Seven times Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger has inspired countless individuals through his immensely successful bodybuilding and fitness journey. Despite being at the tough age of 76, Schwarzenegger trains daily and maintains a good diet. One of the individuals that he motivated long ago was none other than legendary bodybuilder Rich Gaspari.

When Gaspari was just 13 years old, he met Arnold at an event. Schwarzenegger’s motivating words led to Gaspari training hard and eating well. Years later, Gaspari became the first bodybuilder to win the Arnold Classic competition as he fulfilled the promise that he once made to Schwarzenegger. 

Rich Gaspari’s promising words of Arnold Schwarzenegger 

When Gaspari was just 13 years old, Schwarzenegger came to a mall in his town. He recalls that there was a huge line of aspiring bodybuilders and fans who wanted to get their copies of ‘Arnold Education of a Bodybuilder’ signed. This was the first book that Schwarzenegger wrote in his life. While Gaspari could not afford the book at the time, he got a piece of paper and rushed to get it signed by ‘The Austrian Oak.’ Arnold signed it and advised Gaspari to diet well and train hard. Seven years later, the duo met again. While Schwarzenegger could not remember Gaspari, he promised Arnold that one day he was going to remember his name.

According to an Instagram post from Generation Iron, when the duo met later in 1983, Arnold stated, “You expect me to remember you?” To this, Gaspari made a promise to him, saying, “Yeah, you should remember me….you’re gonna remember me.” Six years later, in 1989, the inaugural Arnold Classic received much attention even without the participation of Lee Haney, as his rival Gaspari was there to take the first trophy home. “Years later, he became the first-ever Arnold Classic Champion,” the caption of the Instagram post read.

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Gaspari later continued to walk on the same road as that of his idol and became the second richest bodybuilder ever, with the first one being Arnold himself. But what was the secret behind his success? Let’s take a look. 

Gaspari shares his success mantra

Recently, Gaspari shared an Instagram post in which he revealed the importance of compounding. Gaspari revealed that he relied on a high-protein, moderate-carb, and low-fat diet. He continued by shedding light on the importance of posing as well. “Posing is a big aspect of bodybuilding that a lot of bodybuilders neglect,” Gaspari stated.

“Other aspects are making sure you have a perfect tan. Even making sure you had a good haircut so that you looked really good. All these aspects of getting ready for a show when you combine them all can make a great bodybuilder,” Gaspari revealed. 

Read More: “We Got Like 750 Dollars”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Once Revealed His Peanut Earnings Compared to $400,000 Mr. Olympia Prize Money Today

It was through his determination and dedication that Gaspari became one of the most successful bodybuilders of his era. He acknowledges the impact that Schwarzenegger had on his success.

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