You Have Two Paths (Here's How To Choose The Right One)

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Today’s Health Upgrade

• Monday motivation

• Start your week right

• How to bounce back faster

• Workout of the week

• What we’re listening to right now

Arnold’s Corner 
Monday Motivation: The Two Paths of Your Future

Last week, we talked about the builder and the waiter.

And your responses proved something I’ve believed for 60 years: when you see the path clearly, you finally understand the choice in front of you.

So today, I want you to see the two paths of your fitness.

Not in theory. Not in bullet points. But in your actual life — the life you’re walking toward right now.

Let me paint the picture.

PATH ONE: THE ONE WHERE YOU START TRAINING JUST THREE DAYS A WEEK

Imagine it’s three months from now. Not January. Not “someday.” Just ninety days ahead.

You’ve been training three days a week. That’s it.

You have probably missed a few days, and that’s OK. You’re following a program built for your exact level. 

Maybe you’ve never trained before. Maybe you have a full gym. Maybe you only have dumbbells or even just your bodyweight. Maybe you’re already deadlifting 600 pounds.

We built a foundation program for all of you.

Now picture this: Your knees don’t hurt when you get out of the car. Because your quads and glutes are finally strong enough to support you. Your A1C and cholesterol are back in the normal range. Not because of restriction or punishment, but because your muscle is doing its job again.

You’ve lost 10, 20, 30 pounds, or maybe more.

And it didn’t feel impossible. It felt…doable. Because it was.

You wake up with more energy. You think more clearly. Your brain thanks you. Your heart thanks you. Your kids or grandkids thank you. You feel capable.

Not in some abstract way. You feel it every time you pick up something heavy at work or at home or go up stairs without getting winded or feeling pain.

And here’s the biggest one: You see yourself differently.
You trust your effort again.
You know you can choose a direction and move toward it.
That confidence bleeds into your career, your relationships, everything.

This is what three days a week creates. Not a fantasy. Not a movie montage.

I have heard these results from our Pump Club app members every single week. And the science backs every bit of it. When you start taking action and exercising, you’ll experience:

• lower mortality

• better metabolic health

• stronger bones

• better mental health

• lower stress

• higher confidence

• a body that ages better

But the science doesn’t help you see how great you’ll feel.

PATH TWO: THE ONE WHERE YOU DON’T START

Now imagine the other path.

Same ninety days. Same calendar. Same life.

But you keep waiting for the “right moment.”
Waiting for New Year’s.
Waiting for inspiration.
Waiting for the kids’ schedules to calm down.
Waiting for your motivation to magically appear.

And on this path, nothing stays the same. The aches increase. The knees get a little stiffer. The back gets a little tighter. The energy dips. Afternoons feel heavier. Sleep gets a little worse.

The confidence slips. Not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because deep down, you know you’re stuck.

The goals stay goals. They never turn into action. And most people don’t realize they’re even on this path until months — or years — have passed.

THERE IS A THIRD PART OF THIS I WANT YOU TO SEE: THE BRIDGE

Right now, I’m doing something crazy with the Pump Club app to help you get going: I am betting on you.

Anyone who joins with an annual membership in the next 2 weeks gets a deal we have never offered: you get 50% off. 

But there is a catch: To get 50% off, all you have to do is finish your foundation program, and as soon as you do, we send you back $50.

This isn’t about following someone else’s routine. It’s not a program designed for elite athletes or built by an algorithm.

This is your foundation program. Built for your level, your equipment, your experience.

It’s set up as a 90-day program, but you get 6 months to complete it to receive 50% back.

This is not perfection.
This is not all-or-nothing.
This is real life.

And it’s a minimum of three days a week. (Unless you’re advanced and choose the upper/lower split, which will have you train more often)

This is your bridge between the two paths.
This is your reason to start now instead of waiting for January like everyone else.
This is your chance to take action and get rewarded for it.

You can bet on yourself.

Or, you can get the 20% off we offer all newsletter subscribers. But is that any fun?

THIS IS THE MOMENT

You can see the two paths now.

One leads somewhere better.
Somewhere stronger.
Somewhere more confident and more capable.

The other keeps you waiting.

And every step you don’t take is still a step in the direction you don’t want to go.

So make the choice today. Not in January. Not when life gets easier. Not when motivation magically arrives.

Three days a week. One decision. A stronger you is waiting on the other side.

Let’s build.

Together With Our Place 
Is Your Cookware Doing More Than Cooking?

The things we use every day often escape the kind of scrutiny we give to the things we buy once in a while.

You might research your supplements, compare wearable devices, double-check your water filter, or look for the “organic” label on produce.

But the single item you heat, scrape, scrub, and handle every day? Most people never think twice about their cookware. And that might be worth rethinking.

Over the years, researchers have begun paying closer attention to the materials behind our pots and pans because the surfaces that touch your food can, under real cooking conditions, release more than just heat. A recent analysis tested 33 common cookware items using an X-ray fluorescence analyzer and simulated boiling, frying, and food storage conditions.

The findings weren’t sensational, but they were a little eye-opening. 

Many kitchen items, such as pots and pans, contained lead or cadmium well above recommended safety thresholds. Others leached enough lead under normal cooking conditions to exceed daily intake limits, especially for children. 

