Achieve total-body muscle development using relatively lighter weights and a full-body exercise routine as advocated by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the legendary bodybuilder and actor, has shared a unique full-body workout using dumbbells in his latest newsletter. This workout, which he calls a mechanical drop set, is designed to maintain intensity and prioritise efficiency.
The workout consists of three main blocks, each being a mechanical drop set with three back-to-back exercise variations, progressing from hardest to easiest. This technique maximises intensity by hitting muscle failure through altering exercise difficulty rather than adding heavier weights.
Lower Body Ladder (2-3 rounds)
The first block focuses on the lower body. The exercises are:
- Dumbbell front foot elevated lunge: 6 reps per leg
- Dumbbell alternating reverse lunge: 8 reps per leg
- Dumbbell goblet squat: 10 reps
Arnold suggests resting as little as possible between exercises within a block. After completing one round, rest for 60-90 seconds before repeating the block one to two more times.
Pushup Power (2-3 rounds)
The second block, named Pushup Power, can be done with or without dumbbells. The exercises are:
- Feet-elevated push-up: 10-20 reps (based on strength)
- Regular push-up: 10 reps
- Incline push-up (hands supported on a surface, as many reps as possible)
Glutes (3 exercises, 2-3 rounds)
Although not fully detailed in the provided results, Arnold’s approach often includes a pulling or pressing movement block for balanced full-body training. In Block 3, the focus is on the glutes. The exercises are:
- Dumbbell single leg hip thrusts: 8 reps per leg
- Single leg hip thrusts: 10 reps per leg
- Hip thrusts: 12 reps
It's important to ensure you get enough protein to help with muscle repair when engaging in intense workouts like this.
This method allows effective full-body muscle stimulation with light to moderate dumbbells, prioritising workout efficiency and muscular fatigue through mechanical adjustments instead of loading.
When performing this workout, remember to rest 60-90 seconds between rounds and 2-3 minutes between blocks for recovery. Perform each mechanical drop set with minimal rest between exercises within the set.
DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) may occur if you haven't trained in a while or don't use mechanical drop sets in your training. To help ease muscle soreness, consider using methods like foam rolling, stretching, or using a massage gun.
Science and health-and-wellness enthusiasts can benefit from Arnold Schwarzenegger's fitness-and-exercise regime, which includes a unique full-body workout with light to moderate dumbbells. This workout, known as a mechanical drop set, prioritizes health-and-wellness by providing effective full-body muscle stimulation, focusing on efficiency and muscular fatigue through lifestyle adjustments.
