Being stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic could easily take its toll on the physical well-being of us all – but it doesn’t have to, at least according to one legendary Hollywood star.
As the world goes into lockdown, who better to provide the necessary motivation to keep up with exercise than the Austrian Oak himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger?
The 72-year-old screen icon, champion bodybuilder and two-time Governor of California recently took to Twitter to share a home workout routine of his from back in his Mr Universe days.
There are a lot of things we can’t control during this crisis, so we need to focus on what we can control. I wrote up my old no-gym required workout for all of you, as promised, because we can control our fitness. https://t.co/cL0gSMgf1o
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) March 20, 2020
Of the stringent measures being put in place by governments the world over, Schwarzenegger says, “there are a lot of things we can’t control during this crisis, so we need to focus on what we can control… our fitness.”
The full routine, which Schwarzenegger shared on Reddit, includes a bunch of classic bodyweight exercises including push-ups, sit-ups and bent leg raises.
Many of the moves also incorporate household objects, such as dips between chairs, calf raises on top of a hardback book, and rowing between chairs using a broom handle. (Just our amateur opinion, but make absolutely sure the chairs in question are sturdy enough!)
As the man himself points out, “Even without a gym, we can… control our physical fitness during this pandemic. Body weight, or freehand, training is the oldest method in the world. Gladiators and Vikings didn’t have gymnasiums.”
And if these words alone aren’t enough to get you motivated, consider some of these other inspirational nuggets that have left Schwarzenegger’s lips over the years.