Fitness legend Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken on bodybuilding, Hollywood, even politics. Now he’s facing a bigger battle than “The Terminator” or “Predator” — how to age gracefully.

At 78, his days of death-defying stunts might be over. Schwarzenegger told Business Insider that he has accumulated more than his share of aches and injuries over time, due to skiing accidents, long hours in the gym, and intense action films.

“That’s a lot of stress on a body and clearly the body was not meant to do all that,” he said.

But the star is no less active in the gym and in the public eye, in part because he’s kept his diet and exercise on point over the years. His recent projects incuded the release of his book “Be Useful,” a hit Netflix docuseries, and the launch of his own fitness app “The Pump.”

He shares life advice, answers fan questions, and offers exercise tips to more than 30 million followers across social media, as well as through his newsletter and podcast. His message is often one of encouragement, urging people to stay motivated and celebrate small wins, particularly when it comes to their health and fitness.

His latest campaign, “You’ll Be Back,” is a partnership with Zimmer Biomet, a medical device company where he acts as Chief Movement Officer. It aims to raise awareness about treatment options for joint pain.

He has also been candid about the challenge of aging gracefully over the years, from the changes he sees in the mirror to a hip replacement and multiple heart surgeries.

Still, most of us would be lucky to have Schwarzenegger’s energy and resilient athleticism by the time we’re near our 80s.

Case in point: Six years ago, a man attacked Schwarzenegger with a flying kick at a PR event. The result was exactly what you might expect from a tussle with the Terminator: the assailant fell to the floor, and Schwarzenegger barely noticed the blow.

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“I thought I was just jostled by the crowd, which happens a lot. I only realised I was kicked when I saw the video like all of you,” he tweeted about the incident.

Schwarzenegger attributes his lasting vigor to consistency and moderation in his habits, from refining his gym routine to support longevity to adopting a relaxed approach to his diet.

Don’t ignore the basics of working out

He rose to fame as a bodybuilder, exercising for five hours a day to target every muscle group. Since then, Schwarzenegger’s daily workouts have changed in intensity.

He works out for about 90 minutes a day, favoring resistance machines and biking over heavy barbells to protect his shoulders and knees.

Whether you’re a beginner to strength training or a seasoned pro, Schwarzenegger said you should keep your workouts simple. “The basic exercises are the most underrated exercises,” he said.

He’s a fan of free weights, which allow for more dynamic movements, like his all-time favorite exercise, the clean and press.

A heart-healthy diet is crucial

Protein shakes played a significant role in Schwarzenegger’s diet throughout his life, from the homemade yeast-and-milk ones he prepared as a teenager to his more refined cocktails, which included schnapps and protein powder.

Now, he said he’s cut back on them. “I used to drink protein drinks, but I don’t do that that much,” he explained. “I just think that I eat really well and I stay healthy this way.”

As he got older, Schwarzenegger said he also reduced his meat intake in favor of a “70%” plant-based diet to lower his cholesterol. But that doesn’t mean he’s strict by any means. He eats what he wants when he travels, whether it’s a plate of pasta in Rome or Wiener Schnitzel in Germany.

His rules are simple: focus on light, nutritious, and heart-healthy options in your day-to-day routine. The rest of the time, work out extra hard to compensate for that steak.

To stay fit beyond your 70s, always keep moving

Even a lifetime of fitness didn’t stop Schwarzenegger from experiencing pain as he got older.

“It just eventually never stops,” he said. “Now, I’m 78, and I have become an expert in all that stuff.”

And after 60 years of working out in public gyms, Schwarzenegger said he has heard of every injury. His message to everyone: “No matter what the problem is, get it fixed. Don’t wait.”

He stressed that ignoring or trying to push through pain, whether it’s related to the joints or back, inevitably ripples into larger problems. “When people start having pain, then they start limiting the amount of things that they do,” he said.

It’s tied to his biggest piece of longevity advice, relevant to both his continually evolving career and his day-to-day life: never stop moving.

“The danger is it’s the beginning of death,” he said, “because movement is life.”

Finding time to work out can feel impossible for many people, especially with packed schedules and long days. But new research suggests that you may not need hours at the gym to improve your health. Scientists say even two short bursts of exercise a day, known as “exercise snacks”, could meaningfully boost heart and lung fitness.

Why are short bursts of exercise so effective?

Getting enough exercise is a challenge for many adults, particularly as life gets busier. Yet staying active remains one of the best ways to protect your heart, lungs, and overall well-being. According to a new review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, short bouts of physical activity, called “exercise snacks”, may hold the key to improving fitness without the time burden of traditional workouts, as per a report by MNT.

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Regular exercise has long been linked to lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and even depression. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of intense activity weekly, a target that nearly one-third of adults fail to meet. The new research suggests that smaller, more frequent bouts of exercise can still deliver measurable benefits for those struggling to fit workouts into their routines, as per a report by MNT.

Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, a doctoral researcher at the University of Oviedo in Spain, explained why this approach works, “When people are asked why they don’t exercise, the most common answers are lack of time and lack of motivation. Exercise snacks directly address both: They’re short, flexible, and easy to fit into daily routines.”

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What did the study find?

The review analyzed data from 11 studies conducted across Canada, Australia, China, and the United Kingdom. A total of 414 participants, aged between 18 and 75, took part, most of whom were sedentary or physically inactive before the research began.

Participants performed short bursts of exercise between two and ten times a day, for up to five minutes each. Activities ranged from stair climbing and leg-focused strength movements to tai chi, a low-impact martial art known to enhance balance and flexibility.

The studies lasted between four and twelve weeks, with participants exercising on three to seven days a week. Impressively, 83% of participants stuck with the program, far higher than the 63% adherence rate typically seen with high-intensity interval training (HIIT), as per a report by MNT.

Cheng-Han Chen, MD, a board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center, explained the findings:

“This review analyzed multiple previous studies and found that brief (less than 5 minutes) periods of moderate-to-intense exercise at least twice a day was associated with improved cardiorespiratory fitness. These findings provide a potential avenue for sedentary people to obtain a health benefit with only short amounts of physical activity,” as per a report by MNT.

What types of exercise work best?

The studies explored a range of movements to suit different fitness levels. Younger participants performed more intense activities such as stair sprints, lunges, and push-ups. Older adults or those with lower fitness levels benefitted from lighter routines like chair stands, resistance exercises, or short sessions of tai chi, as per a report by MNT.

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Rodríguez emphasized that consistency and personalization matter most, “It is important to recognize that exercise should ideally be individualized to maximize its benefits. The response to training can differ substantially between adults and older adults, due to variations in physiological capacity, recovery rate, and baseline fitness.”

He added that, “balancing intensity, safety, and consistency is essential when implementing exercise snacks in everyday life.”

Can short workouts really improve heart and lung fitness?

Yes, the research showed statistically significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, even though participants didn’t meet the full weekly exercise recommendations set by the CDC or World Health Organization (WHO), as per a report by MNT.

Younger adults showed the biggest boosts in heart and lung function, while older adults saw improvements in muscular endurance. Rodríguez noted:

“What’s remarkable is that these gains were achieved with exercise volumes far below current WHO recommendations. This suggests that small, consistent bouts of movement can meaningfully improve fitness, even in people who find it hard to dedicate long periods to exercise.”

The study also observed positive changes in muscle strength, balance, and endurance, though the researchers cautioned that more comparisons with traditional, longer workouts are needed to confirm equivalence.

Is any movement better than none?

Both Rodríguez and Chen agree that consistency, not duration, is the true key to long-term health, as per a report by MNT.

Rodríguez advised, “The main message is that exercise does not need to be long, structured, or complicated to be effective. Short, repeated bouts of activity (i.e., ‘exercise snacks’) can significantly improve fitness with very little time commitment.”

He continued, “any opportunity throughout the day to move, even briefly, can make a meaningful contribution. Incorporating short, vigorous snacks of activity whenever possible remains a highly valuable and accessible strategy for improving overall health and cardiorespiratory fitness,” as per a report by MNT.

Chen added that this flexible style of movement could be ideal for those who struggle to carve out time, “This form of exercise might be an efficient way for busy and/or sedentary individuals to get at least some cardiopulmonary benefit with only brief periods of higher-intensity physical activity.”

