How strong was Arnold?

[The Doberman]

Any idea how strong Arnold was in terms of what he could lift, max bench, squat, etc?

 

[italionstallion]

looks like he's benching 385 without too much of a problem

 

[LCSULLA]

He won a few powerlifting comps in his early days; when he still lived in Europe.

 

[sage]

pretty damn strong but i dont believe he could touch the real heavyweights nowadays, bodybuilding. (coleman, jackson,etc)
Sage

 

[shatfield]

I could never find out exactly what his max bench was... But, I did read in his encyclopedia that he used to do cheat curls with 275, just to show off at Venice Beach.

I don't think he's nearly as strong as the guys now, though.

 

[kwyckemynd00]

I believe his max bench was around 500lbs....he was pretty strong. I don't know any of the other lifts, however.

 

[natedogg]

You have to take into account that he wasn't using even close to the amount of drugs the guys nowadays do. The advances in supplements and overall knowledge have changed a whole lot over the years as well. Arnold was a badass in his day. I'd like to see how the bodybuilders of now would do in the 60's and 70's.

 

[bubba04]

arnold looked alot better then the mass monsters of today

 

[natedogg]

arnold looked alot better then the mass monsters of today

I concur.

 

[CDB]

arnold looked alot better then the mass monsters of today

By far. I'm always amazed watching Pumping Iron. These guys weren't just big, they had a great overall fitness level.

 

[shatfield]

I concur.

Absolutely!

 

[Beelzebub]

read where arnold said he could put up 405 for 8-10 reps on flat bench. so, probably around 500 max. might have been in his encyclopedia, can't remember exactly where he said it, but he did say it.

 

[EEmain]

Franco looks badass in that pic!

 

[Grassroots082]

Franco looks badass in that pic!

I was under the impression that Franco was stronger than Arnold. I know Franco had a world record dead for awhile.

 

[ItriedtoripoffBobosonowIamgonehaveaniceday]

Franco could Deadlift 700lbs at a weight of 185lbs....not sure if he did it for reps though, but I believe he did!

 

[Grassroots082]

I wish I could find Franco's deadlifting pic for the record, I have seen it before. Arnold and Franco must have had some cell tech for sure. :aargh:

 

[Grassroots082]

Got this from a google search.


Titles Won in Powerlifting:
• Champion of Italy
• Champion of Germany
• Champion of Europe
• World Champion
World Records in Powerlifting:
• Bench Press 520 lbs.
• Squat 655 lbs.
• Deadlift 750 lbs.
Records in Weightlifting:
• Olympic Press 325 lbs.
• Snatch 270 lbs.
• Clean and Jerk 400 lbs.

Thats for Franco, dunno if Arnold had any.

 

[coofoostu]

I love that pic of franco deadlfiting and that pic of arnold squatting. There is no way anyone could possibly go any lower on that squat.

 

[LCSULLA]

looks like he's benching 385 without too much of a problem

Yeah but look at the caption in the book. Arnold wrote that the weight on the bench in the pic was 450lbs. So...

 

[lifted]

You have to take into account that he wasn't using even close to the amount of drugs the guys nowadays do. The advances in supplements and overall knowledge have changed a whole lot over the years as well. Arnold was a badass in his day. I'd like to see how the bodybuilders of now would do in the 60's and 70's.

Agreed. Arnie was in a class all his own...he was just a pure athlete all around.

 

[Cold]

Agreed. Arnie was in a class all his own...he was just a pure athlete all around.

Yep, didn't Arnie play soccer in Austria?

 

[Beelzebub]

austrian army too.

 

[jaybigboy34]

Arnold was on David Letterman one night, and Dave asked him

what was his best bench and Arnold told him 540lbs.

 

[ryanbodybuilder]

what did they use for gear back then and what doses? test cyp? primo depot? para?

 

[lifted]

what did they use for gear back then and what doses? test cyp? primo depot? para?

I don't know....every time this topic comes up there are stories of him using just dbol, while other people say that he (they) still had a lot of other aas back then as well....not sure what to believe other than they were pioneers in their field, that's for sure.

 

[bda55]

I've read he liked to use Primo depot with dbol..

 

[KD1]

they were pioneers in their field, that's for sure.

Yep, and both are leading healthy active lives decades later. Kinda blows that roids will kill you thing out of the water. My doc says roids are, in general, about as unhealthy for you as long term antibiotic usage, which is rampant in the US.

 

[glenihan]

...aside from arnold's major heart surgery

 

[sctxms]

...aside from arnold's major heart surgery

That was a genetic issue just like David letterman triple by pass

 

[BigVrunga]

...aside from arnold's major heart surgery

Which was supposedly congenital. Could have been aggrevated by the steroid use, but I doubt his valve problem was entirely due to anabolics.

BV

 

[jaybigboy34]

...aside from arnold's major heart surgery

Yea i second that, he did have major heart surgery.

