Workout Summary
- Main GoalBuild Muscle
- Workout TypeSplit
- Training LevelAdvanced
- Program Duration16 weeks
- Days Per Week6
- Time Per Workout60-75 minutes
- Equipment RequiredBarbell, Bodyweight, Cables, Dumbbells, EZ Bar
- Target Gender Male
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
The following are two typical workouts and split structures used by 7 time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger. They features a high frequency and high volume approach, training each major muscle group 2-3 times per week.
Arnold's Stats
- 7 time Mr. Olympia - 1970-75, 1980
- Height - 6'2"
- Weight - 235 lbs
- Arms - 22 inches (Many sources claim this number to be inflated)
- Chest - 57 inches
- Waist - 34 inches
- Deadlift - 710 pounds
- Bench Press - 440 pounds
- Squat - 470 pounds
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Arnold's Eating Plan
Arnold backed up this hardcore style of training with plenty of food, and a focus on good nutrition. He structured his eating plan using the following principles:
- Frequent Feeding - 5-6 feedings per day: 3 whole food meals and 2-3 whole food "snacks".
- Calories - Up to 5,000 calories per day.
- Protein Intake - 300 plus grams of protein.
- Post-Workout Carbs - Carbs within 30 minutes after finishing a workout.
- Protein Shakes - Use if needed to get in your daily protein.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Variation #1
Each major bodypart is trained 2 times per week. This Arnold Schwarzenegger workout variation was featured in the book The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bill Dobbins.
- Day 1 - Chest and Back
- Day 2 - Shoulders and Arms
- Day 3 - Legs and Lower Back
- Day 4 - Chest and Back
- Day 5 - Shoulders and Arms
- Day 6 - Legs and Lower Back
- Day 7 - Rest
Notes: Attempt to reach failure around 10 reps for your first set of each exercise.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Chest & Back Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 3-4 | 10 |
| Incline Bench Press | 3-4 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Pullovers | 3-4 | 10 |
| Chin Up | 3-4 | 10 |
| Bent Over Row | 3-4 | 10 |
| Deadlift | 3-4 | 10 |
| Crunches | 5 | 25 |
Arnold Schwarzenegger Shoulders & Arms Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Clean and Press | 3-4 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3-4 | 10 |
| Upright Row | 3-4 | 10 |
| Military Press | 3-4 | 10 |
| Standing Barbell Curl | 3-4 | 10 |
| Seated Dumbbell Curl | 3-4 | 10 |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 3-4 | 10 |
| Standing Barbell Tricep Extension | 3-4 | 10 |
| Wrist Curls | 3-4 | 10 |
| Reverse Wrist Curls | 3-4 | 10 |
| Reverse Crunch | 5 | 25 |
Arnold Schwarzenegger Legs & Lower Back Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 3-4 | 10 |
| Lunge | 3-4 | 10 |
| Leg Curl | 3-4 | 10 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 3-4 | 10 |
| Good Mornings | 3-4 | 10 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3-4 | 10 |
| Crunches | 5 | 25 |
Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Variation #2
Each major bodypart is trained 3 times per week. This Arnold Schwarzenegger workout variation is a typical example of his higher frequency workouts.
