Arnold Schwarzenegger shares key benefit to early morning fitness routine

Arnold Schwarzenegger knows a thing or two about fitness, and has created an entire empire based on honing the perfect physique.

The 76-year-old action star was the youngest ever to win the title of Mr. Universe in 1967 when he was just 20 years old.

While Schwarzenegger no longer competes for titles, he’s never given up on maintaining a routine to keep his mind, body and spirit in fighting shape.

He admitted during the “Town & Country” Philanthropy Summit that he “doesn’t think” when he wakes up, and goes directly into training.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER FILLING A POTHOLE SPARKS CONTROVERSY WITHIN CITY OF LOS ANGELES

Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t think about working out in the morning, he just does it. (Jason Merritt)

“I feel good in the morning,” he said, via People magazine. “I get up and I feed my animals, Lulu and Whiskey, and my little pig, Chanel I feed the dogs, then I go to the gym.”

On his way to work out, everything is “kind of like a black-and-white movie,” but the ride back home is a little more visually fulfilling and “becomes a colored movie.”

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“It’s because you’re working out and having done something physical where you kind of really sweat and you train hard. [It] makes you feel good because you’ve not done something early in the morning,” he said.

Arnold Schwarzenegger rides his bike in Santa Monica after gym trip. (Bauer-Griffin)

“And so this is why I say to people, ‘The key thing is in the morning, do right away something.’ Don’t think when you get up because stupid stuff comes into your mind and negative stuff. 

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“I said, ‘Just roll out a bed, get on your bike and start riding the bike and work out and do something physical.’ And then afterward you will feel much better about yourself and about the world, the way you look at the world and everything like that.” 

The former California governor said this particular routine is what has made him “successful” not only in his career, but also raising his family. 

Schwarzenegger has earned the Mr. Universe title multiple times. (Harry Langdon)

He’s also earned seven Mr. Olympia titles throughout his bodybuilding career. (Jack Mitchell)

Arnold has four children with ex-wife Maria Shriver: Katherine, 33, Christina, 31, Patrick, 30, and Christopher, 26. He also has one other son, Joseph Baena, 26.

Shriver filed for divorce from Schwarzenegger in 2011 after the “Terminator” actor revealed he had fathered a child with the family’s housekeeper, Mildred Baena.

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“These are the rules that I used in order to be successful and in order to be also successful in giving something back,” he said.

Following a successful acting career, Arnold became involved in politics and served as the governor of California. (Andreas Rentz)

Philanthropy and giving back to the community is on his mind now more than ever before. 

He remembered how helping athletes at the Special Olympics in the ’70s made him feel “so great” that he continued to work with the program and give back to foundations focused on childhood enrichment.

“[The] first half of my life was all about me. And the second half of my life is all about making the world a better place,” Schwarzenegger said. “It’s all about just making the world a better place and giving something back.”

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