Heavy lifting does build muscle, but it comes at a cost: serious injuries.

Almost everybody has felt the consequences of pushing heavy weights. That raises an obvious question: Is there an alternative? According to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the answer is yes.

When asked how he found a balance between heavy lifting and injuries during his prime, Arnold explained that there was actually no balance at all.

“I don't think there's such a thing as, like, you know, if you want to compete and if you want to be the best in the world, then you can forget about that,” said Arnold Schwarzenegger in his conversation with Men’s Health last October.

‘Arnie’ underscored that getting into the best shape possible requires lifting as heavy as possible, though it comes at a cost: “There could be some side effects of that, that you later on will have to get some of those parts replaced, or operated on, or fixed in one way or the other.”

But does he regret lifting so heavy that it led to multiple injuries during his peak, including a hip replacement? The answer is a straight no, “And, uh, but I would not go back now and say, “Oh, I shouldn't have squatted that much. I shouldn't have deadlifted that much, or anything like that.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger's Thoughts on His Injuries

During the same conversation, ‘Arnie’ said that the hip replacement he underwent in 2002 was the most painful of all, but it ultimately helped him in the latter half of his life.

“If it is a shoulder replacement or hip replacement, I remember when I got my hip replaced, I was working out again in no time. And that very same winter, I was skiing again. So, uh the the idea is that you fix whatever the problem is, so you can go back to your regular life and um enjoy your life,” said Arnold.

Open-heart surgery, valve replacement, joint issues, and a hip replacement, Arnold Schwarzenegger has undergone many medical procedures in his life, but each time, he has come out stronger.

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu