzenegger Training Program 2 (Upper Lower Split)
- Monday – Chest and Back
- Tuesday – Shoulders and Arms
- Wednesday – Thighs, Calves, and Lower Back
- Thursday – Chest and Back
- Friday – Shoulders and Arms
- Saturday – Thighs, Calves, and Lower Back
- Sunday – OFF
This Arnold Schwarzenegger bodybuilding routine involves training each muscle group twice a week. It is excellent for people who want to put on mass and build muscular and symmetrical physique.
Monday and Thursday – Chest and Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Bench Press | 4 | 10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Incline Bench Press | 4 | 10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Dumbbell Pullovers | 3 | 15 |
| Chin-ups | – | 50 |
| Bent-Over Barbell Row | 3-4 | 8-12 |
| Conventional Deadlift | 3-4 | 6-10 |
| Crunches | 5 | 25 |
- Chin-ups: Perform as many rounds as possible until you complete 50 reps.
Tuesday and Thursday – Shoulders and Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Clean and Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| Barbell/Cable Upright Row | 3 | 10, 6, 4 |
| Push Press | 3 | 6, 4, 2 |
| Standing Barbell Curl | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Seated Dumbbell Curl | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Triceps Bench Press | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Overhead Triceps Extension | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Wrist Curls | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Wrist Extension | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Reverse Crunch | 5 | 25 |
- Perform upright rows and push press with heavy weights till failure.
Wednesday and Saturday – Thighs, Calves, and Lower Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 4 | 16, 12, 10, 8 |
| Front Lunge | 3 | 10/leg |
| Seated Leg Curl | 4 | 20, 16, 12, 10 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 3 | 10, 6, 4 |
| Good Mornings | 3 | 10, 6, 4 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 5 | 15 |
| Crunches | 5 | 25 |
- Perform SDL and Good Mornings with heavyweight till failure.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Plan 3 (The Hybrid Split)
- Day 1 – Chest, Back and Legs
- Day 2 – Shoulders, Arms, and Lower Back
- Day 3 – Chest, Back and Legs
- Day 4 – Shoulders, Arms, and Lower Back
- Day 5 – Chest, Back and Legs
- Day 6 – Shoulders, Arms, and Lower Back
- Day 7 – OFF
If you’re looking for a high-volume training program that includes three sessions for every muscle group, you can try this Arnold hybrid workout schedule. It includes training the upper and lower body in the same session, for example, chest, back, and legs.
This program is for experienced and professional lifters who equally focus on resting, eating, and exercising.
Consistently training muscles more than twice a week can help build a sizeable and sturdy physique.1 Ochi, Eisuke et al. “Higher Training Frequency Is Important for Gaining Muscular Strength Under Volume-Matched Training.” Frontiers in physiology vol. 9 744. 2 Jul. 2018, doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.00744,2 Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
Day 1, 3 and 5 – Chest, Back and Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Bench Press | 4 | 10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Incline Bench Press | 4 | 10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Dumbbell Flyes | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
| Bar Dips | 3 | 15, 10, 8 |
| Dumbbell Pullovers | 3 | 15 |
| Chin-ups | 4 | 10 |
| Bent-Over Barbell Row | 3-4 | 8-12 |
| Close Grip Chin-up | 3-4 | 6-10 |
| Back Squat | 4 | 16, 12, 10, 8 |
| Lunges | 3 | 10/leg |
| Leg Curl | 4 | 20, 16, 12, 10 |
| Calf Raises | 5 | 15 |
| Crunches | 5 | 25 |
Day 2, 4, and 6 – Shoulders, Arms, and Lower Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Clean and Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| Barbell/Cable Upright Row | 3 | 10, 6, 4 |
| Push Press | 3 | 6, 4, 2 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 3 | 10, 6, 4 |
| Good Mornings | 3 | 10, 6, 4 |
| Standing Barbell Curl | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Seated Dumbbell Curl | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Triceps Bench Press | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Barbell Overhead Triceps Extension | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Wrist Curls | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Wrist Extension | 3-4 | 10-12 |
| Reverse Crunch | 5 | 25 |
Arnold Schwarzenegger Training Split 4 (Twice a Day Workout)
- Days 1, 3, and 5
- Morning – Chest and Back
- Evening – Thigh and Calves
- Days 2, 4, and 6
- Morning – Shoulders, Arms, and Calves
- Evening – OFF
- Day – Rest
- Perform at least one exercise in Abs in each session.
If you’ve reached a pro level and want to challenge your muscles with high-volume training and different techniques, you can try the advanced bodybuilding workout program of seven-time champion Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It involves training six times weekly in the morning and three times a week in the evening (on alternate days).
This training program is for professional bodybuilders who have been working out for a while and have already achieved a decent physique but want to put on more mass and maximize overall growth.
It requires knowledge about how exercise affects your muscle groups differently and how you can integrate the various training principles into your training program.
Days 1, 3, and 5 (Morning – Chest, Back and Abs)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press (Warm-up) | 1 | 30-45 |
| Bench Press (Pyramid set) | 5 | 20-6 |
| Incline Barbell Press | 5 | 10-15 |
| Flat-Bench Dumbbell Flye | 5 | 10-15 |
| Weighted Dip | 5 | 15 |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 5 | 15-20 |
| Chin-up | 4 | 10-12 |
| T-Bar Row | 4 | 15, 12, 8, 6 |
| Bent-Over Row | 4 | 8-12 |
Days 1, 3, and 5 (Evening – Thigh, Calves, and Abs)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 4 | 10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Front Squat | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 6 |
| Hack Squat | 3 | 10 |
| Seated Leg Curl | 4 | 20, 10, 8, 6 |
| Standing Leg Curl | 4 | 10 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10 |
| Donkey Calf Raises | 4 | 8-12 |
| Standing Calf Raises | 4 | 15, 10, 8, 8 |
| Crunches | 3 | 25 |
| Bent-over Twist | – | 100/side |
| Machine Crunches | 3 | 25 |
| Crunches | – | 50 |
Days 2, 4, and 6 (Morning – Shoulders, Arms, and Calves)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Behind The Neck Shoulder Press | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 6 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raises | 4 | 8 |
| Rear Delt Dumbbell Raises | 4 | 8 |
| Shoulder Shrugs | 3 | 10 |
| Standing Barbell Curl | 5 | 15, 10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | 4 | 8 |
| Concentration Curl | 3 | 8 |
| Barbell French Press | 4 | 15, 10, 8, 6 |
| Triceps Pushdown | 3 | 8 |
| One-Arm Triceps Extension | 3 | 10 |
| Barbell Wrist Curl | 4 | 10 |
| Barbell Wrist Extension | 3 | 10 |
| Seated Calf Raises | 4 | 10 |
| Reverse Crunches | 4 | 25 |
| Seated Twist | – | 100/side |
| Vertical Bench Crunches | 4 | 25 |
You can also superset the above routines to challenge your muscles harder.
Who Can Follow the Arnold Training Schedule?
Anyone who wants to build a thick, muscular, and sizeable physique can follow his routine.
Arnold used to follow multiple training programs, from basic split to superset double-split, that require exercise experience.
It also requires knowledge about exercise science and nutrition so you can use this program effectively and achieve your desired physique without hurting yourself.
This program isn’t for normal gym-goers, beginners, or people with health issues.
Note: You can make some changes to this program based on your fitness level and goal. For example, reduce the number of exercises, reps, or sets or replace those exercises which are difficult to perform.
The Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Routine PDF
Recommended Macros for Muscle Building
Gaining lots of muscles requires decent nutrition. Your diet must include high-protein foods and supplements that can help repair damaged muscle and increase growth.
For your information, one gram of protein and carb has 4 calories, while a gram of fat contains 9 calories.
Here’s a normal macros recommendation for lifters who want to build muscles.
- Protein: 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day with optimal amounts of 0.40–0.55 g/kg per meal and distributed evenly throughout the day (3–6 meals), including within 1–2 hours pre and post-training.
- Fats: You can take fats in moderate amounts, like 0.5–1.5 g/kg/day.
- Carbohydrates: 3–5 g/kg/day to support energy demands from resistance exercise.
Other than the above nutrients, Creatine monohydrate (3–5 g/day), caffeine (5–6 mg/kg), beta-alanine (3–5 g/day), and citrulline malate (8 g/day) might yield ergogenic effects that can be beneficial for bodybuilders – study suggested.
Source of These Routines: Book – The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding
Related Workout Programs:
References
- 1Ochi, Eisuke et al. “Higher Training Frequency Is Important for Gaining Muscular Strength Under Volume-Matched Training.” Frontiers in physiology vol. 9 744. 2 Jul. 2018, doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.00744
- 2Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