How can you add exercise snacks to your day?

For people who are short on time, Rodríguez suggested weaving short activities into daily routines, “For healthy adults, practical examples include fast stair climbing, bodyweight squats, lunges, push-ups, or even burpees, provided that their physical condition allows these higher-intensity movements.”

For older adults, or those new to exercise, gentler options like chair stands, light resistance training, and tai chi can be highly effective. The goal isn’t to exhaust yourself, it’s to move more frequently and consistently throughout the day, as per a report by MNT.

The research makes one thing clear: fitness doesn’t always require long, structured workouts. Even two or three bursts of movement a day, lasting less than five minutes each, can improve heart and lung health, increase strength, and boost endurance.

In Rodríguez’s words, the message is simple, “Any opportunity throughout the day to move, even briefly, can make a meaningful contribution.”

So, whether it’s climbing stairs, doing squats in between calls, or taking brisk walks during lunch, those small moments of movement could make a big difference for your long-term health.

Note:

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor regarding any medical concerns.

FAQs

What are exercise snacks?
They are short, high-intensity bursts of physical activity lasting about five minutes, done multiple times a day.

How do exercise snacks improve health?
Even brief activity boosts heart and lung function, improves endurance, and helps maintain overall fitness, especially in people with busy schedules.

At 78, Arnold Schwarzenegger still hits the gym nearly every day — but these days, his workouts last about an hour and a half, not the five-hour marathons that made him a bodybuilding legend.

“I sometimes trained five hours a day with weights,” he told Business Insider. “That’s a lot of stress on the body — and clearly the body was not meant to do all that.”

Schwarzenegger started working out at 15 years old. At the height of his bodybuilding career, he famously sweated through as many as 80 to 100 sets of exercise to hit every muscle group.

As he’s gotten older, though, even the Terminator hasn’t been immune to the wear and tear of decades under the barbell, he told Business Insider in an interview about his new “You’ll Be Back” campaign with Zimmer Biomet, where he’s the Chief Movement Officer.

To compensate, he’s traded heavy barbells for exercise machines and long sessions for smarter, shorter ones.

That’s not where everyone should start. He believes that people should learn to lift with a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebells. Schwarzenegger’s point isn’t to abandon free weights, but to understand the arc: master control first, then protect your joints.

“For me today, the machines are better simply because there’s certain movements I can’t do because of shoulder problems or knee problems,” Schwarzenegger said.

His new approach offers a blueprint for staying strong even as your joints protest. Here’s what the legendary bodybuilder recommends to get the most out of your workout.

Focus on simple movements

When it comes to choosing the right equipment, consider your unique needs and goals.

“We have so many sophisticated machines now that people sometimes get into the habit of using a machine when in fact the free weights at the beginning are better,” Schwarzenegger said.

Dumbbells or a barbell can work more muscle groups at once because they require you to stabilize the weight as you move. Free weights also allow you to perform more dynamic and explosive full-body movements, like the clean and press, which Schwarzenegger said is a personal favorite.

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In contrast, exercise machines offer more support, making them good options for people working through injuries or mobility limitations, as well as older athletes. Machines can also make your workouts more efficient since they’re quicker to adjust.

Regardless of whether you lift a barbell or do your reps on a machine, don’t overcomplicate your workout, according to Schwarzenegger.

He recommends classic movements like deadlifts, squats, rows, and bench presses.

“The basic exercises are the most underrated exercises,” he said.

Consistency is key

Technique builds strength; routine keeps it. And for Schwarzenegger, that’s the real secret to longevity.

These days, Schwarzenegger’s daily workout includes 25 sets of weightlifting exercises along with biking for cardio, usually for around 45 minutes.

Sure, life can get in the way sometimes. “Yesterday I had a flat tire all of a sudden,” he said, and added that it forced him to adjust his scheduled gym session. “Half was a bike ride and the other half was walking back home.”

Schwarzenegger said the key is to try to keep a routine as much as possible. If pain or injury starts to derail your workouts, don’t be afraid to ask for help or seek medical care.

“When people start having pain, then they start limiting the amount of things that they do,” he said. “When you start doing that, then the danger is it’s the beginning of death because movement is life.”