For those who’ve been studying this collection on Muscle & Health or following me on Instagram, then that for 4 weeks, I took on the problem of coaching like the nice Arnold Schwarzenegger by following his legendary “double cut up” coaching routine from his days as Mr. Olympia. What began out as a proposal for me to attempt one in all his exercises one time has culminated in me ending what I think about one in all bodybuilding’s biggest coaching challenges.

Earlier than we get into the ultimate outcomes, right here’s a short take a look at what this course of entailed. The competitors program I adopted was in his e-book “The New Encyclopedia of Fashionable Bodybuilding.” Every week of coaching like Arnold would seem like this.

• Monday – Chest and Again AM – Legs PM
• Tuesday – Shoulders AM – Arms PM
• Wednesday – Chest and Again AM – Legs PM
• Thursday – Shoulders AM – Arms PM
• Friday – Chest and Again AM – Legs PM
• Saturday – Shoulders AM – Arms PM

I’d even have to coach calves and abs daily. No bodypart required lower than 20 work units per exercise. Virtually all of them had been mixed into supersets and trisets. Every exercise lasted shut to 2 hours. In abstract, I’ve carried out 48 exercises that lasted virtually 100 hours in whole for a month. I educated for a complete of 24 hours every week. Sunday was my solely time off, and I guarantee you that I wanted it.

Except for the articles I used to be writing, I used to be additionally texting members of Arnold’s group in addition to my editor for M&F to validate that I used to be truly doing these exercises. I used my social media to point out the coaching and outcomes as I progressed. I didn’t even shave my beard for a month so folks watching can see that the earlier than and after photographs weren’t faked.

The Unhealthy and Ugly Earlier than the Good

Merely going by the motions of those exercises wasn’t sufficient. I needed to push myself every time I educated as a result of so long as I used to be doing this, I wished to get as a lot out of it as I might. Due to that, I just about lived with DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). I must take naps throughout the day to get better, and I used numerous restoration methods to organize for the subsequent exercises resembling foam rolling, percussive weapons, sizzling and cold-water therapy, and many stretching.

This problem took a toll on me mentally as nicely. Not solely did I do that program alone, however I did it in the midst of winter in my unheated barn. I already know the query that got here to your thoughts: “How chilly did it get?” The coldest temperature I educated in was 24 levels (thanks, Pacterra Athletics for the gear that saved me somewhat hotter throughout this freeze). Stuffy noses and complications had been the norm for fairly a while. The excellent news for me was that I by no means received too sick, and I managed to complete each exercise with out reducing something brief.

Not having that particular person pushing me on and having to search out methods to get myself up for the subsequent exercise was the hardest problem of all. As somebody who grew up with childhood home violence and was the sufferer of a number of bullying rising up, I’ve a historical past of melancholy and shedding my self-confidence. Some days had been tougher than others for apparent causes, however I’m scripting this so, spoiler alert: I discovered a method and received the job executed.

All of that mixed with the household commitments that I used to be decided to not miss, and the a number of miles I must journey as a way to try this, and you may think about how a lot of a grind this was. One instance was after I did the third leg exercise of the week, then needed to drive for over an hour that night. I stayed within the automotive so long as attainable as a result of I wished to ensure I might stroll with out an excessive amount of of a limp.

The Good That Made it Value It

Now, right here’s what many individuals studying this can be questioning: how did it go? I set a objective of shedding 20 kilos from begin to end. Sadly, I received a chilly on the finish, however I nonetheless managed to drop 16 kilos on the dimensions. I dropped two pants sizes as nicely. I additionally received stronger. Once I first began this system, I might solely incline bench press 225 for six reps. By the tip, I pressed 255 for six, and I received 260 for 4 reps after that.

Earlier than beginning this, I hadn’t squatted in six months. I discovered different methods to coach legs as a substitute. On the primary squat exercise, I didn’t go over 185 kilos for 15 reps. By the final leg exercise 4 weeks later, I squatted 225 for 20. I used to be interested by Ed Corney in “Pumping Iron” throughout each rep too. That was the primary time I had ever squatted that a lot weight for that many reps. I used to be all the time extra into powerlifting-styled coaching, so something over 5 beneath a bar was cardio.

Arnold would often share my posts on social media, and he acknowledged this collection and program on one in all his newsletters, which helped add gasoline to the hearth for the ultimate week. As soon as the final exercise was over, I allowed myself three deal with meals for the remainder of the weekend, however that was it. I’ll want a full week to deload and get better, however all in all, I really feel okay bodily and am already planning out my subsequent coaching program,

Mentally, I’m ecstatic as a result of I managed to not solely push myself to an excessive that I by no means beforehand thought was attainable, however I used to be in a position to encourage different folks alongside the way in which by sharing the journey. My spouse was the one who cemented my destiny to take this on when she instructed me that I might do it. I hope that my four-week odyssey reveals others that they might be able to way over they realized. Limits are self-imposed most of the time, and also you’re able to way over you might suppose now.

So, You Wish to Practice Like Arnold?

Arnold and his group are growing an app that can characteristic health packages of all ranges so you may obtain your personal private health success. You might additionally get his e-book to search out completely different routines to problem you want I did once I purchased my first copy a few years in the past, and my second copy this 12 months as a result of I wore the binding of the primary copy out.

If you wish to check your self at a better degree and have the will and time to commit, you may also use this model of the double cut up that has beforehand been shared with M&F. I had a fairly well-equipped residence health club so I didn’t have to fret about working round others or ready on tools. So, if you happen to do that program in a business health club, do the most effective you may with the environment you’re in.

Regardless of my exercises being primarily a solo act, there was a group behind this problem who helped me all through the month. My private thanks exit to Arnold in addition to two members of his group, Daniel and Noah, who put up with a number of messages and noticed numerous movies and numbers from me. I additionally need to thank Jeff Tomko and everybody at M&F for his or her help all through this course of. And final however not least, my household for his or her understanding and help all through this journey.