Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger was born July 30, 1947 in Thal, Austria. As a boy he was forced by his father to play many different sports. In 1960 he first discovered weight lifting when he picked up his first barbell at a local gym. By the age of 14, he had chosen bodybuilding over soccer as a career.

Arnold claims he started weight training at the age of 15, however his official website states that at the age of 14 he started intense training with Dan Farmer. Also at the age of 15 he studied psychology to learn how to efficiently focus and learn about power of mind over body.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was highly influenced by bodybuilding icons such as Reg Park, Steve Reeves and Johnny Weissmuller whom he saw at the local movie theatre. Arnold kicked off his official bodybuilding career at age 17 and never looked back. He was voted best built man in Europe, a very prestigious title.

Arnold then set his sights on the Mr. Universe title. Since the age of 10 he wanted to immigrate to America and he saw this not only as the next step in his bodybuilding career, but also as his ticket into the U.S. As most young men do, he dreamed of becoming a star and getting rich. It was not until later it would become very apparent that what Arnold wants, Arnold gets.

in 1966 he attended his first Mr. Universe competition in London. He came in second and first place was given to Chester Yorton. He then set to training for the year that followed. His intense training paid off and he was awarded the Mr. Universe title the following year in 1967. He was the youngest Mr. Universe is history to win it at the young age of 20.

This would deem to not be enough, Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to be the world’s greatest bodybuilder, which meant he would have to win Mr. Olympia. In 1968 he successfully immigrated to the United States and began training at Gold’s Gym in Santa Monica, California with Joe Weider.

His first attempt at Mr. Olympia in 1969 placed him in second, losing to Sergio Oliva. Arnold came back the next year and won the competition, again making him the youngest Mr. Olympia to ever win, at the age of 23. He still holds this record to this very day.

He carried on a winning streak until 1975 when he won the title for the sixth consecutive year. He then announced his retirement from professional bodybuilding. However, in 1980 he was filming the hit movie Conan the Barbarian and was in such good shape he announced he would compete once more. He won and officially retired, again. Arnold Schwarzenegger is still known to this day as the world’s greatest bodybuilder, and as “The King”.