Arnold Schwarzenegger always understood the business of promotion involved in building his brand. Having cemented his legacy in bodybuilding with seven Mr. Olympia titles, Schwarzenegger didn’t stop there. He became the governor of California and continues to give back as a philanthropist and successful actor. In his latest undertaking, Schwarzenegger appeared on the Reddit YouTube channel to discuss his charity efforts and the story behind his famous Munich, Germany photo in posing trunks.
The epitome of the American Dream, Schwarzenegger captivated large audiences en route to becoming a star. As a bodybuilder, he presented a thin waist, massive chest, and popping biceps. His completeness and seamless posing transitions saw him win several prestigious contests. However, when he retired from the sport in 1980, no one predicted the fame he would demand in the years to come.
Schwarzenegger dove head-first into the entertainment industry and made bodybuilding a more popular sport. He starred in the hit American docudrama Pumping Iron and later commanded lead roles in the ultra-successful Terminator movie franchise.
While he’s gotten a little older, Schwarzenegger’s love for fitness and exercise has only grown. He hosts the annual Arnold Sports Festival and keeps fans up to date on his health with a newsletter called Arnold’s Pump Club.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Gives Reason for Popular Munich, Germany Photo in Freezing Cold
According to Arnold, he sprinted in posing trunks in Munich to advertise for his local gym in 1967.
“I was always into marketing and publicity and the gym business was very competitive in Munich. I walked around with my posing trunks at the construction site in freezing cold weather and it created such a sensation and people thought I was totally crazy. They called journalists and photographers that came for pictures, all of a sudden we had an influx of members so the whole thing worked very very well.”
After reflecting on the iconic construction running photo, Schwarzenegger looked back on donating 25 small homes to U.S. military veterans in California.
“In November I was asking them to build those homes, they wanted to see how long it would really take. It literally took less than a month and we built 25 homes and how happy those veterans were when we gave them those homes when they said it was impossible and it would take years and years and years. I don’t have much patience for this stuff.”
In another show of philanthropy, Schwarzenegger reflected on acquiring 1,000,000 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When we had the Coronavirus and there was the big breakout and everyone looked around and said, ‘Oh my God we have no masks!’ I could find them. It sounded to me so ridiculous not to be prepared for a pandemic. I got in touch with Flexport I said to them, ‘Hey can you help me find masks? Somewhere in the world?’ Then a few celebrities and other wealthy people came together and bought millions and millions of masks, if there is a will there is a way,” Schwarzenegger shared.
Given how far Arnold has come since his humble beginnings, he always gives credit to his roots. In his successful Netflix series Arnold, the bodybuilding legend revealed a ‘personal mecca of weightlifting’ that helped shape him as a young athlete in Austria. He said he quickly became addicted to the process of working out and the results that would follow.
As a 75-year-old legend of the sport, Schwarzenegger has been candid about his physique. He admits he was once the best-built man and struggles to accept his body today. Nevertheless, that hasn’t deterred him from regular training sessions, which he says have helped him stay happy, healthy, and strong.
With longevity a top priority, Schwarzenegger offers many of the techniques and strategies he uses to measure his health. Recently, the seven-time Mr. Olympia revealed a grip test and circuit workout designed to promote longevity.
Schwarzenegger’s photo goes down in history as one of the most unique, alongside fellow legend Lee Haney’s traffic stop picture after he won his first Mr. Olympia title.
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