The last time Arnold Schwarzenegger competed as a professional bodybuilder was over four decades ago. Even though he’s no longer necessarily focused on building incredible amounts of mass, he still holds considerable influence over the strength sport. Joseph Baena — Schwarzenegger’s 24-year-old son — appears to be following (somewhat) in his dad’s massive footsteps.
Or at least show that he appreciates his roots and knows where he comes from.
In a recent post to his Instagram, Baena paid homage to his legendary father by striking the Austrian’s famed ¾ back pose. With a simple but effective caption of “going for it,” Baena certainly seems to understand what grandiose images and memories he invokes by simply positioning his body in that manner:
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Baena’s Path at a Glance
In February 2022, Men’s Health detailed Baena’s unique fitness journey and how he trains to maintain his growing physique. Baena says his training consists of a six-day schedule with two-hour sessions while working in short cardio in the mornings.
Though his dad is a bodybuilding icon who he can ask for advice at any time, Baena notes in the article that he wanted to carve out a path by himself when he was younger. He wanted to figure “it” out on his own — meaning a promising and fulfilling life without the direct help of one of the most famous people in the world. Baena’s mindset was apparently like this from the jump.
“Even though I could call him [Arnold Schwarzenegger] anytime, I was too proud,” Baena says to Men’s Health when he first started paying attention to his physique. “I went straight to the book. I wanted to figure it out myself.”
Over time, Baena told Men’s Health that he soon found a rhythm and specific routine that works for his personal fitness goals.
“I was able to acquire a bodybuilding mentality, that I could shape my body however I want.”
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What the Future Holds
At the time of this writing, while he continues to train hard, Baena hasn’t revealed any pending plans to compete on a formal bodybuilding stage. According to IMDB, he is a working actor with six credits. In that respect, it looks like Baena is emulating his father’s famous Hollywood footsteps. Even still, despite the similarities, Baena continues to focus on staking out a place for himself in the world with his efforts alone.
With enough dedication, perhaps one day, he’ll get to have his Terminator highlight.
“My dad is old-school; he doesn’t believe in handouts,” Baena said to Men’s Health. He believes hard work pays off, and so do I. I love the word ‘honor’, and I’m very prideful in the sense that if I use my dad’s contacts or ask him for favors, I wonder what honor is that going to bring me?”
Featured image: @joebaena on Instagram
