LESSONS FROM THE ARNOLD ERA BIG GAINS FROM LOW DOSES

Arnold’s contemporaries have generally avoided ill health or premature death. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said today.

- Daniel Gwartney

A great man once said, “As a teenager, I grew up with Steve Reeves. His remarkable accomplishments allowed me a sense of what was possible, when others around me didn’t always understand my dreams.” 1 That man was Arnold Schwarzenegger. Many young men growing up during the 1970s and 1980s can empathize with those feelings, as Schwarzenegger fulfilled that role for a generation worldwide. Arnold’s continued successes in diverse fields outside of bodybuilding reinforce his iconic status. Though an unqualified box office megastar, former Governor of California, as well as a man of significant wealth and power, these achievements are overshadowed by his legacy as “The Austrian Oak” in the most visceral sense.

Arnold represents the American Dream. He was an immigrant from Austria who purchased his ticket to the land of opportunity by achievement— having already dominated the Mr. Universe multiple times, Arnold’s first attempt to gain the top title in bodybuilding was stymied in 1969 by another immigrant, the late Sergio Oliva from Cuba. Arnold seized the title in 1970, going on to win the title seven times, including a comeback in 1980. His physique remains the pinnacle of bodybuilding imagery in the minds of many.

Bodybuilding has evolved, along with the myriad of physiques gracing the stage at events like the Mr. Olympia, the Arnold Classic Worldwide, and amateurlevel competitions. Some current champions would dwarf Arnold in a side-by-side comparison, showing not only greater mass but definition as well. Yet, in terms of public appeal and male iconography, Arnold remains unchallenged. If 100 people on the street were asked to name a bodybuilder, the vast majority would still reply “Arnold Schwarzenegger,” even though it has been 40 years since he last competed.