Wag also helped Arnold improve his English speaking skills.
He even allowed Arnold to live with his family because young Schwarzenegger didn’t have much money for training and living expenses. He was so impressed with Arnold that he offered to train him at his gym in London. One of those people was Charles (Wag) Bennett, a judge in the competition. His participation in the competition had the effect of introducing him to people who would be instrumental in helping him along his rise to the pinnacle of the bodybuilding world. He came in second after Chester Yarnton, an American. In 1966, Arnold Schwarzenegger competed for the first time in the Mr. He won a second bodybuilding competition in Graz during this time and was also voted the Best Built Man in Europe. This earned him a measure of fame. He went away from basic training to compete, and this action landed him in military prison for a week. While he was in the Army, he competed in and won the Junior Mr. When Arnold Schwarzenegger was 18 years old (in 1965), he completed his required year of service in the Austrian Army. Arnold was so dedicated that he would even break into the gym on the weekends to work out because the gym was closed. Kurt was so impressed by Arnold that he invited him to work out in his gym in Graz. By 14 years old he had decided to make a career out of it. People who knew him best say he has always been very driven to succeed.Īrnold started bodybuilding after being introduced to weightlifting by a soccer coach when he was 13. From his early teens, Arnold would tell people that he was going to be a famous movie star.
He confesses to idolizing the big screen bodybuilding stars at the time especially Steve Reeves, Johhny Weissmuller, and Reg Park. He has said that he doesn’t remember how old he was when he saw his first movie in a theater but he knows it was a John Wayne movie. Arnold competed in many sports and was in excellent physical shape even before beginning his bodybuilding career.ĭuring Arnold Schwarzenegger's youth, he would spend time watching movies. He would mock Arnold’s goal of being a bodybuilder.
His father was abusive and alcoholic and openly favored Meinhard over Arnold. He says every home in Austria and Germany at that time was the same. Schwarzenegger has mentioned that he dealt with what we could call abuse today hair pulling, being whipped with a belt. Life in the Schwarzenegger household was strict and focused on raising conformists. His older brother Meinhard proceeded him. Arnold Schwarzenegger was born near Graz, Austria on July 30th, 1947 to Gustav and Aurelia Schwarzenegger.