Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up in the small Austrian village of Thal in the early 1960s, but even as a teenager, his dreams seemed far from ordinary. He decorated his bedroom in a very unusual way, covering the walls with shiny posters of strong, muscular bodybuilders like Reg Park, Steve Reeves, and Frank Zane.
For Arnold, these men were role models and inspired him to become great. But for his parents, these posters were worrisome and caused major concern.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mother Feared Something Was “Wrong” With Him
Schwarzenegger talked about this painful memory in his 2023 Netflix documentary, ‘Arnold,’ where he revealed that his mother, Aurelia, would stand in front of the wall and cry.
“All his friends have girls above their bed. My son doesn’t have one girl up here. Look at that. It’s only naked men, oiled-up. Where did we go wrong?” she used to say, per Advocate.
Her concern about Arnold’s obsession with juiced-up men reached a whole different level when she sought help from the family doctor. “Can you help me?” she pleaded. “All of Arnold’s friends have pictures of girls above their beds. And Arnold has no girls.”
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The doctor tried to calm her down, explaining that it was normal for teenage boys to admire strong male figures. He assured that there’s nothing “wrong,” but by then, the situation had already left a deep impact.
Arnold Took Beatings From His Father Over His Bodybuilding Obsession
Arnold’s father, Gustav, a former police officer, a World War II veteran, and a very strict man, reacted with anger to his son’s choices. In conservative post-war Austria, he saw his boy’s interest in bodybuilding as strange and unnecessary.
“He ran after me with a belt and beat me,” Schwarzenegger recalled. Gustav believed his sons should’ve been doing “useful” work like chopping wood, not lifting weights or admiring muscular bodies. The posters only made the tension in the family worse.
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Arnold’s Tough Upbringing Amidst Fear and Poverty
Schwarzenegger, after being born in 1947, grew up in a home riddled with poverty, the aftereffects of the war, and his father’s alcoholism. Gustav was often physically abusive toward Arnold, his brother Meinhard, and even their mother.
At that time, society was also less understanding about domestic violence, and people often saw things differently. The general consensus was to just take it and get on with life.
However, the emotional and physical abuse left Arnold traumatized. Despite that, he has described his childhood as “complicated” and admitted that he still loves his parents.
How Childhood Trauma Fueled Arnold’s Rise to Bodybuilding Stardom
Luckily, instead of breaking him, the criticism and beatings made Arnold Schwarzenegger stronger. At 15, he began training in secret, even sneaking weights into the house. And by the age of 20, he had already won the Mr. Universe title.
He used his pain as motivation and stayed focused on his goals. In his autobiography, ‘Total Recall,’ he explained how he turned those ordeals into drive. Soon, bigger opportunities came, and he moved to America, where he became a Hollywood star with films like ‘The Terminator.’
At 78, Schwarzenegger has achieved worldwide fame and served as Governor of California. From a difficult childhood, he has shaped an enduring and remarkable legacy.
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