Arnold Schwarzenegger’s muscle-bound figure was deemed perfect enough to earn the titles of Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia a record-breaking ten times during his Herculean prime.

In Cigar Aficionado’s February edition, Arnold Schwarzenegger discussed his deteriorating body shape.

“I was already so critical of myself, even when I was in top physical shape,” he reveals. “I’d look in the mirror after I won one Mr. Olympia after another and think, ‘How did this pile of shit win?’

Schwarzenegger continues to exercise on a daily basis, and despite his advanced age, the Total Recall star follows the same workout routine he did 20 years ago.

“I don’t feel my age. I do everything exactly the same as I did 20 years ago.”

“The last thing I ever wanted to do is disappoint myself. I could not look in the mirror and say, ‘You know something, You’re a f—ing loser; you cannot even do the kind of sets and exercises and eat the kind of food that you wrote down’. I didn’t want to face that.”

Schwarzenegger claims that his unhealthy mental state aided him in achieving international dominance in the bodybuilding circuit.

He said: ‘I do lack confidence, but I do the reps and do them enough that the thing itself will be doable when it’s time.

‘When I was competing at bodybuilding, I did so many hours of reps – on the weights, practicing the poses – that when I got onstage, I was comfortable and confident.

‘The more reps you do, the more you look smooth and convincing. The more you do it, the better you get… That’s how you gain confidence.’

While many people would be content to reach the pinnacle of their profession, he maintained the drive that would eventually propel him to super-stardom as an action star and in politics, where he served as Governor of California from 2003 to 2011.

He said: ‘I never saw perfection. There was always something lacking.

“I could always find a million things wrong with myself and that’s what got me back into the gym – because I started out with that mentality.”

While he may not be the same man he once was, he claims to be just as determined as ever to maintain his iron body.

‘My day cannot start without doing something physically,’ the health nut remarked.

‘And I work out at night before bed – cardio, weight training. I want to stay in shape as long as I can.’

In Beverly Hills on Tuesday, Arnold was photographed Christmas shopping with his foot brace on, proving that he still does not let training injuries slow him down.