Arnold Schwarzenegger might have been born and raised in Austria, but his heart has always been American. As young as 10, Schwarzenegger was already dreaming of moving to the US.

Speaking to Theo Von on the #587 podcast episode, the bodybuilder claimed that he always rebelled against his country's norms. Where everyone in Europe was aiming for a stable job, Schwarzenegger wasn't afraid to challenge the status quo.

"Always visualizing my dreams being on that stage, the Mr. Universe contest, doing maybe Hercules movies, going to America, and all of that," the 7x Mr. Olympia told Von.

Schwarzenegger revealed that he'd often zone out during his classes, driven by his passions for bodybuilding. However, what really made him dream of America was a black-and-white documentary of the country his school had shown him when he was just 10 years old.

"I see the Empire State Building. I said, 'Wait a minute. This building is like, you know, 100 times taller than any of the buildings in Graz, where I grew up, right, in Austria,'" he recollected.

The Golden Gate Bridge appeared on the screen. Then the Pacific Coast Highways, the extravagant Cadillacs, and the six-lane highways. That was enough to attract Schwarzenegger, who admitted that his "gene was over there".

Arnold Schwarzenegger's Journey to the US

Dreaming wasn't enough to realize his goals of moving to America, and Schwarzenegger understood this. By just 20 years of age, the bodybuilder had already conquered the best stages in all of Europe to fuel his passions.

Even when applying for a passport in Austria, which required him to serve in the military, Schwarzenegger didn't shy away from the challenge.

Initially, bodybuilding legend Joe Weider invited the then-aspiring athlete to California, impressed by his strong resume. Schwarzenegger entered America on a B-1 athlete visa, while Weider covered his living expenses.

Within a year, the Austrian Oak upgraded to an H-2 visa, which enabled him to work and earn in the US. However, it wasn't until 1983 that he became a naturalized US citizen.

Now revered as one of the greatest bodybuilders ever, hadn't it been for Schwarzenegger's unrelenting drive, the muscle world would have been robbed of one of its most influential legends.

Read more at Bodybuilding Bros.

Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil