The bodybuilding legend joined a crew of fitness industry celebrities at Muscle Beach in Venice, CA, for a throwback photo shoot that paid homage to the golden era of bodybuilding.
This past November, Arnold Schwarzenegger FaceTimed Muscle & Fitness Editor-in-Chief Shawn Perine with an idea: to re-create the Muscle Beach photos of the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s. Growing up in Austria, Schwarzenegger was inspired by scenes of muscular and vibrant women frolicking on Venice Beach and lifting in “the Pit,” and he set his sights on America. Once here, he became the subject of many of those iconic photos, along with pals like Franco Columbu, Dave Draper, Steve Marjanian, Zabo Koszewski, and others.
So, on Dec. 12, 2016, Schwarzenegger’s vision became a reality as legendary photographer Per Bernal and a group of athletes that included some of the world’s top bodybuilding, classic physique, fitness, and bikini competitors (including three Olympia champions) assembled for a day of fun, rusty iron—and a time machine trip back to Muscle Beach’s glory days with the man who made them glorious.
Photographer Per Bernal perfectly captured the spirit of the Muscle Beach shoots regularly featured in this magazine in the 1960s and '70s.
NPC Classic Physique champ Calum von Moger gives seven-time IFBB Bikini champ Narmin Assria a lift.
Olympia Classic Physique division competitor Stan McQuay catches a breather in between sets of triceps rope extensions.
Former WWE superstar and current fitness model Torrie Wilson was one of several ladies on hand to help balance out the glut of beasts who showed up for our historic shoot.
2016 Classic Physique Olympia fourth-place finisher Breon Ansley works his guns out in the warm SoCal sun.
He’s back! Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to the place forever associated with his name to give 2016 Classic Physique Olympia champ Danny Hester some tips.
IFBB Pro Brad Rowe impressed everyone on set with his strength. Here he toys with 405 lbs.
Von Moger, McQuay, three-time Physique Olympia champ Jeremy Buendia, and Ansley may think they’re the ones motivating Rowe, but Wilson, Karina Elle, and Assria provided all he needed.
This is what we call good symmetry.
Seven-time bikini pro champ Assria puts smiles on everyone’s faces.
The ladies jump in on the action.
Stanimal De Longeaux, Ike Catcher, Calum von Moger, Brad Rowe, Torrie Wilson, Breon Ansley, Narmin Assria, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeremy Buendia, Karina Elle, Danny Hester, Douglas Farrell, Stan McQuay, and Oksana Grishina all made this shoot possible.
Assria and Buendia relax after the day-long workout on Muscle Beach.