Decades after Pumping Iron first hit screens, Arnold Schwarzenegger is offering a fresh take on one of his most infamous comments about bodybuilding. In the film, the then-bodybuilding champion compared the feeling of “the pump” to sex. Now, Schwarzenegger has clarified that the comment was never meant literally.
Arnold Schwarzenegger adds context to old pumping video
Arnold Schwarzenegger has finally offered more context for one of his most famous bodybuilding quotes from 1977’s Pumping Iron. In the documentary, he famously compared “the pump,” the intense rush of blood that fills the muscles during a workout, to sex. He described it as “the greatest feeling.” (via USA Today)
Nearly five decades later, the former bodybuilder said he still stands by the comparison. However, he offered a deeper meaning behind it. Speaking over Zoom, Schwarzenegger reflected on the old clip with a smile, saying, “There’s a scene in ‘Pumping Iron’ when I talk about the pump and all of this stuff.”
Schwarzenegger explained, “We used sex as kind of a tool to seduce people into the bodybuilding and all of that.” He added, “But… what I really was saying is that, working out makes you feel so good, not just physically… but psychologically.”
In the same conversation, Schwarzenegger spoke candidly about undergoing hip replacement surgery in 2002. He described it as a daunting but necessary step in his journey. Despite the challenges, he expressed no regret for the years of training that helped him secure seven Mr. Olympia titles.
He said, “When you compete, you have no choice. It’s like saying to a car racer … ‘The risk is that you get killed.’ How do you avoid that?” Schwarzenegger also revealed that he is pain-free following his hip replacement surgery, but his workouts look quite different now. He no longer performs heavy squats, opting instead for machine-based exercises that allow him to adjust intensity and movement.
