Arnold Schwarzenegger has learnt a lot in his five decades in the public spotlight, from his early days as the Austrian Oak to his time as one of Hollywood's biggest stars to his political career. In his last newsletter, he answered a reader query about how aging has affected him physically and mentally.
"Physically, you just have to accept reality and do the best you can," he says. "It's hard to accept that you've changed..." Depression affects almost 2,000,000 seniors. Hormonal fluctuations induce muscle loss, I assume. Anti-aging is a 58-billion-dollar industry. A lot of folks are attempting to stay young."
He also gave practical tips on how to modify your training program to train safely and avoid injury as you age. He says he's adapted to his age, changed his exercises, and focused on staying thin and avoiding injury. "This is why I use workout machines instead of free weights." Schwarzenegger switched to weight machines in 2012, and three-time Mr. Olympia Frank Zane told Men's Health that he did the same after turning 70.
Schwarzenegger says he does out every day because it makes him happy, even though his workouts have changed. "I'm addicted to training, and I have to start my day in the gym," he says. "So today, even though my body won’t react the way it did 50 years ago, I can maintain as much as I can and it brings me great joy."
Schwarzenegger feels aging has given him insight and experience: "I feel much smarter than I was when I was younger, because I’ve read more, I’ve met more interesting people, I’ve become wiser, and of course, I’ve learned from my successes, and even more from my mistakes," he says.
At 74, I'm a fitness advocate, environmentalist, government reformer, businessman, and entertainment. I used to be terrible at discussing healthcare policy and infrastructure, but now I love it. I've realized life is about giving back because we're assessed by what we give, not what we make. We're not just me. That makes my life more fulfilling."
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