- Day 1 - Chest, Back and Legs
- Day 2 - Shoulders and Arms
- Day 3 - Chest, Back and Legs
- Day 4 - Shoulders and Arms
- Day 5 - Chest, Back and Legs
- Day 6 - Shoulders and Arms
- Day 7 - Rest
Arnold Schwarzenegger Chest, Back, & Legs Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 5 | 6-10 |
| Dumbbell Flye | 5 | 6-10 |
| Incline Bench Press | 6 | 6-10 |
| Cable Crossovers | 6 | 10-12 |
| Dips | 5 | Failure |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 5 | 10-12 |
| Wide Grip Pull Up | 6 | Failure |
| T Bar Row | 5 | 6-10 |
| Seated Pulley Row | 6 | 6-10 |
| One Arm Dumbbell Row | 5 | 6-10 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 6 | 15 |
| Squat | 6 | 8-12 |
| Leg Press | 6 | 8-12 |
| Leg Extension | 6 | 12-15 |
| Leg Curl | 6 | 10-15 |
| Barbell Lunge | 5 | 15 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 10 | 10 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 8 | 15 |
| One Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise | 6 | 12 |
| Wrist Curl | 4 | 10 |
| Reverse Barbell Curl | 4 | 8 |
| Wrist Roller Machine | 4 | Failure |
| Non-Stop Abs Training | 30 Minutes | By Instinct |
Arnold Schwarzenegger Shoulders & Arms Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Curl | 6 | 6-10 |
| Seated Dumbbell Curl | 6 | 6-10 |
| Dumbbell Concentration Curl | 6 | 6-10 |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 6 | 6-10 |
| Tricep Pushdown | 6 | 6-10 |
| Barbell French Press | 6 | 6-10 |
| One Arm Dumbbell Tricep Extension | 6 | 6-10 |
| Seated Barbell Press | 6 | 6-10 |
| Lateral Raise | 6 | 6-10 |
| Rear Delt Lateral Raise | 5 | 6-10 |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 5 | 10-12 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 10 | 10 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 8 | 15 |
| One Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise | 6 | 12 |
| Wrist Curl | 4 | 10 |
| Reverse Barbell Curl | 4 | 8 |
| Wrist Roller Machine | 4 | Failure |
| Non-Stop Abs Training | 30 Minutes | By Instinct |
FAQs about Arnold’s Workout Routine
Listed below are some of the most common questions asked about the program above. Read through them and see if they address any of the questions you may personally have.
If you don’t see your questions, please feel free to leave us a comment down below and we will do our best to respond. We may even add it to this list if we think others may have a similar question.
1. What Supplements Should I Take?
Supplementation is highly individualized based on the person performing the routine and what their diet looks like – not to mention goals.
For someone who is trying to add lean body mass, adding creatine into your pre or post workout regimen would be beneficial. Simply take it at the same time each day and aim for about 5g daily.
If you struggle to get enough protein in your diet, a protein supplement may also be beneficial. And if you struggle to eat enough calories, adding drinkable calories, such as those in a mass gainer, might also help you accomplish your goals.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you are in a fat loss phase, you may want to add a multi-vitamin and fish oil to your supplementation. As we cut down on our food intake, a lot of times we also cut down on our nutrient intake. A multivitamin can help with this.
Likewise, those on fat loss diet plans may not consume enough fatty fish in their diet. A fish oil supplement may prove to be a beneficial add in this scenario.
2. How Much Cardio Should I Do?
With the amount of activity Arnold’s high volume training style calls for, I wouldn’t recommend any additional cardio. Instead, I’d recommend focusing on getting adequate rest outside of the gym.
If, however, you feel you need to do something, it is recommended that you add in walking as a form of active recovery to help push out some of the lactic acid that will inevitably by chilling in your muscles with this amount of volume.
3. Which Arnold Workout Variation Would Yield Better Results?
It depends on your goal. I’d recommend performing the first variation over the second for most people simply based on the time restraints most have.
Both incorporate a lot of volume which isn’t suitable or necessary for most lifters.
However, it worked for Arnie and if you want to train like the legend, by all means go for it.
4. How Much Sleep and Water is Recommended?
Here’s the difference between Arnold and you. Arnold was a professional bodybuilder. You’re likely not.
At minimum, you should be sleeping 8-10 hours nightly with this routine. Arnold was also likely able to nap between workout sessions during the day, which would be valuable for you as well to optimally recover. But again, you're probably not a professional bodybuilder with the ability to do that.
In terms of water, drink at least half of your body weight in ounces and an additional 20 ounces after your workouts. Once you’ve hit that number in a day, drink based on your thirst.
5. How Would You Warm Up?
Everyone warms up differently. Work out any problem areas you may have with a foam roller and lacrosse ball. Then perform a few dynamic stretches relevant to the muscle groups you are training that day.
If you need help figure out what this might look like, you’ll find this article helpful.
6. Do I have to Work Out Twice a Day?
No. You don’t. Arnold did, but you certainly don’t have to.
In fact, depending on certain factors, you might have better results from training once daily. That’s why I suggested the first variation for most people in a previous answer.
7. Won’t This Workout Cause Overtraining?
It certainly could. Or, depending on your age, diet, and lifestyle, it may not.
I said it before, and I will say it again. This was Arnold’s style of training. He was one of the greatest bodybuilders of all-time. His genetics were insane.
You probably aren’t a competitive bodybuilder. You may have good genetics, but they’re probably not Arnold level.
