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Ya gotta have heart!

Flex, Nov, 2006 by Arnold Schwarzenegger

It's a funny thing, getting older. I recently turned 59, an age that certainly can give one pause to reflect on the past while considering the future. In looking back, I realize that I've had a fantastic life, one full of victories--both personal and professional--a few disappointments and, most important, the blessings of long-term friendships and the love of my family. I can also see from my vantage point instances in which previous youthful exuberance has given way to more measured consideration. I guess you might call it "maturity." However, certain habits were life-forming from the start.

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From the beginning of my bodybuilding days--due to my soccer background--I always knew about the importance of cardiovascular training and maintaining fitness and a healthy heart. Due to a family history of heart problems, I was aware that, genetically, I had a disadvantage and I took extra care in being fit in a cardiovascular sense. So, even when I was at the peak of my bodybuilding career, it wasn't just about lifting ponderous weights. For cardio condition I used to do a 20- to 30-minute run three or four times a week along the Venice boardwalk and beach.

Today, I follow a fitness regimen, and that is one of the reasons I am able to bring so much energy to my job and other projects. Each morning, before embarking on a day as governor of the great state of California, I jump on my stationary bicycle and pedal for 45 minutes. As busy as I am these days, I make sure to get in my bike time every day. You've heard it before, as have I, but the heart is absolutely the most important muscle in the body, and it needs to be exercised just like any other muscle if you want it to perform at its best.

Sure, the biceps are showy and the deltoids make you look wide, but the heart is what enables you to work all of those muscles--not to mention think, sleep and breathe. The heart is the engine for life and, like a car's engine, if not maintained will eventually become less efficient--it may even break down. Of course, I became even more aware of just how precious the heart is nine years ago, when I had open-heart surgery for a congenital condition, the same one my mother and my grandparents had. I know my years of cardio and fitness training helped me postpone that development and deal with that episode much better than if I'd been a sedentary person all my life.

If I could travel back in time and give my younger self one piece of fatherly advice, it would be to consider my total health when exercising. "Train the muscles and enjoy your size and strength," I would say. "But also think of your body as a whole, rather than a collection of pieces, when training it."

Although I can't talk to a 20-something Arnold, I can talk to you, the FLEX reader. As you continue your quest to develop the physique in your mind's eye, consider taking a more holistic approach to your training. Incorporate some cardio activity in your training, be it a stationary bike, walking a treadmill at home or, my favorite, running on a beach.

Also, don't neglect stretching. It not only gives you longer muscles, it also improves circulation in your extremities as well as your overall flexibility, which is important for injury prevention. Whether you take 20 minutes to stretch before and after your weight training or enroll in a martial-arts class, there are many options when it comes to keeping yourself limber.

No matter your age, I encourage you to embrace the concept of bodybuilding as part of a larger discipline called "fitness." For me, that embraces the mind, also. Keep your mind sharp, alert and focused on positive thoughts. The ideal is a healthy mind in a healthy body. By following this fitness lifestyle, one that includes cardio training and stretching, along with bodybuilding, I believe you'll find not just the fountain of youth, but a formula for personal fulfillment that will be yours for life.

Ya gotta have heart!

Flex, Nov, 2006 by Arnold Schwarzenegger

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