Try Arnold Schwarzenegger's Free 9-Move Home Bodyweight Workout
The Governator shared this self-isolation workout on Instagram
As other celebrities have used self-isolation to inflict tone-deaf versions of 'Imagine' on all of us, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been providing the content that we all need right now. First, there was the now iconic video in which he urged us all to self-isolate while feeding carrots to a pair of tiny horses. "Listen to the experts, ignore the morons," he implored, his fuzzy friends nipping at his carroty fingers.
Helpful stuff indeed. And now, the ex-governor, ex-Terminator, full-time fitness obsessive is back, to share the legendary no-gym workout that he used to power through as a young bodybuilder. The nine-move workout only requires a couple of chairs, a broom and something to use as a chin-up bar – a door-frame will do, although Arnie used to use "a tree branch by a lake in Austria." Because of course he did.
Schwarzenegger posted the full breakdown to Reddit (along with these charming form guides) but the concept is simple – do 50 reps of each exercise, in order, in whatever format you like (so it could be five sets of 10 reps, two sets of 25 reps, whatever works for you). If you're a beginner, start with fewer reps and then build up. As Arnie says, " I don’t want you to force yourself through 25 rows or knee-bends and then be unable to do the workout again in two days because you are too sore."
The primary goal of this workout is to keep you indoors, where you can't infect anyone else. Its secondary aim is to put your body and brain through its paces. Job done on both counts, Governor.
Press-up
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
How to do a press-up: Set up with your hands in line with your shoulders and body flat, from shoulders to heels. Lower your chest until it almost touches the floor, then drive back up explosively. That's one rep.
Dips
Beginner: 20 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
How to do a dip: If you don't have a dip station, position two chairs of equal height back-to-back then lift yourself up, arms straight and knees bent so your feet are off the floor. Slowly lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel with the ground, then drive up explosively. That's one rep.
Inverted Rows
Beginner: 30 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
How to do an inverted row: Keep your chairs where they are and balance a broom handle across them. Grab the broom with an overhand grip (so your palms face your feet) and hold yourself with your core tensed and body straight. Bend your arms to pull your chest to the broom, then slowly lower under control. That's one rep.
Sit-up
Beginner: 30 reps
Advanced: 100 reps
How to do a sit-up: Lie on the floor with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your abs to lift your chest to your knees, then slowly lower under control. That's one rep.
Bent leg raises
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
How to do a bent leg raise: Arnie's move is slightly different from the one in the video, but both work in similar ways. Lie on your back with your shoulders slightly off the ground, then bring your knees to your chest. Slowly straighten your legs, then repeat.
Bent-over twists
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
How to do a bent-over twist: Grab your broom handle and hold it across your shoulders. Bend over until your body is parallel with the ground (keeping your legs straight), then twist 90 degrees to the left. Hold the position for a second, then reverse, twisting to the right. Hold, then go back to the start position – that's one rep.
Bodyweight squat
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50-70 reps
How to do a bodyweight squat: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then sink down, keeping your weight on your heels, until your glutes are almost touching your heels. Drive back up to standing, and repeat.
Calf raises
Beginner: 25 reps
Advanced: 50 reps
How to do a press-up: Ignore the dumbbells in this video (although if you want to make it harder, just grab some weight, whether that's a kettlebell or some shopping bags). Place your toes on a box or step and let your heels sink down, then drive up with your calf muscles. Hold, then slowly lower. That's one rep.
Chin-up
Beginner: 10 reps
Advanced: 30 reps
How to do a chin-up: Grab a chin-up bar, door frame or Austrian tree branch with an underhand grip (palms facing your face). Lower your weight until you're in a dead hang, then pull your bodyweight up until your chin is above the bar. Hold briefly, then lower slowly back into a dead hang. That's one rep.
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