And this wasn’t about misuse or extreme temperatures. It happened under the same conditions you use to make pasta or sauté vegetables.

Other research has raised questions about materials beyond metal. Poorly glazed ceramic cookware can release cadmium or lead. Certain aluminum pans can leach small amounts of aluminum into food. None of this means disaster. 

Your body is remarkably equipped to filter, detoxify, and protect you. But, just like with microplastics or air quality, reducing unnecessary exposure is a simple, meaningful step toward supporting your long-term health.

That’s why we pay attention to what goes into cookware, and why we recommend Our Place’s Titanium Pro Cookware. It’s built from pure titanium, which is naturally nontoxic, non-reactive, and doesn’t leach anything into your food. There are no coatings. No PFAS. No heavy metals. Just a cooking surface that’s 300% harder than stainless steel, safe for metal utensils, high heat, dishwashers, and daily use.

And because it’s designed to last a lifetime, you don’t have to play the guessing game of “When should I replace this?” or worry about a pan degrading in ways you can’t see.

If your cookware is older than your kids — or if you’ve never thought to replace it — this might be the easiest upgrade you can make for your kitchen and your peace of mind.

If you want to limit your exposure, Our Place is having its biggest sale of the year right now, and you can save up to 35% off everything. 

Your cookware matters, and we recommend Our Place not just because they can help you limit exposure, but they make it easy to test their products to make sure they work for you. All APC readers get a 100-day risk-free trial, free shipping, and free returns so that you can shop with total confidence. Just click here to access the sale, and no code is needed at checkout. 

Start Your Week Right 
The Psychology Trick That Helps You Bounce Back Faster

Ever have one bad week and suddenly convince yourself you’re “off track,” “bad at this,” or “cursed?” 

Don’t worry, you didn’t suddenly lose your willpower. You just ran into an old psychological glitch that’s been tripping humans for decades. And once you understand it, you can break the cycle for good.

Scientists found that you don’t give up because you failed; you give up because of the story you tell yourself about the failure.

Psychologists dug into why some people hit a setback and shut down, while others shake it off and keep going. What they discovered feels like the cheat code to self-improvement: your brain makes up an explanation for every struggle, and that explanation determines your next move.

Some people choose a story that undercuts the ability to succeed. It might sound like:
“I skipped a workout because I’m lazy.”
“I blew my diet because I have no discipline.”
“My knees hurt…guess I’m not meant to exercise.”

Those explanations feel true in the moment, but they’re the psychological equivalent of throwing your hands up and going back to bed for the day. They make the problem internal (“it’s who I am”), permanent (“I can’t change this”), and universal (“this affects everything”).

But the people who stay consistent — even if they’re not perfect — tell different stories. This more understanding approach sounds like:
“That plan didn’t work with my schedule.”
“That approach was too restrictive for me.”
“Running hurts, but strength training might feel great.”

Same setback. Different explanation. Totally different outcome.

This works because your brain hates feeling powerless. The moment you give it a reason that keeps the setback specific (“this situation”), temporary (“this week”), and fixable (“try something else”), it snaps back into problem-solving mode. You go from “I can’t” to “I can figure this out,” and that shift is everything.

The next time things feel tough, walk yourself through this 4-step routine:

Step 1: Catch the identity attack.
If you hear “I’m just ___,” you’re in the danger zone.

Step 2: Zoom in.
Make the problem tiny, not huge. “My 6 AM workouts don’t work with my sleep,” not “I’m inconsistent.”

Step 3: Make it temporary.
“This month was chaotic” works better than “I can’t stay on track.”

Step 4: Change the plan, not the goal.
When one strategy fails, that’s feedback, not prophecy.

Setbacks aren’t a sign you’re broken. They’re just moments asking for a better explanation. The right story will keep you going, and that's what can make you unstoppable.

Fitness 
Workout Of The Week 

Last week, we shared this four-week program to help you instantly get stronger by the holidays. In case you missed it, here it is again. If you start this week, you’ll be hitting your peak right before Christmas. 

How to do it

Grab two dumbbells or two kettlebells, and complete the following circuit, moving from one movement to the next and resting as little as possible. Do one set of each exercise, then rest for 2 to 3 minutes after completing all four movements, and repeat for a total of 3 to 5 sets.

Week 1

High pull x 5 reps
Front Squat x 5 reps
Push Press x 5 reps
Deadlift x 5 reps

Week 2

High pull x 4 reps
Front Squat x 4 reps
Push Press x 4 reps
Romanian Deadlift x 4 reps

Week 3

High pull x 3 reps
Front Squat x 3 reps
Push Press x 3 reps
Romanian Deadlift x 3 reps

Week 4

High pull x 2 reps
Front Squat x 2 reps
Push Press x 2 reps
Romanian Deadlift x 2 reps

Give it a try, and start your week strong!

What We’re Listening To Right Now
Telander: Spit It Out

Here’s a song we’ve been listening to.

First, we hear the old Jack LaLanne quote, “If it tastes good, spit it out,” all the time from Arnold.

Second, “If it’s easy, it ain’t real,” is a line you might find here in this newsletter.

Finally, we love his reasoned takes on over-the-top hustle and fitness influencers, and we found ourselves fans of his music. Listen and enjoy!

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell