Anybody who’s ever dipped their toe into the world of strength training knows the name Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Terminator star is synonymous with heavy weights and huge muscles, but more recently his training message has changed in favor of accessibility.
His daily Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter now shares tips, tricks, and workouts to help people of all fitness levels build strength and boost their health.
One of these workouts caught my eye: The Sparhawk. It’s taken from legendary strength coach Dan John, and you only need one weight (or a water bottle) to give it a try.
There are just two moves, it doesn’t take long and the difficulty can be scaled up or down to suit anyone, so I dragged my trusty kettlebell to a nearby park and gave it a try.
How to do The Sparhawk workout
Grab a dumbbell or kettlebell and perform eight goblet squats, with the weight held in both hands tight to your chest. Then, without putting the weight down, transfer it to your left hand and perform a 60ft suitcase carry (hold the weight with one hand by your side, stand tall and walk as if it were a suitcase).
Once you’ve finished this carry, move the kettlebell back to your chest for seven more goblet squats, followed immediately by a right-handed 60ft suitcase carry.
Continue to knock one rep off the number of goblet squats you do each round until you reach zero, completing a 60ft suitcase carry between all sets and alternating the hand you hold the kettlebell in each time. The idea of the workout is to complete the entire thing without taking a break or putting the weight down, testing your legs, grip and core.
If you don’t have a lot of space, Schwarzenegger’s team says you can pace around your home instead. And if you don’t have any weights, try using a filled water jug or backpack.
My takeaways from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s The Sparhawk challenge
I love exercise, and as a fitness writer, I want to help as many people as possible feel the same—while…
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