Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joseph Baena
Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
NEED TO KNOW
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Joseph Baena said his father, Arnold Schwarzenegger, gave him the “bodybuilding encyclopedia” when he was in college, which piqued his interest in the hobby
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Since then, he has trained with his father, who was previously a professional bodybuilder before transitioning into acting
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Baena won his first bodybuilding competition in March
Joseph Baena is soaring to new heights in the bodybuilding world — partially thanks to his dad Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Baena — who is the 28-year-old son of Schwarzenegger, 78, and Mildred Patricia Baena — revealed in a new interview with GQ that his father helped kick start his journey into the bodybuilding world after he became interested in health in college.
“My dad gave me the bodybuilding encyclopedia,” Baena told the outlet of his father, who used to be a professional bodybuilder before becoming an actor.
“I was flipping through that, trying to learn how to grow the biceps, and I fell in love with weightlifting,” he continued. “I fell in love with eating healthy. I fell in love with learning about the body and how it reacts to training, and I became very passionate about it.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger in the gym with Joseph Baena
Credit: Joseph Baena/Instagram
Schwarzenegger not only gave him the guide to learning about bodybuilding, but has also stepped into the gym with him to put it into practice. Baena has been photographed training with weights alongside his father at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, Calif.
When asked what it was like to train alongside his famous father, Baena admitted, “He’s the best training partner. I don’t know what to say.”
“He pushes me. He makes sure that I don’t slack off in the gym. When the carbs are low and the calories are low and I start getting tired, he pumps me up,” he added.
It appears to have worked, as Baena became a bodybuilding champion. He announced on Instagram last month that he won first place in multiple categories at the NPC Natural Colorado State competition — including the Men’s Open Body Heavy Weight Class, Men’s Classic Physique True Novice and Men’s Class Physique Novice.
“Mission Accomplished! 🥇,” he wrote alongside several photos of himself flexing onstage during his bodybuilding debut.
He was also named the INBA Iron Gladiator classic physique champion on Saturday, April 4.
He appears to be following in his father’s footsteps. The Terminator star has been considered one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, winning the Mr. Olympia title seven times and Mr. Universe five times, before he stopped competing in 1980.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son Joseph Baena prepping for bodybuilding competition
Credit: Joseph Baena/Instagram
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However, it took time for Baena to get to this point, as he previously shared that he was “chubby” in high school and was “cut from my basketball and soccer team because I couldn’t keep up with the other kids.”
“Swim didn’t have tryouts thankfully and completely changed my life forever,” he added. “That was my introduction to Fitness and training.”
Read the original article on People
