Arnold’s Pump Club is the podcast you never knew you needed.
Earlier this year, I stumbled across Arnold’s Pump Club on Spotify. Usually, I’m an avid fan of long-form podcasts like Tim Ferriss, Jay Shetty and Peter Attia, but Arnold’s Pump Club is refreshingly short, straight to the point and actionable.
What keeps me listening is the sound advice, lack of judgement and Arnie’s weekly reminder that we “are here to support you.” But there was something about Arnie that I didn’t discover until months later, and the answer might just haunt you.
5 reasons why you should listen to Arnold’s Pump Club
- Arnie’s voice is surprisingly soothing. I grew up watching movies like Kindergarten Cop and Terminator, thanks to my older brother and best friend, and for some reason, I associate the Terminator’s voice with comfort. Go figure. Perhaps it’s his calm reserve, deep bass-baritone, and constant reassurance that this is “the positive corner of the internet”.
- Episodes are short: about 5-10 minutes each. When I’m prepping food first thing in the morning, it’s nice to get through a few episodes from start to finish instead of having an unfinished episode hanging over me.
- Every episode is uplifting. The catchphrase of Arnold’s Pump Club is “Together we have the strength to lift up the world”. They focus on helping us be better versions of ourselves, without any judgement and without the expectation that monumental change happens overnight.
- You’ll walk away with actionable steps. One of the best ways to learn is to apply what you’ve learnt, and Arnie’s team makes it easy with actionable advice — realistic steps you can take to improve your life, such as “If you took 5000 steps with your trainer today, take 5001 tomorrow.”
- Episodes are supported by research. Although Arnie gives his opinion, the team links many of their statements to research. When it comes to living a healthier life, making scientific research easier to understand is a major plus.
Arnold’s Pump Club: not the Arnold I expected
So I might be a little slow to the party here, but I only just realised that Arnold’s Pump Club is not actually voiced by the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger. He doesn’t sit in his house by the fire surrounded by his little pony, his donkey, pig and fluffy Schnitzel while he reads from a tablet, laptop or notebook. Nope.
Arnold’s Pump Club is AI generated.
I admit, I felt a little strange when I found out, mostly because I realised that for months in the dark at 5am, it was just me, my dingoes and artificial intelligence — and that I was, in fact, taking advice from AI.
Was I mad? No, because it dawned on me that in every single episode Arnie says “I’m using the power of machines to help me deliver news, information and support that will make you healthier. I am not a cybernetic organism, but I do have an important mission to build the positive corner of the internet and lift up the world.”
He says it in every episode. Every. Single. Episode.
Go on, laugh.
Given Arnold Schwarzenegger’s voice is likely being used for AI without his consent and without his knowledge, it makes sense that he would want to take the wheel and use his voice for good, for something he has control over and is passionate about.
Harnessing artificial intelligence for such an endeavour isn’t a bad thing, so long as the research and content are overseen by humans.
Thankfully, there are humans behind this AI. Arnold Schwarzenegger trained an AI to speak like him, so in a sense, it is Arnie — his voice, his mannerisms and so on. Arnie is personally involved with Arnold’s Pump Club, along with Editors-in-Chief, Daniel Ketchell and Adam Bornstein.
The team behind Arnold’s Pump Club
Of course, there’s Arnold Schwarzenegger: Terminator, Kindergarten Cop, actor, dad, Opa, business guy, filmmaker, former Governor of California and of course, world body-building champion, AKA Mr Olympia. There is no one quite like Arnie, and to sum him up in four lines is inconceivable (sorry Arnie!).
Arnie co-founded Arnold’s Pump Club with Daniel Ketchell and Adam Bornstein.
Daniel Ketchell has worked closely with Arnie for a couple of decades, having supported Arnold Schwarzenegger as Special Assistant to the Governor from 2006 to 2010 and then as his Chief of Staff from 2011 and now as Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Arnold’s Pump Club.
In addition to co-founding Arnold’s Pump Club, Adam Bornstein is the founder of Pen Name Consulting, Born Fitness and Two12. Through Pen Name Consulting, Bornstein has worked with the likes of Tim Ferriss and Mark Manson, while Two12 hosts exclusive mentorship programs for entrepreneurs. He’s a nutrition advisor for LeBron James, the author of You Can’t Screw This Up and through Born Fitness, leads a team offering fitness coaching and self-paced learning.
Do I still listen to Arnold’s Pump Club?
Yes, absolutely. Did I feel a bit deceived? No.
How could I when Arnie mentions AI in every episode AND the Pump Club website states: “Thanks to a helpful machine he trained, Arnold shares 3 tips from his daily newsletter each day, and in just 5 minutes, you’ll have the support, information, and inspiration you need to live a healthier life.”
The team is transparent about their use of AI — there’s no malicious intent to mislead or misrepresent… they’re simply doing their best to lift up the world.
About Arnold’s Pump Club
Arnold’s Pump Club is all about helping you live a healthier, happier life.
Get your daily dose of Arnold Schwarzenegger through his podcast, newsletter or app:
- If you’re into podcasts, listen to Arnold’s Pump Club on Spotify and Apple.
- If you’re a newsletter aficionado, sign up for Arnold’s Daily Newsletter.
- If you’re keen to train with Arnold, check out their app, The Pump.
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