Advice to Begginers from Arnold Schwarzenegger

My advice to beginners is really simple: begin. And then don't stop until it is a routine. For a lot of people, that first step is the hardest. So find something, anything, you can do. If you have been completely sedentary, go on a 30 minute walk. If you walk all the time and you have never done any strength training, you don't need equipment: do 5 pushups, then do 5 squats. If your heart's beating fast, rest for a minute. Now do 4 pushups, and 4 squats. Rest if you need to. Then do 3 pushups and 3 squats. Then 2 and 2, then 1 and 1. You just did 15 pushups and 15 squats. If it was easy, start at 10 next time.

Once you begin, the key is keeping your momentum. That's why I encourage everyone to set goals they can achieve when they're just starting out. Train 10 minutes every day for a month. Then make it 15 minutes. Motivation is fleeting, but routine is what carries you on. You need to make this a routine. Do whatever you can do every day for a month, and then build on that.

This article was taken from Arnold Schwarzenegger's Pump Daily news letter. Sign up here.

Do You Lose It When You Don't Use It?

Lifting weights and eating protein get all the attention, but there might be a missing piece of the muscle-building equation that you didn't expect.

Researchers have found that walking makes it easier for your body to maximize the benefits of protein.

The researchers were interested in a concept known as “anabolic resistance,” which is the idea that your body gives your muscles the middle finger when you're too inactive. After exercise, your body uses protein to help with recovery. The protein you eat is broken down into amino acids (the building blocks of your cells), and they are used to help repair, grow, and strengthen your muscles.

In the study , people who sat for 7.5 hours during the day — compared to those who got up to take a 2-minute walk or did 15 bodyweight squats every 30 minutes — absorbed fewer amino acids and had lower levels of protein synthesis (the process of turning protein into muscle). If you want your body to work with you (instead of against you), movement is medicine. Set a reminder on your phone to get up and move every 1 to 2 hours. And remember, it doesn't have to be long. In the study, all it took was 2 minutes to make a difference.

This article was taken from Arnold Schwarzenegger's Pump Daily news letter. Sign up here.

How To Quiet Your Negative Inner Voice

It's natrual to be hard on yourself. Here's why it's something you must avoid - by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyone thinks of me as a pretty hardcore guy. And, for the most part, I am. When I am looking at my own body, going all the way back to the Pumping Iron days, I can be my harshest critic. I would tell myself, “Arnold, your calves look like shit, what is wrong with you?” Then, I would cut off all of the legs on my sweatpants, so I had to look at my calves every day, and that would inspire me to train them as much as I needed. That works for some people. But I have learned over years of helping people that it doesn't work for everyone. Or even for most people.

If you have been struggling to get moving or frustrated with your health, odds are you've been negative to yourself a lot, and you don't need an inner critic, you need an inner friend. Positivity is contagious. And it starts with being positive to yourself. So instead of looking at yourself and saying, “I'm so out of shape, I look like shit, I can't even walk up stairs without taking a break,” I want you to be positive. Look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I can get in shape. I deserve to be healthier because I deserve more time with my friends and family. I am worth the work". Trust me, it is worth a try, and it can do more for your mind and body than you think.

This article was taken from Arnold Schwarzenegger's Pump Daily news letter. Sign up here.