Arnold Schwarzenegger defined physique goals when he was a professional bodybuilder. He revolutionized the sport and became an inspiration for every person looking to join the sport. His measurements were surprising and would leave people in awe. He won 7 Mr. Olympia titles, six of which came one after the other. No one could match Arnold in his prime.

Standing at the epitome of bodybuilding, there wasn’t much in the physical spectrum of the human body that would amaze Arnold. But basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal’s physical attributes left Schwarzenegger baffled.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was amazed by Shaq’s physique

As Shaq came out of LSU, people addressed him as the second coming of Wilt Chamberlain. It wasn’t because of a matching physique or a similar playing style, but because of how they played concerning their physique. Shaq was a ‘beefy’ guy with a lot of muscle. It was daunting to face him, especially inside the paint. While the world was amazed at how good of a player Shaq was, Arnold Schwarzenegger was astonished at his physical attributes.

Standing at 7’1 and weighing 305 pounds, Shaq’s body fat percentage read at 7.5%. This isn’t a regular occurrence and can very well be termed as an anomaly. Schwarzenegger noted this and was amazed at how quickly O’Neal could move up and down a basketball court. Arnold pointed out how Shaquille could maintain his physique while also being able to have so much energy throughout the game.

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Schwarzenegger said, “I think this is a whole new dimension. He came over today to Planet Hollywood, and he ate his lunch. I’m telling you, the waitresses went and kept feeding him one meal after the other. He must’ve eaten like 10 meals. Staggering, the way this guy devoured, and he burns it off by playing basketball and practicing, and that’s why he has such a low percentage of body fat.”

Schwarzenegger at his physical best

Amazing Arnold is no mean feat, especially with the human body. O’Neal is one of the few people who did it. While Shaquille’s 7.5% body fat at 305pounds is a staggering figure, what were Arnold’s measurements in his prime?

At 27, Arnold weighed nearly 236 lbs and had a body fat percentage of about 8.5. His daily calorie intake came close to 3469kcal. In comparison, As Arnold turned 29, he shed some weight to register 229 lbs. During this time, his body fate came down to 7%, and his daily calorie intake came slightly down to 3430kcal. In these years, Arnold won 6 consecutive Mr. Olympia titles while also doing movies in Hollywood.

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During the early years of his professional career, the biggest compliment Shaq could’ve received came from Arnold. Schwarzenegger even ‘predicted’ Shaq would do great things, and the Laker’s legend is now widely considered one of the greatest players of all time.