Arnold Schwarzenegger is possibly the greatest bodybuilder to ever grace the stage with his presence. His accolades are so commendable that today, there are multiple competitions and awards named after him. Apart from being an absolute legend in the sport, he is considered to be an inspirational figure spanning a vast spectrum of everyday life.
The Schwarzenegger easter
In one such feat, his son Patrick Schwarzenegger opened up about how his father helped him quit smoking marijuana. In 2019, Patrick posted a picture of himself on his Instagram profile for the world to see. On the face of it, it was just a picture, but upon reading the caption, an interesting story was revealed. The caption read, "Fun story", and Patrick continued:
"Few years ago ... [I] showed up lil high to Easter brunch... classic. My old man [Arnold] asked why... [I] said, 'I dunno makes thing more fun.' He replied, 'How much more fun do you need to have, life is so good. I’m high on life. I never want anything that would take me out of my current life. Being high on life is better then anything else.'"
Patrick then claimed that he has not smoked weed since this encounter with his father's wisdom and that he is "high on life" now. His Instagram post was very timely as it came on "4/20" (April 20th), a day commonly celebrated by people who indulge in the consumption of marijuana.
Schwarzenegger's accomplishments and his legacy
Being the most important figure in bodybuilding history does not come easy. If we were to go through all of Schwarzenegger's accomplishments, it would probably fill up a book. Let us take a look at some of his key achievements in the sport.
Arnold kicked off his senior career by winning Mr. Europe in 1966 at the age of 19. This was the beginning of a journey that would see him win most of the competitions he participated in. In 1967, he was named the amateur Mr. Universe. The following year, he was named Mr. Universe.
He would go on to win the competition in 1969 and 1970. He then shifted his focus to Mr. Olympia. After winning second place in the competition in 1969, Scharzenegger was named Mr. Olympia for the next six years straight.
Following his 1975 Mr. Olympia win, Arnold announced his retirement. However, the sport did not see an end for him. He returned to win Mr. Olympia again in 1980.
Arnold Schwarzenegger outside the gym
Patrick is not the only one his father has inspired. A great many people around the world quote the lifting giant as being their inspiration for many things.
To say he is a legendary bodybuilder is an understatement. Outside the gym, he is a successful actor, filmmaker, producer, and a politician. As the governor of California from 2003 to 2011, he extensively focused on climate change and in 2006, signed the United States' first bill placing a cap on greenhouse gas emissions.
There are so many things that can be covered on this iconic figure, but we will leave you with this quote from him:
"The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent."