Everyone knows about bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, but how many actually know that Joseph Baena is his son? It seems like Baena isn’t too far behind his father's footsteps, rapidly turning into a fitness icon himself. How he came about to building this physique, however, had a unique and interesting approach.

During the 'Trensparent with Nyle Nayga' podcast, Baena shares how he spent his sophomore year in Switzerland, which was an incredible experience. However, his year in Europe also caused him to gain quite a bit of weight. On returning, he focused on finding good training partners to help him get back into shape- something Schwarzenegger highly advocated.

“I started finding training partners that were really into bodybuilding, in my college, like, in my fraternity, and that was the game changer, was finding these training partners that were, like, down to build muscle, and down to grow, and like, get on a program together.”

According to Baena, he and a close group of friends would follow joint workout plans, encouraging and pushing each other. The goal was to find like-minded gym-buddies who could hold each other accountable, rather than a paid coach who was just doing his job.

“That’s one of the main things my dad always tells me, you know? You don’t need a coach. You just need a good training partner, and you guys can do it together if you really want it, you guys can do whatever you want, together.”

Schwarzenegger motivated Baena to follow this route instead of finding a traditional coach, and that’s what made all the difference. With quite a bit of personal experience in this field, his advice turned out to be gold.

The Old-School Bodybuilding Lesson Arnold Schwarzenegger Passed to Joe Baena

During Schwarzenegger’s own bodybuilding days, he often trained with Franco Columbu, his training partner. The two trained together at Gold’s Gym in California shortly after Schwarzenegger moved to the US in the late 60s.

Finding a great training partner was a game-changer for Schwarzenegger. He believed that the right training partner can help push someone above and beyond their limits while keeping them accountable.

Moreover, the competitive spirit can be quite intense and beneficial for people working towards a similar training goal.

According to his philosophy, a training partner also helps motivate you to squeeze in the extra reps and maintain momentum, especially when fatigue sets in. The shared journey between two training partners creates camaraderie, making each training session more enjoyable.

Schwarzenegger’s training philosophy, passed down to Baena, is simple. Find the right training partner who will push you harder than you will push yourself. And of course, do the same for them!

Do you think Schwarzenegger’s approach is the right one? Or do you believe that a professional coach can bring better results?

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil