!8: Last Minute Total Gym: January 2012

!#8# The Arnold Schwarzenegger Bodybuilding Program

When Arnold Schwarzenegger started bodybuilding at 15 years old, he wasn't much to look at. He was an average sized, soccer playing teenager.

When Arnold told his parents he wanted to be a bodybuilder, they sought psychological advice for him! Little did they know that Arnold Schwazenegger would become a bodybuilding legend, and take the sport from a garage-gym pastime to a multi-billion dollar a year industry.

When he first started, he followed a strict bodybuilding program to gain muscle. Here's an outline below-

Eating - Arnold eat like a horse! Back in the 60's there was no such thing as a protein shake or a meal replacement bar. You had to eat 6 meals a day. We, however, have it much easier now. If you want to gain muscle yourself, you need to consume 6 meals per day. These meals can be either actual food meals or a mixture of food meals and protein shakes. Make sure to get 2 grams of protein and carbohydrates per lb of body weight per day and 1 gram of fat per lb of body weight per day.

Training - Back when Arnold Schwarzenegger was training for Mr. Olympia, he was using only free weights. There weren't as many "weight machines" back then. However, if you want to gain muscle, free weights are still the way to go. Stay away from weight machines, as they don't work secondary muscle groups as well as free weights. Lift heavy weights (weights that you can perform no more than 8 reps per set) and train each muscle group in the body only once per week. Train 3 times per week for 1 hour each session.

Rest - Get PLENTY of rest. 8 hours sleep per night is a must. When Arnold wasn't in the gym, he was chilling out with his bodybuilding buddies on the beach, at one of their houses, or just relaxing at home. Rest is as important as training. Always remember, your muscles don't grow in the gym, they grow while they're resting.

Anything Arnold Scwharzenegger put his mind to, he excelled. Bodybuilding, acting and political leading - and it all started in the gym. Follow these rough guidelines and you'll be packing it on in no time!