Long before the social media feed came to be flooded with fitness influencers touting their protein shakes and sweat towels, Arnold Schwarzenegger was pumping iron. The famed bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast has since built a career on his perpetually jacked physique, becoming not only an icon for those around the world looking to get into a fitness routine and build strength, but also a bonafide action star that became Hollywood’s go-to action hero.
While Schwarzenegger isn’t slowing down at the age of 75, he is more selective with his acting jobs, which gives him more time to educate and empower others when it comes to their health and wellbeing. Through the launch of his recent newsletter, Daily Pump, the seven-time Mr Olympia is sharing everything from his training secrets, go-to workouts, to his favourite meals and recipes for packing on the muscle and eating clean.
Now, he’s created a challenging routine that will improve your mobility and flexibility, without costing you precious hours in the gym. And while it’s safe to say that not all information out there should be trusted given that practically everyone these days with a pulse and working phone feels compelled to film their workouts and list their cooking routine, rest assured that with five or six decades of working out behind him, Schwarzenegger has the experience to know the facts of the business.
As Schwarzenegger expressed, “You can do this anywhere, in less time than it takes to brew your coffee (so maybe do it while you’re waiting for that sweet caffeine in the morning) and you can make it a standalone routine or a pre-workout warmup.”
Schwarzenegger starts off with the World’s Greatest Stretch, and proceeds to do a circuit based around four stretches, starting with the high knee raise, which activates the glutes, before moving onto the Spider-Man lunge, the overheard reach which introduces thoracic rotation, and then ending with the hip raise in the lunge position. He performs the sequence a total of six times on each side of the body.
After this sequence, Schwarzenegger moves onto the cat-cow stretch. As he explains, the goal of the movement is spinal protraction and retraction. When on your hands and knees, you want to round your back and get your shoulder blades as far apart as possible, before then slowly arching your back to squeeze your shoulders as closely together as you can. He performs 10 reps of the exercise, but stresses the importance of not rushing.
He then moves onto the 90/90 hip switch, which is great for targeting tight adductors and improving hip flexion. He does 5 reps in each direction, ensuring his core is engaged while his legs are flat on the ground and during each rotation. Schwarzenegger explains, “Don’t be afraid to use your hands, you don’t need to be hardcore like all the people you see online to loosen up those hips.”
Then, stand up and lower yourself into a 10-second squat hold position, before finishing the routine with a set of 5 to 10 bodyweight squats, depending on ability. “This should take about five minutes,” says Schwarzenegger. “But you can fly through it faster to get your heart rate up or really slow down and enjoy the stretches. You can do as many rounds as you want.”
