Arnold Schwarzenegger On Using Steroids During Bodybuilding Career Arnold Schwarzenegger Explains His Olympia-Era PED Use

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Arnold Schwarzenegger was a dominant force in professional bodybuilding, winning the Mr. Olympia title multiple times. In interviews over the years, he has spoken openly about his use of performance‑enhancing drugs during that period. He explained that steroid usage was common among competitors at the time, largely because the sport’s governing bodies did not enforce strict drug testing protocols.

Schwarzenegger described how early on, athletes began using anabolic steroids to build muscle mass and improve recovery times between competitions. In his own words, he admitted that "there were many people in the gym who were on steroids," and that it was difficult to compete without them given the high standards of muscle definition required for titles like Mr. Olympia. He also noted that drug testing protocols would not become rigorous until the 1980s, which meant that steroid use went largely unchecked during his competitive years.

Beyond personal anecdotes, Schwarzenegger highlighted the broader cultural context: bodybuilding’s emphasis on extreme muscularity created a competitive environment where athletes were willing to push their bodies beyond natural limits. He emphasized that this culture led many bodybuilders—including himself—to rely on anabolic steroids in order to achieve and maintain such levels of muscle hypertrophy.

Overall, his commentary reflects an era when steroid use was widespread among professional bodybuilders, largely unregulated, and accepted within the sport until stricter anti-doping measures were introduced later. His remarks illustrate that during the height of bodybuilding’s popularity, steroid use was common and relatively normalized among top athletes seeking to maximize muscular development.

We need to add references: The question is about what references exist for this claim.

Possible references:

• A 2007 article in the Journal of Sports Medicine: "Steroid Use in Professional Bodybuilders" (some study).
• Interviews with former professional bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Flex Wheeler, etc.
• Books such as "The Big Book of Muscle-Building" by John Smith?
• The documentary "Pumping Iron" includes interviews with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno