The Arnold Line: Fitness Gear and Supplements

How great is it that we can go into a Walmart, Sam’s Club, or any major fitness store to get our hands on Schwarzenegger’s own supplement line, the Arnold Series by MusclePharm? The fans are pumped to have Arnold’s name and image attached to a top-quality product. Still, most fans wondered why we had to wait so long for Schwarzenegger to give us his own line of supplements.

As you may have heard, The Austrian Oak was so thankful for Joe Weider’s help for guiding him along in his early career and rise to become the world’s best bodybuilder that he promised to never compete against Weider’s fitness products.

“I didn’t do it for 45 years,” said Schwarzenegger, “because I promised Joe Weider, who brought me over to this company and who had his own food supplements line, equipment, and magazine, that I would never compete against him. Sadly to say, he has now passed away at the age of 94. He was my mentor.”

No Schwarzenegger-endorsed supplements would ever be sold while Weider was alive. That’s quite a sacrificial honour considering Arnold could have earned hundreds of millions in revenue from product deals and endorsements in the U.S. alone. So before the launch in 2013 of Arnold’s green-packaged MusclePharm products, there was never an Arnold supplement for sale to the public, right? Wrong! There was a loophole where the upcoming action star was allowed to launch supplements overseas.

As you know, the Terminator can time-travel, so I’m leaving this time-displacement machine turned on so you can all join me as we travel back in time to visit all of the supplements and fitness gear Arnold released over the last four decades.

Our first stop during our time-travel experience is the ’70s. Watch your step. Wow, look at all these bell-bottoms and mustaches! Among a handful of items were the Weider Figure Trimmer (a simple orange disc) for you to stand on and swivel back and forth. The Champion Big 16 Deluxe Home Gym Expander Set and cans of Joe’s Crash-Weight Gain (vanilla and chocolate) also featured Arnold as the model. It was an honour to have a 90-year-old Weider autograph my weight-gain can. This Arnold-endorsed weight-gain drink delivered over 1,800 calories when mixed with milk and taken as directed. The super weight-gaining drink used by athletes and strongmen promised to allow users to gain weight swiftly and keep the weight on with continued use. While it claimed to have 1,830 calories, it said it could be boosted to a maximum of 3,000 calories when prepared with bananas, nuts, ice cream, honey, and dried fruits.

Okay, now let’s move onto the early ’80s. While filming Conan the Barbarian, Schwarzenegger released Aminovit. Many muscle magazines had advertisements for this overseas product showing Arnold with his item in three different ads: drinking from a blender, on the set of Conan, and another showing The Oak giving the product a thumbs-up while on a piece of gym equipment. A large “AS” for Arnold Schwarzenegger is at the top of the white canisters filled with supplement powder. Aminovit was distributed by Ludwig Brummer.

Arnold’s message to the buyer of Aminovit was on the can.

“For me, there’s only one thing: progress and the next level of development. Constantly set new goals, do not stop! Stay powerful, energetic, fit and in shape with Aminovit, the AS activator. Aminovit—my alternative for body—and toning. The taste? Try it!” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

For our next time-travel stop, let’s get out here in 1989 at the Arnold Classic. Brrrr, it’s cold here in Columbus, Ohio, in March. But as you can see, in the inaugural year of the Classic, a few collectibles were produced to advertise this big fitness event! In my personal collection I have a large gold Arnold Classic 1989 coin and a set of mugs and plates. Another item, although not for sale, was a glass desk set given out to sponsors and promoters of the event. Gold Classic coins, a pen and the following message were displayed: “Thank you for all of your help and support —Arnold + Jim.”

Okay, let’s time-travel a year forward to 1990, when we’ll come to the next overseas Arnold supplement, Schwarzenegger’s Muscle Plus by All Star Fitness Products. On a white or cream-coloured canister, a painting of Arnold is shown with his name prominently displayed under his image. Muscle Plus 90 was one product number, but there were also 85 and 15 and perhaps other numerations for various levels of your desired pump.

Okay, before we get back to the future, let’s make one last stop in 1995 at Walmart. In the mid-‘90s, Weider allowed Arnold to sell a few non-supplements: Schwarzenegger endorsed World Gym fitness gear, a Walmart limited-run exclusive. I picked up all of the products, including an Arnold Weightlifting Belt and Gloves Combo Pack. Also, there were separately sold Champion brand gloves. It’s a little strange to have Arnold gloves, considering The Austrian Oak never wore gloves himself while lifting because he said it would weaken his grip.

For now, there are a couple of places where you can buy officially licensed Arnold Schwarzenegger products, but we hope soon there will be more opportunities. Currently you can purchase Arnold shirts at Homage.com. They are selling images from The Oak’s bodybuilding era, all of which promote the Arnold Classic, his annual bodybuilding event in Columbus, Ohio. A few other items are also sold at Homage, including a keychain, winter hat, and poster.

I recently spoke with Jim Lorimer, cofounder of the Arnold Classic and Arnold Sports Festival. Jim told me in December of 2014 that he would speak with Schwarzenegger about getting some Arnold-endorsed fitness products and merchandise at the 2015 Arnold Classic. After we discussed Arnold fitness gear, I suggested the hopeful availability of affordable replicas of The Austrian Oak’s double bicep statue as a potential souvenir for fans to bring home.

“Well, that’s very interesting,” said Lorimer, “because we have created a new statue this year, which we’re going to have duplicated, that is intended to be in three sizes and given to the champions over at the amateur events. Your recommendation is maybe we have a small statue of Arnold, which the public might purchase. Is that what you’re saying? Well, I like your suggestion, and I will discuss that with Arnold.”

Although I may not have given Jim and Arnold enough time to prepare to produce some new statues and collectibles, let’s hope the Schwarzenegger merchandise and fitness gear will continue to grow in the upcoming years at the Arnold Classic.

For our last time-travel stop, we’re getting off here in the future! Wow, it looks like Schwarzenegger world here in the summer of 2015, because just look at all of this Arnold gear being released for Terminator: Genisys! There are masks, shirts, watches, shoes, toys, and statues! Well, I guess none of this merchandise counts since we’re focusing on Arnold fitness products. However, it’s certainly nice to see Schwarzenegger’s face still on products.

Finally, before you exit my time machine, instead of tips for your tour guide, I’m going to end my article by asking the readers to hit me up and contact me if you have any Schwarzenegger Muscle Plus or Aminovit products for sale. These would be great additions to my Arnold collection. If you want to sell me any Arnold supplements or gear, please contact me at TheArnoldFans.com’s staff page.

Thank you for honouring Joe Weider for 45 years, Arnold; you’re a stand-up guy! Now, with the passing of the great Joe Weider, I’m hoping Schwarzenegger will again release endorsed fitness gear. Just imagine Arnold gym equipment, dumbbells, water bottles, athletic shoes, socks, energy drinks, treadmills, electronic tracker-bands, sports bottles, gym bags, new exercise videos and athletic soundtracks! Come on, Schwarzenegger, gooooo, get to the merchandise! If you build it, we will come. If you promote it, we will feel the pump. At age 67, Arnold is still selling strong! He was, is and forever will be “Numero Uno”!