Bodybuilding icon Arnold Schwarzenegger is known for his strength and physique. However, the legend reflected on how real gains begin long before he touches weights. According to him, true success begins with the right mindset and philosophy, not merely training hard.

In an Instagram video shared by @arnoldspumpclub, Schwarzenegger shared his basic training philosophy of the first working set. According to the bodybuilding legend, the “First Set Mindset” tells him everything he needs to know about your goals and the result.

“The first working set tells me everything - hard reps mean you’re looking for progress; going through the motions means you’re ticking a box. In that first set, you’ve already decided whether you’re going to win or make excuses,” Schwarzenegger explained.

The mindset refers to treating the first working set as a mental test and attacking it with full intensity. That would decide whether you are simply going through the motions or chasing real progress.

He shared how the first set reveals a person’s true commitment to the workout. If he sees someone attacking the first opening reps with intensity and focus, he knows that the rest of the workout will follow with the same winning mindset.

“Don’t wait for motivation. Build discipline from the first set to the last. Now get to work,” he added in the Instagram caption.

It is this very winning mindset that allowed Schwarzenegger to power through decades of intense training with zero excuses. These methods helped him win seven Mr. Olympia titles and become one of the most influential bodybuilders in history.

How Arnold Schwarzenegger built a seven-time Mr. Olympia physique

Schwarzenegger’s legendary training philosophy and style were primarily focused on heavy weights, high volume, and a ‘never-give-up’ attitude.

During his competitive bodybuilding era, Schwarzenegger trained not once but twice a day, six days a week. He was known to spend up to five hours daily at the gym.

As per Schwarzenegger’s book, The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, he had a twice-a-day training split. He typically trained his chest, abs, and back in the morning and targeted his arms and shoulders in the evening. He also trained his legs on separate days.

Furthermore, he often spoke about the mind-muscle connection, emphasizing the importance of actually feeling each rep instead of merely going through the motions.

This principle, according to Schwarzenegger, was crucial for optimizing muscle growth.

He also admitted to spending anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes practicing posing daily. He treated this as an essential part of his additional workouts, emphasizing how it improved his conditioning, muscle control, and presentation.

Schwarzenegger’s message is clear – in order to build muscle, you must first build the right mindset. Do you agree with his mind-muscle connection theory?

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi