Arnold Schwarzenegger, the 7-time Mr. Olympia, believes in the philosophy of giving back. In many interviews, he has admitted that no one is self-made, and that's why one must give back to society.

And Schwarzenegger not only believes in this philosophy; he actually lived his life by it and showed the world the true meaning of giving back.

He not only supported society by motivating many to stay fit but also opened the door for many bodybuilders to earn millions of dollars.

On June 13, The Howard Stern Show posted a video on its YouTube channel in which the host asked Schwarzenegger about his plan to come to the US. In response, he said, “My dream was for me to make this a ticket into movies and number two, uh, to lift and elevate the whole bodybuilding sport, and both of them have been very successful. Yes. So I mean you know bodybuilding now bodybuilders make a million dollars plus a year.”

And no one can deny that. It was Arnold who fundamentally transformed bodybuilding into a highly commercialized industry. Some of his activities that made it commercialized include:

• Mainstream media: Starting with the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron, the 7-time Mr. Olympia brought gym culture into theaters. It also helped him make bodybuilders highly charismatic. His Hollywood stardom in movies like Conan the Barbarian and Terminator also motivated bodybuilders to try for movies.
• The Arnold Classic: By parting with Jim Lorimer in 1989, Schwarzenegger launched the Arnold Sports Festivals, which in 2026 brought the total prize money across all categories to a staggering $1.5 million.

Arnold later revealed how bodybuilders make a lot of money by saying,

“About the endorsements, uh, seminars. They are into the protein, into the food supplement endorsements. They have many of them who have their own food supplements. many of them organize their own competitions.”

Not only did Schwarzenegger admit that bodybuilding has changed a lot, but Chris Bumstead once admitted that Arnold has made bodybuilding mainstream.

Chris Bumstead on how Arnold Schwarzenegger made bodybuilding mainstream

Schwarzenegger has given much to bodybuilding, and 6-time Mr. Olympia Bumstead once admitted it.

According to the Instagram account of Mark Jhon Cravey, “Chris Bumstead highlights just how powerful the impact of Arnold Schwarzenegger has been on bodybuilding. According to Bumstead, Arnold didn’t just win titles—he completely changed how the world saw the sport.

Through his confidence, personality, and relentless work ethic, Arnold took bodybuilding far beyond the gym and into mainstream culture.

Arnold’s success in Hollywood helped bring bodybuilding to a global audience. He became more than just an athlete—he became a symbol of ambition and success. Because of this, people who had never followed bodybuilding before suddenly became interested in it.”

According to Bumstead, Arnold's influence did not wash away when he retired from professional bodybuilding. The Austrian Oak's legacy continues to guide bodybuilding and still inspires many bodybuilders, including Bumstead himself.

The post also added, “By calling Arnold the undisputed GOAT, Bumstead makes it clear that some legends stand on a different level. Arnold Schwarzenegger didn’t just succeed in bodybuilding—he helped make it what it is today.”

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil