Built To A T

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s futuristic frame from the iconic Terminator franchise is timeless. But we add a few new wrinkles to his old-school workout to help you get a killer body.

- Jebstuart Johnston

IT’S BEEN 35 YEARS SINCE Arnold Schwarzenegger first appeared onscreen, glutes and all, as the Terminator—a futuristic killing machine sent back to the past for a seek-and-destroy mission. And though the T-800 in Terminator: Dark Fate (in theaters Nov. 1) may be a whole lot gruffer and grayer, Arnold’s blockbuster build from the original and its sequel, T2: Judgment Day, still stands out. The Terminator embodies aesthetics and strength but also brute force, speed, and athleticism. Of course, to shape-shift into a physique fresh out of Skynet, you’ll need to follow a more modern approach. Arnold’s routine—an example of which is outlined on page 20—was an old-school bodybuilding-style program. While this type of training will pack muscle on your frame, you’ll end up only looking like the Terminator— and why do that when you can look and perform the part? To update the workout, we added:PRIMING EXERCISES: Each workout begins with an explosive movement to activate your central nervous system, the control center of your body’s muscles. This will help you exercise more efficiently and also make you more powerful.

BACK-OFF SETS: On both heavy days you’ll work up to a heavy set of eight reps. Then you’ll reduce the load to 80% of the weight you lifted and do as many reps as possible (AMRAP). This stresses your muscle fibers to produce more muscle mass, and you’ll accumulate practice with those moves over time for more fluid form.