🏋️‍♂️ Schwarzenegger benched how much?!

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Here’s what’s on tap today:

• Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals his all-time heaviest lifts

• The best upper-body exercises ever

• Powerlifter Jesus Olivares breaks a staggering PR in training

Bodybuilding 

The Oak’s Roots

Everyone has a pretty good mental image on file of Arnold’s arms and back, and you probably still perform his posing routine while you’re waiting for the shower to get hot. What you might not know, however, is how strong Schwarzenegger was at his peak. California’s 38th governor ended all speculation by listing his numbers on the Big 3 — that’s the bench, squat, and deadlift — while being interviewed on The Pat McAfee Show. (Spoiler alert: They’re all darn impressive.)

Many of Arnold’s peers and training partners from the 1970s were among the strongest humans alive. While Schwarzenegger was known for workouts that routinely went above 30 sets, he also didn’t shy away from going super heavy for one all-out rep. 

There’s at least a 50 percent chance Conan or Predator is the reason you started lifting weights, so carve out a few minutes and listen to Arnold himself take a trip down one-rep max memory lane below.

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Training Tips

Get Back to Basics

In a perfect world, every day would be upper-body day. Whether you give in to your craven instincts and blast your upper body every chance you get or pair it with your lower body in a conventional split, we’ve compiled the ultimate list of 21 exercises you can’t live without. 

Personally vetted by CPT and BarBend senior writer Jake Dickson, these upper body movements really put the brains into your brawn. Without bench pressing and bent-over barbell rowing, your upper half doesn’t have a snowball’s chance of developing into what any rational person would call a “physique.” The same goes for our selection of bodyweight moves designed to give you the strength boost you’ve been after.

Mix and match these essential lifts to start training like a real upper-body enthusiast.

Powerlifting

Up, Up, and Away

Powerlifter Jesus Olivares (+120KG) is no stranger to world records. In fact, he holds the current raw deadlift world record with the IPF and is a threat to one-up himself every time he’s on a platform. So it shouldn’t come as a shock that Olivares decided to go ahead and break his own record by five kilograms during a recent training session. That put his total at an eye-watering 415 kilograms (or 915 pounds.)

Olivares is in the middle of training for the 2024 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships, where he’ll go in as the defending champion. No doubt, he’s eyeing to secure both the title and a shiny new all-time record along with it. See how his record-breaking training is progressing below.

Everything Else

It’s a Drag, Man

• The drag curl puts a simple twist on the tried-and-true method of biceps training that transforms this classic exercise into a peak-popping monolith. Learn how to do it.

• This week's episode of Strength Weekly analyzes the roster for the 2024 Arnold Classic and does a deep dive into the multi-faceted eras of bodybuilding’s rich history. Watch it here.

• There are countless options if you’re in the market for some reliable kettlebells. Here are the best options for whatever kettlebell-related trouble you’re looking to get into.