“I haven’t found a woman happy with her body” – When a young Arnold Schwarzenegger talked about women’s body consciousness
Bodybuilder turned Hollywood star and former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is considered the epitome of physique and fitness. The seven-time Mr. Olympia winner has created a niche for himself in the fitness world.
In 1979, a young Schwarzenegger appeared on the 'Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson' to promote his book, 'Arnold's Bodyshaping for Women'. Speaking on why he decided to write it, he said that the people really didn't care much about professional bodybuilding or weightlifting and were more interests in getting into shape. He said:
"I think what everybody is interested in is really being in shape, firming up, being healthy and all that, you know. So, that's why I wrote this other book now, which is for women. Because I felt that there's so many women out there that are out of shape."
He added that there's always some discontent among women regarding their body, and they're never fully happy with their physique. Schwarzenegger believed he could "save them", saying:
"I have done seminars, for instance, for the last four or five years. After I've done seminars for the last four or five years for women how to get in shape and all that, I haven't found a woman yet that was happy with her body. They all have some complaints. The bust line is too small. The hips are the bigger. This and that. and so I felt that I could be the one to save them."
Schwarzenegger soon clarified that both men and women are conscious of their body. However, a man always hides their insecurity, while women tend to be more open about it. He added:
"I found out that men and women are very conscious of the way they look. Man hide more than women do. Women complain much more openly about it. Man hide it,"
"Because of women's liberation, women feel they can go out there and also sweat and train with weights and get in shape" - Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger talked about both men and women wanting to get in shape, their physical insecurities and men hiding their true feelings. He said that men alwasy say that their brain is more important. He said:
"They always say, 'well I don't really need that,'. I think brains are more important to the body. It orders kind of things, but I think men care about it a lot, but the it men are more physical,"
He added that women's liberty is one of the best things, which has encouraged women to work out. Schwarzenegger said:
"I think because of women's liberation now, which is one of the best things that happen to women, is that women feel that they can go out there and also sweat and train with weights and get in shape and do those things, which always were considered that there's something to do for man. Not for women."
He said that health spas give more preference and resources to male customers than their female ones. He said:
"It's a matter of fact for many years they had those health spas. But it was like this little area for women, and I like 20% of the whole club was for women and 80% of was for man with great machines and weights and all those things."
He shed light on some important issues as back as 1979.