Experiment and do what feels right.
8. How Long Should You Rest Between Sets?
I would recommend resting as needed to fully recover from each set during your workouts.
If you want to put a time limit on things, 2 minutes on big lifts, 60-90 seconds on accessory lifts, and 30-45 seconds for isolation lifts should do the trick.
443 Comments
Some questions:
Do I have to do the exercises in order?
Do I have to do the exact same exercises listed?
Can I do this workout forever and have a balanced physique? I just want to stick with a hypertrophy routine list of exercises and not think to purely gain muscle forever without having to change my routine.
Hi Sam, some answers.
To get the best results from the program, you should do them in order. However, you are the one training, and if changing the order helps you train more consistently, go for it.
Same exercises? Same answer, I am afraid.
No, you can't do this one forever. Eventually, the body will need a change and you would be wise to adjust the volume down every 8-12 weeks (a deload) so you can minimize plateaus and maximize recovery. Arnold himself didn't even do this exact routine every week.
Hi. You say as a advice. Do workout 2nd for four or five weeks. After that, is Arnolds golden six fullbody workout a good routine to do for about 4-6 weeks and then hit the 2 nd again for five or five weeks. And repeat again…I also wondering if using the 2nd workout in Vince Gironda style 6x6, it will more of a high rep, lower weight routine that have the benefit not ware and tear the joints but still done correctly will gain a lot of muscle. Whats your thoughts about my questions. Have a superday! Love your posts:) Regards Carl from Swedrn
Hi Carl, hope you are well.
I like the full-body routine, and the concept of going back and forth would definitely keep the training interesting. Gironda's 6 x 6 will be be beneficial as long as you keep the reps slow and the tension on the muscle. If you were looking to keep alternating every few weeks, I say go for it.
How long do I do variation 2 for
Hi Gavin, I would suggest taking it week by week with a goal of at least four weeks in a row. Arnold never did it longer than 12 before taking time off. So, I definitely recommend 12 as an absolute cap.
what are the percentages on this lift
There are no established percentages, Memphis. Go with whatever you feel confident in using.
Is this workout good for a natural bodybuilder?
Hey Heward, if you've been training a while, then you can do it for a few weeks, but after that you would need to scale back to something with less volume. Arnold didn't even do training of this magnitude for longer than a couple of months, and he acknowledged that he wasn't natural when he was competing.
The leg back and chest workout of day 2 goes dumb hard.
In the first variation I do the exercises as a super set or do I do one muscle group after another?
Thanks!
Hi Thomas and great question. Arnold was known for his supersets, but this one is a straight set routine. Do all the sets for one exercise before moving on to the next.
Is there a reason why Arnold didn’t focus on his upper back?
Hi Youssef, there are actually several movements like pullups and versions of rows that Arnold used in this workout for the upper back. My guess would be he didn't focus on isolating lats or isolating the teres major or rhomboids. He lifted heavy and tried to make the whole upper back work.
I kind of made my own split using these workouts plus one of Arnold’s full body workouts I found. Would this split be appropriate?
Monday: Chest/Back
Tuesday: Shoulders/Arms
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Abs/Cardio
Friday: Full body
Hi Leo, love this split. Let us know how it works for you. Thanks for reading M&S!
Is variation 1 a good place to start, I've being out of the gym for a number of years?
I've not gone too heavy, interestingly waking up in the middle of the night, not sure if that has anything to do with the workouts
Hi Alexander, thank you for reading M&S!
I think doing Variation 1 would even be jumping into the deep end since you have been out for a while. I suggest doing this first to get your feet wet again, then consider doing Variation 1 of this after six weeks.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/start-from-scratch-beginner-w...
hello! loving what you guys provide!
what would the macros- fat & carbs grams or % look like for the 5,000 calorie a day?
Hey Steve, thanks for reading M&S! Glad you're enjoying the site.
I don't know if I would personally recommend 5,000 a day, and I've done Arnold's workouts for an extended period of time in the past.
I weighed 250 when I did his workouts, and I found 300 grams of protein, 300 grams of carbs, and 100 grams of fats was plenty. That is 3,300 a day. I split that up over six meals to keep it simple. Not sure what you're doing now, but that may help you.
