It’s hard enough for a modern bodybuilder to move out of the shadow Arnold Schwarzenegger still casts over the sport. Imagine what it’s like for his 24-year-old son, Joseph Baena, who’s trying to make a name for himself in the fitness world.
Luckily for Baena, he inherited plenty of world-class genes from his dad. Lookswise, he’s a dead ringer for the Terminator star. And in terms of physique, well, just check out Baena’s latest Instagram post where he emulates his dad’s famous ¾ back pose.
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A February 2022 cover story for Men’s Health went into detail on Baena’s fitness routine, where it says he trains six days a week, two hours per session, along with 20 minutes of fasted cardio in the mornings.
“One of the big things I learned from Dad was not to have the ten-rep mentality,” Baena says in the article. “It’s pushing yourself to the limits and going that extra mile, getting those extra reps and half reps till you’re basically dying.”
In a bit of symmetry, Baena also trains at Gold’s Gym — “the mecca” — in Venice, California, where his dad sculpted his legendary physique decades ago.
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Despite looking ready for his onstage bodybuilding debut, Baena hasn’t announced any firm plans to compete yet. At the moment, he’s working in real estate and dabbling in the acting world. So fans waiting for the second coming of Schwarzenegger will just have to make do with the social media teases for now.
Who Is Joseph Baena?
Joseph Baena was born on October 2, 1997, to Arnold Schwarzenegger and his former housekeeper, Mildred Patricia Baena. According to People, Schwarzenegger was married to ex-wife Maria Shriver at the time, and news of the affair and of Joseph’s parentage didn’t come out until 2011. Schwarzenegger has four other children with Shriver.
Outside of the gym, Baena has appeared in a handful of low-budget action movies (just like dear-old dad) and recently competed in the American Cornhole League on ESPN (not so much like dad). But despite having so many striking similarities to Arnold, Baena says he’s never felt shackled to that legacy.
“It took a little bit for me to realize that I don’t have to do what my dad did,” he told Men’s Health. “I don’t have to get into acting or bodybuilding. I’m very motivated and driven. I’m happy about my relationship with my dad. But I’m more happy that I am finding joy in what I’m doing and that I’m doing exactly what I’ve always dreamed about.”
Featured Images (left to right): @joebaena and @arnold_schwarzenegger_old_pics on Instagram