Arnold Schwarzenegger

[MarkU]

Arnold is on the cover of the latest issue of Muscle & Fitness magazine which features an article about Terminator 3.

While the article is mostly a fluff piece promoting the movie, it does talk about Arnold's effort to get back into shape for the film.

He has seemed to avoid much public discussion of his valve surgery since he had it in 97 (Image issues?). This article was interesting in that he discussed the concessions he now makes in his workouts. He now avoids heavy weights, instead opting for high reps with less weight. He also uses a lot of machines, versus free weights (Schwarzenegger was always a big proponent of free weights during his competition days).

Sounds like the plan I got my cardiologist to agree to after my surgery two years ago. I still don't look like him though, and nobody's mentioning me as a candidate for governor...


Mark

 

[Ross]

Mark for Governor in 2004!

Arnold doesn't want to tear his valve out so he's doing the right thing.

 

[epstns]

Mark - It isn't just Arnold's cardio who recommends high reps with light weights. Both of my cardio's recommend that, even pre-surg. They say that with the valve condition, it isn't good to do exercises that raise blood pressure without raising heart rate. I switched to machines with 40-50 lbs. and do more reps. Less muscle strain, and as we get older that is important too.

BTW, I have NO interest in running for ANY political office (I live in Chicago, anyway. . . )

Steve for Mayor in 2004!

 

[hensylee]

Well, Mark - looks like the gov field is wide open for next election. If you want to run, let me know and I will pass the word..........

 

[MarkU]

I got politics out of my system after I ran for treasurer of my 8th grade class and got soundly trounced. My opponent was a girl - tall, blonde and very well-endowed for her age, who got 99% of the male vote. Taught me a lot about how the political game works...

Mark

 

[Davidcv67]

I was bench pressing 180 lbs the week before my Anerysm was detected. (It was 10cm) I miss working out and getting that 'pumped' feeling. I now am 180 lbs of which used to be muscle but now just flab and a gut. I saw the M & F mag today at the doc's office and flipped through it. I wish I could go back to the day of lifting.

I have Marfans so it is especially a bad move for me to exercise with weights. (Marfans is like a rubber band that won't stretch back...not good on the ol' aorta!)

At one time I could do 100 push-ups in a row. I 'd be lucky to do 10 now!

 

[Nancy]

Hi Dave-

We love ya' anyway "muskles" or not.

 

[Davidcv67]

Thanks Nancy...

I noticed, you have something positive to say about everything!

 

[Ross]

*Pokes head in thread*

I'm sitting here wondering what it would be like to be able to do 2 push ups now?

*Pokes head out of thread*

 

[tantenay]

RE Arnold S.

RE Arnold S.

I am almost certain that Arnold damaged his 1st valve repair by starting his workout about 2 wks post-op (bionic man, maybe??). I think it was kept pretty quiet. That's probably why he's being more careful now! Did anyone else read that??

 

[Ross]

Yes I did hear about that. He was told not to and did it anyway. Look what it got him.

 

[MarkU]

Actually, I heard the story from my cardiologist. The word was that he overdid it on a stationary bike within a few days of his surgery.
Up until now he hasn't appeared bare chested in any of his movies, opting to wear sleeveless or torn shirts that showed off his arms but covered his chest. Always wondered what his scars looked like.

Mark

 

[epstns]

We'll never know. . .

We'll never know. . .

Don't forget that with the modern stage makeup and synthetic skins, he doesn't *ever* have to let his scars be seen. They can make him a chest plate and affix it to his skin, and voila! Invisible scars!

 

[LUVMyBirman]

"BTW, I have NO interest in running for ANY political office (I live in Chicago, anyway. . . )"

Steve for Mayor in 2004!

Hey Steve you have my vote! Could ya please leave the airport runways alone, LOL. X X X
Heck with the O'Hare expansion as well. They have now changed the flight pattern. Flying loud over my house. And that is what we pay good money for homes and high taxes??? Yep, you best run for Mayor and fix us up!

 

[epstns]

Ummm, can't do it. Richie's (retired) secretary is a neighbor, and she asked us to stay out of it. . .

And, the planes fly so low over our yard that I'm constantly yelling up to the airliners, "Don't flush the toilet!"

Our first house was even worse -- I used to have to clean the jet fuel off my car windows before I could drive to work in the mornings.

 

[Davidcv67]

Rise of the machines...

Rise of the machines...

I just saw Arnie this evening in the Terminator 3 movie...it showed a close up of his chest in the beginning of the movie...but with digital technology and make-up it showed no evidence of a scar...But he did look very big..and I know he worked out like a mutha for this movie...

 

[wlaldridge]

Arnold had a Ross Procedure and did blow it out on a stationary bike a few days later.

I heard him talk briefly about it in an interview. He does not like to get too public since steroids usage always come up and that is a big image issue with him, I think.

 

[Christina]

What Bill Aldridge said, I have read the same. Arnold blew out his new Rosh Procedure by jumping on the stationary bike just a few days after surgery. That was pretty stupid for such a smart guy, don't you think? Now he's got two homografts that will need replacing in the future. I don't think he got mechanicals.
For a woman I too was a pretty heavy lifter some years back, and if I may say so looked pretty buff. But when you stop that workout regimen it changes rather quickly. Ask Ben Smith!
But I started a serious lifting program again some time ago, and weight train 3X a week at home. The off days I just walk/jog the treadmill for 20 minutes. The other days I walk/jog 45 minutes in addition to my lifting. My muscle strength has come back but not like before. Before surgery I could do 40lbs dumbbel presses easily, now I am glad to to 30lbs. Muscle remembers though! Scared to do heavier weights at this point! Don't want to blow out my valve.
No immediate plans to join a gym or work out with a personal trainer again. I still shudder to think what could have happened at that time, because I was doing some pretty heavy work for a woman, and especially leg day was very hard. I wasn't looking forward to that, but did it anyway because I wanted that look. A real body builder will understand. It is an acquired taste, and you either like it or don't.

 

[scottvant]

Arnold's Ross Procedure

Arnold's Ross Procedure

I was bragging on another forum, ok well not bragging so much, ok yes I *was* bragging about having my Ross done at the same L.A. hospital and by the same team of surgeons as Schwarzenegger, and was told, "but his Ross failed in just a matter of days and he had to have it fixed."

Oops.

::sigh:: I guess I'll cool my jets on the whole weights thing, for now. When pressed, my cardio said at this point it's not so much as the risk of damage to the new valves (though that risk is present--especially dilation of my new aortic root), as it is the risk that my myopathy and LVH won't regress and might even get worse if I lift weights now. A valve can be replaced, again, I guess--but screwing up your heart muscle is a whole 'nother thing.

Scott, off to a power yoga class which, inexplicably, is ok...

 

[tantenay]

Yes. It's a fact that weight lifting is hard on the heart muscle. It can cause cardiomyopathy, and the bad thing about that is that it often goes undetected until it's too late. Weight lifting really can be dangerous!