On the set of Conan the Barbarian© GettyImages

Arnold Schwarzenegger shares moving tribute following the death of his sensei

Schwarzenegger shared that his sensei was responsible for his ‘Conan the Barbarian’ sword training


Senior Writer
AUGUST 31, 2023 1:27 PM EDT

Arnold Schwarzenegger is mourning the death of Kiyoshi Yamazaki. In a new Instagram post, Schwarzenegger shared some photos of the two training together, and credited Yamazaki for helping him hone the necessary skills needed for his stunts in “Conan the Barbarian.”

The photos show Schwarzenegger and Yamazaki training and spending time together at the film shoot. Schwarzenegger is seen in his “Conan the Barbarian” era, incredibly buff and showing off some of the sword skills required for the film. “I just heard the news that my sensei, Kiyoshi Yamazaki, passed away. He was a wonderful man and a fantastic teacher who made me believable as Conan the Barbarian with his sword training. When I say no one is self-made, this is what I mean,” wrote Schwarzenegger.

“Who knows if Conan would have been a success if Sensei Yamazki didn’t make my swordplay realistic? He played an important role in my life, he was a dear friend, and my thoughts are with his family.”

© GettyImages

Schwarzenegger on the set of ‘Conan the Barbarian’

“Conan the Barbarian” came out in 1982, and was one of Schwarzenegger’s biggest hits. The film made him into an international star, and inspired sequels. It also made the sword and sorcery genre into one of the ‘80s biggest and most popular trends.

Following the success of “Conan the Barbarian,” Schwarzenegger’s career changed drastically, making him into a box office sensation. His latter films include many of his most popular ones, including “The Terminator,” “Predator,” “The Running Man,” and more.