Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Son Is Building His Own Natural Bodybuilding Legacy. Try His 9-Exercise Arm and Shoulder Workout

Joseph Baena, the 29-year-old son of Arnold Schwarzenegger, made his professional bodybuilding debut this past weekend at the INBA PNBA Pro/Am World in California. He’s already a spitting image of his bodybuilding-pro father, and clearly, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to his physique and passion for the sport either. Baena earned an impressive fifth place in what was just the third bodybuilding competition of his career.

“The goal was actually to place top five,” Baena shared in a recent Instagram reel. “So I achieved the goal I sought out for. I know what I need to do to improve. I know what it takes to get better now. I think the size I had, the shape that I had was all there. There’s some things that I need to improve on, of course, everyone does.”

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Leading up to the competition, Baena followed a six-day training split that balanced upper- and lower-body workouts with cardio and recovery days. His weekly split included push and biceps on Monday, pull and triceps on Tuesday, legs on Wednesday, cardio on Thursday, upper-body on Friday, lower-body on Saturday, and a full rest day on Sunday. He also incorporated some form of steady-state cardio five days a week.

Following the competition, Baena acknowledged that his conditioning needs some work and that he’ll be focused on improving his arms, hamstrings, and glutes heading into the offseason. Until then, read on for one of the workouts that helped Baena prepare for his pro debut: a nine-exercise shoulder and arm workout.

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Joseph Baena’s Shoulder and Arm Workout

How to Do Dumbbell Shoulder Presses

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, with your palms facing forward.

2. Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are extended.

3. Lower the weights back to shoulder height.

How to Do Lateral Raises

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, with your palms facing inward.

2. Raise your arms out to the sides until they reach shoulder height.

3. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to your sides.

How to Do Rear Delt Flyes

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hinge forward at the hips, letting your arms hang beneath your shoulders.

2. Raise both arms out to the sides, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.

3. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Related: Natural Bodybuilder Explains Why He Started Taking His First Set to Muscular Failure for Maximum Gains

How to Do Cable Lateral Raises

1. Stand beside a cable station and grab a handle.

2. Raise your arm out to the side until it reaches shoulder height.

3. Slowly lower your arm back to the starting position.

How to Do Cable Curls

1. Stand facing a low cable pulley and grip the handle with your palms facing up.

2. Curl the handle toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your sides.

3. Lower the handle until your arms are extended.

How to Do Alternating Bicep Curls

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, with your palms facing forward.

2. Curl one dumbbell toward your shoulder while keeping your other arm stationary.

3. Lower the weight and repeat with the opposite arm.

How to Do Concentration Curls

1. Sit on a bench with your legs spread and hold a dumbbell in one hand.

2. Rest your upper arm against the inside of your thigh and curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder.

3. Lower the weight until your arm is extended, then repeat before switching sides.

How to Do Triceps Pushdowns

1. Stand facing a high cable pulley and grip the attachment with both hands.

2. Push the handle down until your arms are extended, keeping your elbows tucked at your sides.

3. Slowly return the handle to the starting position.

How to Do Lying Triceps Extensions

1. Lie on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand above your chest, with your palms facing each other.

2. Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbells toward either side of your head.

3. Extend your arms to bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Golden Era Workout Will Give You a Full-Body Pump in Just 30 Minutes

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Sources

• Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Son Makes Pro Bodybuilding Debut – Steal His 9-Move Shoulders and Arms Workout, Men’s Health UK

This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Nov 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Fitness section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.