Retired professional bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger shares advice on how to turn your home into a makeshift gym
Photo’s from Arnold Schwarzenegger/Facebook
“There are a lot of things we can’t control during this crisis, so we need to focus on what we can control,” says Arnold Schwarzenegger via Instagram.
Despite the drastic changes in our lifestyle, retired bodybuilder and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is right—there are still things we can control, one of which is our health. If you’re into strength training, it’s important to continue this even during quarantine to avoid losing the fitness levels you’ve built.
Thanks to social media, fitness clubs, instructors, trainers, and even celebrities have used their platforms to share their workout routines, including Schwarzenegger who dished out some advice on how to turn your home into a makeshift gym.
“Body weight, or freehand, training is the oldest method in the world. Gladiators and Vikings didn’t have gymnasiums. I started my own fitness journey with chin-ups on a tree branch by a lake in Austria,” adds the “Terminator” star.
Below are exercises Schwarzenegger does as part of his bodybuilding workout routine:
Note that if an exercise says 50 reps, you can do it however way you can—whether that’s 10 sets of 5 reps, 5 sets of 10 reps, 2 sets of 25 reps—it’s all up to you as long as you finish the number of reps in perfect form.
Push-ups
Push-ups can be done anywhere around the house and in Schwarzenegger’s case, he did it on his carpeted floor.
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
Dips between chairs
Schwarzenegger utilized (what looks like) his dining table chair for his dips between chair exercises.
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
Row between chairs
For the row between chairs, Schwarzenegger used two chairs with a solid stick in between.
Beginner: 30 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
Sit-ups
Sit-ups can be done more precisely with a solid chair by your feet.
Beginner: 30 reps
Advanced: 100 reps
Bent-leg raises
Like push-ups, bent-leg raises can also be done on the floor.
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
Bent-over twists
Place a weighted bar, broomstick or any stick on your shoulders while keeping your feet and shoulder apart. Bend 90 degrees at the waist.
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
Knee bends (squats)
Schwarzenegger is seen using a thick book to balance his form while doing squats.
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 to 70 reps
Calf raises
For calf raises, you can use a chair and a thick book for support and balance.
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
Pull-ups
Schwarzenegger used a solid stick placed in between two solid surfaces like a door (if possible).
Beginner: 10 reps
Advanced: 30 reps