 

[glenihan]

That was a genetic issue just like David letterman triple by pass

yeah and flex wheeler's kidney problems were genetic too ... the abuse of lasix etc. didn't play a MAJOR role at all :toofunny:

 

[LCSULLA]

...aside from arnold's major heart surgery

I heard that the doc's said that was genetic, not gear related.

 

[glenihan]

i'm not gonna challenge a doctor BUT arnold has tons of money and knows LOTS of people

 

[LCSULLA]

i'm not gonna challenge a doctor BUT arnold has tons of money and knows LOTS of people

True. But I also think that with the hysteria surrounding steroids when ever they are mentioned, that some news channel would have been all over this if it had been caused by steroids.

 

[CROWLER]

ANYONE who has done ANY AS and has a physical problem it is DIRECTLY related to the AS use.














BWAHAHAHAHAHA




CROWLER

 

[glenihan]

crowler you know i don't think that ... just in this specific case i think it is very possible AAS played a role

 

[BigVrunga]

I think that he may have had a congenital heart condition, and AAS didnt help any. From everything I read, the surgery was to repair a defective aortic valve - usually those kind of heart conditions are present at birth. (Mitral Valve Prolapse, etc.) I think that an Aortic valve becomes defective when it becomes calcified from high cholesterol - perhaps years of methylated anabolics had his HDL so low for such a long time that it resulted in him needing heart surgery down the road.

Still - probably would have happened anyway (perhaps later in life) - if he had never touched the stuff. Over 80,000 people every year get an aortic valve replaced - I wonder how many were professional body builders.

We all know these, but just to make a point:

Arnold's Peak Stats:

Arms: 22 inches
Chest: 57 inches
Waist: 34 inches
Thighs: 28.5 inches
Calves: 20 inches
Weight: 235 pounds
Height: 6 feet 2 inches

No doubt he was a big dude - but I bet he would have been a good 220-225 even if he had never touched anabolics. I doubt any of the guys back then were pounding down enough juice to cause their hearts to explode from drug use alone.

BV

 

[thebear]

I heard he could do 450X8 on Bench Press

 

[Gettinpumped]

Arnold was pretty strong but Franco was a lot stronger. In Arnolds book he says Franco benched 500 for reps.

 

[ryanbodybuilder]

I want to know the doses of gear they used.....I also heard arnold lived by a rule of 6 months on, 6 months off each year.....

 

[glenihan]

i heard he could bench a house for reps

 

[natedogg]

i heard he could bench a house for reps

Child's play. :yawn: I can bench your fat momma for reps.

 

[BigVrunga]

Child's play. I can bench your fat momma for reps.

I can bench my own ass.

 

[natedogg]

I can bench my own ass.

Now that's impressive.

 

[fedaykin]

I heard about him using dbol and primo too... Although I doubt we will ever really know.

 

[BigVrunga]

He openly admits his steroid use on the Pumping Iron DVD...

 

[hardknock]

I would take an educated guess that his continuance low HDL may have played a role in his condition. I would also be willing to say that his drug usage may have helped in that fact, dunno for sure, but aswhat iv'e read and from what i've dealt with in 7 years, i would say it's possible.

I look at it like this, honestly, how well was PCT done 20+ years ago? I would say that if, now adays, PCT is better,(??) Then back then PCT was somewhat a bit worse, so would this not cause AAS to be more of an ill-effect during the off period, as compared to the 90s? Correct me on this if so, but i believe as calcium rises, theres more of a chance for platletes to collect, which heightens the chances for blockage...not pointing to arnold's condition directly but just in general...however a high dairy diet over a life time can mimic the same ill effects....dunno, but that's something i would like to investigate further.

But, on the other comment...Flex's problems were probably directly related to heavy abuse and a total lack of precautions, but that's for every drug known, so AAS cant just be blaimed for his misfortunes. Tho it could have easily been a major player in the condition

 

[BigVrunga]

bro why is your post all in italics?

I think Arnold's heart condition may have been aggrevated by his steroid use - but usually what he needed (an Aortic valve replacement) is a genetic thing. There are thousands of heart-related surgeries every year in people of all ages, and I'd bet that only a small percentage of those people use or have used anabolic drugs.

Flex's kidney condition was due to heavy abuse of NSAIDS, which aggrevated a genetic condition that he didnt know he had (according to what he said, anyway)

That's why its really important to get your bloodwork done if you're going to use anabolic drugs. Hell, even if you're a natural bodybuilder and are on an extended high-calorie/high-protien diet. Who knows what little genetic asshole problems are lurking in your DNA, waiting to take you down.

 

[Southpaw80]

When Arnold was in town to promote his book An Education of a Body Builder way back when (79-80?), My brother I got to spend some time alone with him in the gym. We asked him about steroids and he admitted to us that he used and that everyone who competed was on juice. We asked him when we could start juicing and he told us to workout a few more years ( I was 19 and my brother was 17) at least. And if we decided to juice to never use for more than 3 months at a time. Also, he was very thin and ripped at the time. He said the producers wanted him to lose weight before filming the Running Man. He was very funning and direct. Very charismatic and confident. He even told us that he will become a super star.