At 76, Arnold Schwarzenegger is still chasing longevity—even after undergoing open-heart surgery in 2018. In a recent interview with Tim Ferriss, he opened up about his recovery, the loss of a close friend, and his desire to reach 100 years old. Now, he shares lessons on life, resilience, and purpose beyond bodybuilding.
First, Schwarzenegger reflected on the challenges that came after surgery. Then, he described the deep void left by the death of Franco Columbu, his longtime friend and training partner. After that, he explained how those losses shaped his mindset today.
Of course, his competitive career remains legendary. He won seven Mr. Olympia titles between 1970 and 1980. More importantly, he helped redefine bodybuilding’s global image and inspired a generation with his physique and presence.
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Now, Schwarzenegger inspires through new platforms. He created “Arnold’s Pump Club” to share fitness and life advice. He also launched the Arnold Sports Festival, one of the biggest events in strength sports. Despite health challenges, he keeps showing up—and sharing the lessons that shaped his extraordinary life.
Arnold Schwarzenegger 2018 Heart Surgery: “The Simplest Things to Do Were Impossible”
In 2018, Arnold Schwarzenegger faced a harrowing ordeal, battling complications from an open-heart surgery that tested the very core of his resilience and strength.
“2018 or 2019, it was 2018… and that was when I just went into a routine non-invasive aortic valve replacement, it goes through your arteries and your arms into your groins into your heart and then they replace your valve.
It’s just a standard procedure that they have now in the last 10 years. And you don’t have to perform open heart surgeries anymore because of it. It just happens to be in my case they had the difficult time some how they poked through the heart wall with the cable. So I got internal bleeding and they now had to perform an emergency open heart surgery.”
“I was out. The next thing I know that I wake up and I’m really happy that this is over, only to find out that I was having a breathing tube in my throat and I couldn’t talk and I saw three doctors in front of me not smiling but kind of having a concerned look on their face.”
“I’ve gotten out of open heart surgery where it could have cost my life and now they are telling me this next night or two is crucial so I don’t lose my life. I said, ‘What the hell kind of deal did I get into here?’ Anyways, the bottom line, it was… I had to connect quickly, shift gears and realize what has happened which takes you a while because you’re on drugs and medications and on the anesthesia somewhat. As I slowly started getting with the program I had to kind of shift gears and realize the simplest things were impossible to do,” Schwarzenegger shared.
Schwarzenegger on Recovery: “Regular Walking Kept Post-Operation Pneumonia at Bay”
Arnold Schwarzenegger emphasized the importance of consistent walking in his recovery process, seeing it as a crucial preventive measure against post-surgery pneumonia.
“Couldn’t go to the bathroom, couldn’t get up, couldn’t do this, couldn’t do that,” added Schwarzenegger. “I started adjusting this and adjusting that and eventually I was able to get up a little bit and now the doctors said the key thing is to walk.”
Schwarzenegger on Losing Columbu: “If They Pass Away and Die, Something Dies In You”
Recollecting cherished moments, Schwarzenegger spoke warmly of playing chess in his living room with his longtime friend Franco Columbu. The depth of their bond was palpable as he highlighted the profound loss he felt with Columbu’s passing.
“To me, it’s not so much the shock as it is the ongoing missing a person… because there’s certain friends that have become a part of you. So if they pass away and they die, something dies in you. So when I imagine every day when I walk in my living room and I see this chess board, where Franco and I played chess for the last 10 years two or three times a week… and drank wine, smoked a stogie, and just talked. And we talked like 65-70-year-olds talk, rather than the way 20-year-olds talk like in the old days.”
“Franco I’ve known since I was 18 years old. Then our conversations were different than they were as of the last 10 years. We would talk about kids, we would talk about family, we would talk about where we grew up, about the past, more deeper conversations and more emotional conversations. And now, all of a sudden you’re every day when you walk in your living room you see this chess table in the corner, and Franco is not sitting there anymore. That to me, you know is heartbreaking.”
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Schwarzenegger shared another heartfelt memory, noting that whenever he rides his bicycle, thoughts of his dear friend Columbu always accompany him, highlighting the enduring nature of their bond.
“When I go to the gym and I drive down with the bicycle and Franco came on the bicycle, he was not good at bicycle riding he was all over the place – that was funny and I had people sometimes videotape him just to show how goofy he looks on a bicycle. I think maybe the bicycle was too high up maybe that’s what the problem was.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Quest to Reach 100: Navigating the Challenges of Aging
In his pursuit of reaching the age of 100, Schwarzenegger acknowledges that he has faced a multitude of health issues throughout his life. Most recently, he underwent successful nerve surgery on his elbow, but the procedure left him with a substantial bruise. This anecdote sheds light on the daily challenges the legendary bodybuilder and actor faces as he strives to maintain his youth and vitality.
“You realize, ‘Okay, between 50 and 60, it’s the knee punishment.’ So I have to watch my knees. Then, after your 70 you say for the first time, ‘I notice myself walking less. Why am I walking less? I used to love hiking four or five miles up the steep mountain.
Why am I walking less?’ Then I realized that I got back pain when I walk a long time I started getting cramps in my back. So I started walking less so I started doing stretching exercises for the back. It’s things like that start creeping up and then you have to start being really disciplined, like ‘I still have so many miles a day, so many steps a day, blah, blah.’ But you have ot make it come to yourself sort of natural. Then you have shoulder surgery in both surgeries.
Then, yesterday I had elbow surgery because my nerve had to be kind of relocated because where the nerve was… it created pressure on my nerve and therefore my little fingers started getting numb. So, now that comes in, that’s in the late 70s. All of sudden, what’s up with the nerves and someone talks to you about neuropathy about your legs and feet. This is how it just creeps up on you all this stuff,” said Arnold Schwarzenegger.
However, while optimistic about the potential of a healthy lifestyle to “stretch” one’s lifespan, Schwarzenegger remains grounded by the memory of his father who lived only to 66. The interplay between genetics and lifestyle choices serves as a continuous reminder for him.
“The time you’re born, your time cut is set. It’s set. That only thing that changes it is you.”
“Let’s say I’m sick at 85, I can decide, do I want to go to 90? Yeah, I can do that but I have to live really healthy. Someone else has said, ’90, you can live to 100.’ You can stretch it a little bit. And you can also fuck it up big time.”
“My dad wiped out at 66.”
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Previously, Schwarzenegger had spoken openly about the challenges he faced during his open-heart surgery. Notably, he described the experience as a “disaster.” Still, he credited his recovery to the steady support of his closest friends.
Now, the shift from being the world’s most celebrated bodybuilder to facing the realities of aging has marked a new chapter. Yet, with his signature resolve, Schwarzenegger continues to prioritize health and aim for longevity.
To get a deeper insight into Schwarzenegger’s candid revelations, watch the complete interview on Tim Ferriss’ YouTube channel linked below:
Overview
Even at 76, Arnold Schwarzenegger embodies strength and drive. Recently, in a conversation with Tim Ferriss, he reflected on his recovery from open-heart surgery, the painful loss of his close friend Franco Columbu, and his hope to live to 100. Of course, his legacy includes seven Mr. Olympia titles and a lasting impact on the fitness world. Now, through personal stories of health, loss, and resilience, Schwarzenegger continues to inspire beyond the bodybuilding stage.
Featured Image – Arnold Schwarzenegger on Aiming for a Century, Heart Surgery Challenges, and Remembering Franco Columbu – Credit: @schwarzenegger (Instagram)
