Seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger set new standards for bringing the best possible physique to the stage, winning his first title in 1970 and his last in 1980. To dominate the bodybuilding industry, the future Terminator didn’t just work on his arms, legs, and abs. As recently unearthed footage illustrates, the Austrian Oak also focused on his back and favored the seated row when it came to making gains.
Arnold has been a fan of the seated row for the majority of his bodybuilding career. Around 10 years ago, the icon told M&F that in preparation for ‘Terminator Genisys’, these rows were still very much a part of his workouts. Going back even further than that to 1975, footage shot for his Pumping Iron docu-film, recently re-shared by his Arnold Sports Instagram channel, show Arnold performing the move during his competitive peak.
How Arnold Schwarzenegger Performs the Seated Row?
As the footage demonstrates, Arnold would go all-out with his rows, opting to exercise sans shoes so that he could feel the connection between man and machine. These days, the actor is a little more controlled in his motion to avoid injury, but he’s always sought out the stretch at the end of the row. The former Governor of California told M&F that he takes almost no rest between sets and performs 12 to 15 reps at a time.
As can be seen by the vintage clip, Arnold pulls the handle towards his lower abdomen, and this has the effect of targeting his middle to upper back. As he pulls the weight to the end of its journey, the “I’ll Be Back” star squeezes his shoulder blades together and puffs his chest out. The key here is to concentrate on taking the load with the back and not pushing off with the feet.
Benefits of the Seated Row?
If the proof was ever in the pudding, then this Predator star proved his point. Seated rows are a great compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, building thickness in the back while working the forearms and core, too. You’ll further tax your lats and biceps, even going so far as to recruit the hamstrings and glutes when going as heavy as Arnold. To try it for yourself, avoid rounding the back and start light then build up the weight. “Built different,” wrote one Impressed fan after seeing the intense footage. Now, make like Arnold and try it for yourself.
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