Times When Celebrities Flexed Their Muscles for the Camera

In Hollywood, your body is your business. So it only makes sense that people in the industry have above average physiques (to put it mildly). That said, these celebrities give a whole new meaning to the expression, if you've got it, flaunt it. We rounded up some of the most epic times stars showed off their muscles for the camera.

In the '70s, Arnold Schwarzenegger made a name for himself as a professional flexer bodybuilder. He'd soon turn his hard work into box office gold as the star of The Terminator.

Even though his days as a ripped Calvin Klein model are behind him, Mark Wahlberg keeps fitness his top priority—please note the bulging biceps under his t-shirt. He even wakes up at 2:30 a.m. to cram a workout into his busy day.

It takes some muscle to win a tennis championship, and Rafael Nadal knows it. The athlete celebrates with a showing of strength after winning a point against opponent Paul-Henri Mathieu at the Rogers Cup in 2005.

The original guy's guy and king of flex was none other than Oscar-winning actor Marlon Brando. Here, he subtly crosses his arms (aka flexes) on the set of A Streetcar Named Desire.

There are celebrities flexing and then there is the Hulk flexing. Lou Ferrigno (known as The Incredible Hulk) shows off his incredible biceps at a Dodgers game in 1991.

Fists clenched, jaw tight, despite being clad in leather, Jason Statham is surely flexing as he visits the Sirius XM studios in 2013. Why not? The action star puts in hard work to achieve his physique.

Hulk Hogan shows off his rock hard biceps at the WWE 20th anniversary celebration. The former professional wrestler has clearly stayed in shape since his days in the ring.

Mr. T shows off his muscles at a red carpet event in 2005. We pity the fool who tries to compete with the former The A-Team star.

Antonio Banderas may not be the bulkiest Hollywood star, but that didn't stop him from striking a pose in 2015. A few years later, the star suffered a major heart attack at the age of 56. He fully recovered, but the actor said the health scare stressed in him the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Justin Timberlake showed off his muscles during an event in 2004. The musician was participating in NSYNC's Challenge for the Children in Miami Beach, Florida.

Kirk Douglas took flexing to a whole new level when he posed for this promotional photo for Spartacus in 1960. The actor played the lead character, a ripped gladiator named Thracian Spartacus, in the critically acclaimed hit.

Jaden Smith turned the streets of Manhattan into his catwalk in 2016, when he flashed his washboard abs while strolling the streets in an open button-up.

Professional MMA fighter Conor McGregor gets hyped during weigh-ins before his fight against Cowboy Cerrone. To stay in fighting shape, McGregor forgoes traditional strength training. "People are so caught up in routine, doing the same thing over and over. I want to be an expert in many different things," McGregor told Men's Health.

While on MTV's Total Request Live, Nick Cannon lifts up his shirt to reveal his chiseled abs. The actor takes an unorthodox approach to fitness, telling Men's Health in 2019 that his workouts include stacking cement cinder blocks and pulling a 6,500 pound Hummer across a parking lot.

The actor strikes a pose at the premiere of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2003. To top off his bad boy image, Colin Farrell makes sure he shows off his arm tattoos with his pose.

P. Diddy flexed his muscles in a light blue bomber jacket at the Grammys in 2002. The rapper, who was nominated that evening, is an avid runner and uses cardio training to stay in shape.

Before participating in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in 2002, Jesse Metcalfe flashed his flexed bicep for the camera. The ripped actor is still a gym junkie, according to his Instagram posts.

Honestly, when we picture Fabio, he's always flexing. The Italian model struck a pose in a tank top and jeans during a photoshoot in 1993, looking just as we always picture him.

Justin Bieber has always had a toned, slim frame, but in 2016 he gave his concertgoers a glimpse at his biceps to prove his hard work in the gym has paid off.

Decked out in running attire (including a pair of short-shorts), William H. Macy gets ready to run a triathlon in 2005. The Shameless star strikes a humorous pose showing off his form, while he waits for the race to start.

Paul Newman leaves the beach in Lido, Italy after taking a dip in the ocean in 1963. The actor displays his washboard abs as he makes his way through a hoard of fans.

Jason Derulo knows the upside to wearing a sleeveless shirt on red carpet—it's easier to flex in. The singer told Men's Health he attains his physique through a high protein diet, intermittent fasting, and working out consistently with cardio and weight training.

Despite having Baywatch-approved biceps and abs, Zac Efron is not one to throw a flex on the red carpet. That doesn't mean his muscles don't speak for themselves.

Shy? Not LL Cool J. He flexed for the camera on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno in 2003 and has been a long-standing fitness fanatic. He told Men's Health that, "working out is a huge investment in yourself, and it builds equity in your body."

In a scene from the 1973 film Enter the Dragon, Bruce Lee showcases his toned muscles. Not only that, but the Chinese-American actor helped bring martial arts to the forefront in America.

Jason Momoa may not be trying to flex here, but his muscles couldn't help but show off. To make sure that he stays in Aquaman shape, Momoa follows untraditional workouts, like hiking up volcanoes.

He may be the fastest man in the world, but Usain Bolt is also ripped AF. Here, the Olympic gold medalist shows off his impressive arms after winning at the IAAF Diamond League Meeting Herculis in 2017.

Mickey Hargitay shows off his figure while posing with his wife, 1950s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield, on a boat in Catalina, California. Hargitay was a bodybuilder and won Mr. Universe in 1955.

Professional boxer Floyd Mayweather shows off his hard work at the weigh-in in Las Vegas in 2017 before his fight against MMA fighter Conor McGregor. Can someone tell us more about his training routine?

Michael Phelps showcased his swimmer's body ahead of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While training, Phelps spent time in the weight room, as well as the pool, lifting three days per week.

Singer Jesse McCartney reveals why his short sleeve shirt is so tight on his arms, flashing a cheeky flex at the MDA Labor Day Telethon in 2012.

A young Eddie Murphy looks directly at the camera, as he pops his biceps for a promotional Saturday Night Live photoshoot.

Fitness guru Jack LaLanne ditches his spandex jumpsuit for a tuxedo on his 90th birthday in 2004. The man who stressed the importance of high-intensity workouts before it was trendy flashed a strong man's pose at the event.

Action star Vin Diesel was so eager to show the audience of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno his chiseled form, that the Fast & Furious actor stood up and lifted his shirt during his interview in 2006.

Tennis star Venus Williams gives basketball player Dwight Howard a run for his money in the bicep game. The two compared muscles in 2009 at an EA Sports Play With Pros event.

Jersey Shore's Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi walks the red carpet with her modest (we kid) costar Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino in 2010. The reality star flashed his abs, which were in tip-top shape.

Jean Claude Van Damme may be 60, but he's still got a body that could rival any action star of today—which he proved at The Expendables 2 premiere in 2020.

The Rock may be hiding his bugling biceps under a long sleeve shirt, but we can still tell he's got one crazy flex going on. The professional wrestler turned movie star is extremely dedicated to his fitness regime and recently released a new quarantine program.

Usher has always kept his body in check. In 2001, the rapper showed off his hard work by pointing out his abs to photographers at an event at Planet Hollywood.

Chris Hemsworth is a modest guy, so he doesn't need to flex to show off his muscles. Instead, the Australian star keeps it real in a relaxed t-shirt at Disney's D23 Expo in 2018.