“We didn’t do it for the money” - Arnold Schwarzenegger on the drastic prize money change at Mr. Olympia

Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t fully on board with the changes at Mr. Olympia as the legendary bodybuilder feels that modern-day bodybuilders might be overpaid.

The 75-year-old was speaking in a YouTube video with Nick Miller on his Nick’s Strength and Power podcast when he spoke about Mr. Olympia 2022. Schwarzenegger first slammed the various divisions in the competition and how it affected bodybuilders. Following this, he addressed the heavy cash flow in the event and said that 'there was no money' in the competition during his time.

Schwarzenegger, who opened up about competing in Mr. Olympia, said that he 'didn’t do it for the money'. The Terminator actor recalled that he made only marginal sums from the competition. He said:

“In my days, there was no money [in bodybuilding]. I mean, imagine, [when I] won the Mr. Olympia competition. I remember in 1974, and we got like $750. I mean $750 — and again, we didn’t do it for the money.”

Schwarzenegger went on to add that he took on various work during his bodybuilding days and revealed that he and Franko Columbo juggled jobs to make ends meet. He added:

“Frank and I were working on construction, and we were doing brick-laying jobs and rebuilding Los Angeles after the earthquake, we made our money that way.”

It is pertinent to note that Arnold Schwarzenegger has often talked about his struggles with money in the past. The iconic bodybuilder has revealed that he took on various jobs before he got into acting. It should be noted that he went on to become the highest-paid actor in the world.

Arnold Schwarzenegger on the 'Classic Physique' category at Mr. Olympia

Interestingly, Arnold Schwarzenegger made a few other opinionated statements during the podcast. This included him calling on the Classic Physique category to be made Mr. Olympia. Sharing his views on the ‘Classic Physique’ and ‘Men’s Open’ competitions, the Austrian Oak said that 'bigger is not always better'.

The bodybuilding icon claimed that the Men’s Open competition isn’t going in the ‘right direction’, and wanted the Physique category to be more balanced. He said:

“I think it is crazy in a way to have a Classic Physique category simply because that should be the Mr. Olympia because what is it that we’re celebrating, that in the Classic days we looked more proportionate, and now we don’t give a shit about it anymore? Is that what we’re saying?”

He added:

“I think it’s odd they had to literally create a Classic Physique competition to give to the person who has the best quality body, the most well-balanced body also a trophy because he couldn’t compete where the monsters were competing. That’s actually wrong. Like I’ve said, bigger is not always better. I don’t think it’s going in the right direction.”

It is pertinent to note that Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t alone. Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler also made a similar observation recently. The American addressed the same and said that the modern-day bodybuilding competitors took excessive amounts of food/gear, which was dangerous.