At the top the Notes says “Attempt to reach failure around 10 reps for your first set of each exercise.” Does this mean I should reach failure after 10 reps on my first set and then decrease the amount of reps in the following sets? If I reach failure after 10 in my first set wouldn’t it be difficult to reach 10 reps in my last set? How would you go about this? Thanks
Hi Christian, based on those notes, my understanding is you should attempt to reach ten on all sets but may reach failure before.
The way I would go about it is different - I would start light and gradually increase weight, going to failure on the last set of 10 with the heaviest weight possible. My example would be for bench press.
135 x 10, 185 x 10, 225 x 10, 275 x 10 (this is the failure set).
Hope this helps.
Hi, I’ve been running the second half of the workout for 5-6 months but I’m finding I don’t have time for cardio and I’m too fatigued. Would lowering the rep ranges change the results drastically? I’m also running it 3 days a week.
Decreasing the overall volume would be best, Youssef. Do 1-2 less sets of each exercise if you intend on keeping the cardio in the routine.
What would a condensed version of this look like i.e 4 day split
It would be a totally different program. We have a lot of 4-day workouts that could help you if you would rather use something with less volume.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-train...
In arnolds education of a bodybuilder he has a 4 day split
That isn't exactly condensed but still pretty sensible to follow for a good while, Peter khatcherian has a video on youtube laying out the program.
Hey thanks for posting this, just finished my first week and it feels awesome. Hope to finish the full 16 weeks and then move on to the second variation.
I do just want to ask, why was the clean and press recommended to isolate the shoulders? I can definitely clean much more than I can press lol but do you think there are more effective exercises to isolate delts? If so then what would you do in place of the clean and press? Thanks!
Hi Randy. Arnold also trained in the Olympic lifts because he used to compete in the Olympic lifts. Even though it's a compound lift, it's as solid of a shoulder builder as you will find. I suggest keeping them in.
Hey, what workout should I do after finishing this one?
Any of these, based on whatever your next goal is.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-train...
Should I do a deload during this workout? If so at what week should it be done? I am an experienced 35 year old lifter. Thanks for any help.
I would say do a deload every four weeks. This type of training isn't normal, and the body will need a break.
Hi guys, i was wondering if you could transform arnolds workout variation 1 to a dumbell only workout. So to switch up any excercise which doesn´t include a dumbell excercise to a alternative with a dumbell. Thanks for all your good work
It can be done. There are several dumbbell exercises you can use in our Exercises section if you can't simply do the dumbbell version of the barbell exercises here. You may not see the exact same results if you're limited in the weight you can use, but it would work for a short time at least.
Hi i was wondering if working out abs everyday would cause some problems, shouldnt the muscles get some rest?
This is an advanced routine, and for most people, it would be too much volume. So for the vast majority of people, yes, it would be too much to do it as Arnold did. If you were to pick one exercise and focus on doing three sets of 10-15 reps, then you'd be ok training abs everyday.
How do we perform the Barbell Clean and Press on variation
1 ? Is it like push press where we use our legs a little to push the weight is do we just clean the weight and strictly press it ?
Yes, clean it up from the floor or a hang position and perform a push press to get it up. You don't have to go super strict with it.
hey, i don't know if you remember me but in 2021/22 we met on reddit but got out of contact after some time.
I decided to google you a few times, but ur pretty undercover lol, how r u doing?
Doing well and hope you are as well. I don't do much on Reddit these days.
Posso acrescentar um crucifixo no treino de peitoral? E um crucifixo inverso no treino de ombros? Um abraço!
Você pode adicionar ambos. Sem problemas. Obrigado por ler M&S!
His question: Can I add a crucifix to my chest workout? What about a reverse fly for shoulder training? A hug!
My answer. You can add both. No problem. Thank you for reading M&S!
Can i change barbell bench press and incline to dumbbell bench press on variation 1 ?
You can.
How do we progressively overload on this routine ? #variation 1
Increase the weight you use each set until you use the heaviest weight you can with good form on the last set.
Hello, I am currently standing at 6,1 170 lbs i was wondering how much I need to eat in order to build significant muscle so I can start competing. I know for my height it has been hard to maintain a good balance of muscle weight and i feel like i am wasting time in the gym because of my diet. Any suggestions on how I can maximize muscle growth for my height?
This can help you get started, Henry.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/complete-guide-how-to-increas...