Former Mr.Universe, Hollywood star, and Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger is whipping himself back into shape, and taking his time to help others stay motivated, too.
Arnie has become well known for the care and kind words he has for his fans and has become a fixture on Reddit, where he posts under the name u/GovSchwarzenegger. He posts in a variety of forums, including politics and movies, but it is his nuggets of wisdom and advice to followers of his first love, fitness, and bodybuilding, that is inspiring so many. To bodybuilders Arnie is a God, imagine getting personal advice from an actual legend of your sport!
Ali from Canada, who's been living with depression for some time, which was keeping him out of the gym, spontaneously asked Arnie for a little advice and motivation on how to get back into the groove. “I had been wanting to go to the gym for quite a while and had not been as I could not get any motivation going due to my poor mental health,” Ali told Bored Panda. “I figured that I wouldn't have anything to lose just asking. Worst case scenario, no one notices and it gets ignored. Best case scenario... Well, you know!”
The boost from the exchange with this widely beloved famous person helped Ali get back to a regular routine. “If ever I feel like not going, I just imagine him saying "do it" in his accent,” he laughed.
“When I saw Arnold's first message I was immediately uplifted. And I mean immediately! By the time I came back from the gym people were already so happy in the comments and sharing their own experiences. The story wasn't about me anymore, it was about the explosion of inspiration that Arnold's words caused in his post.”
“I went to sleep that night feeling like a million bucks, knowing I had had an amazing day. Waking up the next day to see Arnold checking in on me still gives me goosebumps just thinking about it! Saying he was proud of me for having gone to the gym and asking how it went, it definitely felt unreal once again.”
The thread took on a life of its own and inspired so many more with positive vibes and advice. The benefits of exercise for those feeling depressed are well documented, but having the condition makes it even more difficult to take that crucial first step that, no matter how small, is a positive step in a good direction. Sometimes a boost can make all the difference!
“Working out is absolute witchcraft when it comes to feeling better,” Ali told us. “Obviously there is the immediate endorphin boost, but beyond that,, it gives you a sense of having done something worthwhile with your time. If you keep it up, you look better, have more energy, sleep better and even eat better just because your body craves good nutrients after working out.”
Ali describes himself as a “generally a nice guy,” but since his exchange with Arnold, he has been ridiculously positive. “It's hard to put a damper on my mood these days,” he said. And what was the first Schwarzenegger movie he watched after it all went down? “In the evening I watched Last Action Hero.”
Scroll down below to check it out for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
Arnold Schwarzenegger is known as the tough guy, but he is loved for the time he takes for his fans
Image credits: schwarzenegger
Recently, someone who was not in a good place reached out to Arnold via reddit
And Arnold responded with hearwarming and important advice
Arnold is well known for his charitable work, as well as his outspoken support of the Special Olympics
This is him helping out struggling families to celebrate the holidays
Image credits: CHARLIE CARBALLO
Arnold went undercover as a gym instructor to promote his 'After School All-Stars' program, which provides after school programs for kids from low income families
Here's what people had to say about the wholesome exchange
