Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Ultimate Exercise for Strength, Endurance, Muscle Growth, and Fat Loss
Arnold Schwarzenegger believes one exercise can cover all aspects of fitness—strength, endurance, muscle building, and fat loss. In his Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter, he highlights the benefits of rucking—walking while carrying extra weight—as the ultimate full-body workout.
reach the summit
In bodybuilding, exercise selection is a huge topic. With limited time to train—whether at the gym, outdoors, or at home—finding the best movements for muscle growth is key.
With so many muscle groups to train, making progress in all areas can feel impossible. That’s why people constantly debate the best exercises for hypertrophy and strength.
Fitness experts like Stan Efferding, seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath, Chris Bumstead, and Nick Walker have shared their top 10 exercises for muscle growth. But if they had to choose just one, would it be rucking? Schwarzenegger thinks so.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals Why Rucking Is the Ultimate Full-Body Exercise for Muscle and Fat Loss
Want one exercise that does it all? Arnold Schwarzenegger breaks down why rucking—walking with added weight—is the Swiss Army Knife of fitness, helping you build muscle, burn fat, and boost endurance.
Schwarzenegger highlights new research showing that rucking might be the only workout you need for strength, hypertrophy, fat loss, and conditioning. Whether you're a bodybuilder or just looking to get fit, this simple yet powerful movement could be the key to your success.
“The Only Exercise You Need?
If we told you that there was only one exercise you need to improve strength and endurance — while improving muscle gain and fat loss — would that be something you might be interested in? (Entourage fans, eat your heart out).”“Research suggests that rucking — or walking while carrying extra weight — might be the Swiss army knife of exercise because of its ability to help you achieve every fitness goal imaginable.”
As a seven-time Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwarzenegger used many exercises to build his legendary physique. He knows no single movement can do it all, but if he had to choose one, rucking would be his top pick. It targets multiple aspects of fitness and checks the most boxes.
“Hype aside, we don’t believe there’s only one exercise anyone needs to do. The best type of exercise is the one that you’ll do consistently, and research shows that you’ll benefit from a mix of strength and cardio.
But if you had to pick one that checks all the boxes, rucking would do it better than anything else. It’s an activity you can do alone or with friends, and it gets you outdoors—which, as we’ve shared before, is good for your physical and mental health.”
The scientific literature also suggests that rucking makes you stronger, builds endurance, and improves stamina without causing joint degradation.
“Research suggests that rucking makes you stronger, builds endurance, improves stamina, and does so without much impact on your joints. If that wasn’t enough, studies have found that rucking helps you burn 100 more calories per hour than jogging at a moderate pace. And if you compare it to walking, researchers from South Carolina estimate that rucking can burn at least 2 to 3 times more calories than walking.”
A study shared by Arnold Schwarzenegger showed that participants carrying heavier weighted packs lost three more pounds than those using lighter vests. He noted that the fat seemed to melt away—even without changes to their diet or other workouts.
“One study even found that wearing a heavily weighted pack resulted in participants losing three more pounds than those wearing a light vest. The cool part? The pounds seemingly disappeared despite not changing any other aspects of exercise or diet.
Scientists are investigating whether carrying the extra weight might trick your body into producing more leptin, a hormone in your fat cells. This could reduce hunger, increase your metabolism, and limit fat storage.”
Schwarzenegger isn’t the only one praising rucking. Dr. Peter Attia, a leading health expert, includes it in his top 10 exercises for lifelong fitness and strength. Stanford professor and neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman has rucked weekly for 30 years, making it a key part of his training routine.
I ruck to the gym three times a week and have seen big improvements in endurance, strength, and muscle definition. If you want to build muscle, burn fat, and push your limits, give rucking a shot!
