Steve Reeves' Full Body Workout Routine
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ScribdTranslationsSteve Reeves' Full Body Workout Routine
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ScribdTranslationsSteve Reeves' training routine.
Abril 24, 2019 Fitness Integral 0 Commentstraining, fitness, hypertrophy, músculo
In this article we will talk about the routine that gave Steve Reeves the great physique that he had.
led to stardom. We will see exercise by exercise and also some recommendations so that
you can do it too.
It is worth noting that this training routine is highly effective for
beginners and intermediates, and especially for natural athletes.
The great physique of Steve Reeves for the Italian movie "Hercules" (1958).
Let's talk a little about Steve Reeves. He was born on January 21, 1926, in the city of Glasgow,
Montana, United States. Died on May 1, 2000. Became famous for his successful
career in bodybuilding, winning Mr. Universe in 1950 and for his career in cinema,
mainly for his role in Hercules (1958) where he played the Greek demi-god.
Now, delving deeper into his career in bodybuilding and training, we can say that
it had some quite amazing proportions for the time:
. Estatura: 185,5 cms.
. Peso: 96,6 kgs.
. Arm measurements: 47 cm.
. Medida de Cintura: 73,66 cms.
Moreover, he claimed to be a 100% natural bodybuilder, which could be quite effective, since in
In the 40s and 50s, the use of anabolic steroids was practically non-existent. In his various works, he speaks
about how he formed his Apollonian physique naturally and that it was not necessary to use anything.
Considering the proportion between height and weight, one could say that it is possible to achieve a physique of
those dimensions naturally, although it is not easy.
So, how did Steve Reeves achieve that great physique? The answer is the following: routines.
full body or full body. The full body routine consists of training the whole body in a
one session, ideally 3 times a week. It was very popular in the 1940s, as most
Bodybuilders applied this method.
The explanation that is often given for the effectiveness of this routine is that when you train 3 times a
week, you rest 4, that is, you emphasize recovery much more. It is different from training a group.
muscular per day, 6 times a week, where you would only rest 1 day.
Steve Reeves' training routine
Iconic pose of Steve Reeves (Image from [Link])
Steve Reeves' routine that circulates on the web was taken from his work 'Building the Classic'
Physical: The Natural Way. In Spanish it would be something like 'shaping the classic physique, of the
natural way.
Basically, it consists of a full body workout, as we mentioned earlier,
it happens on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The idea is to do it every other day, to train well
recovered in each session.
The routine is structured as follows:
Shoulders
2. Chest
Back
4. Biceps
5. Triceps
6. Quadriceps
7. Femoral
8. Calves or Gastrocnemius
9. Abdominals
10. Lower Back
As you can see, not a single muscle is left out in this super routine. Now, let's go one by one.
. Shoulders: Neck pull; Behind the neck press; Lateral raises. *The behind the neck press is not
recommended for everyone, so you can replace it with a regular military press. (3
series of each one, from 8 to 12 repetitions.
. Chest:Bench Press; Incline Dumbbell Press; Dumbbell Flyes. (3
series of each one, from 8 to 12 repetitions.
. Back: Pull-ups; Low Pulley Row; Dumbbell Row. (3 sets of each)
from 8 to 12 repetitions.
. Biceps:Incline Dumbbell Curl. *According to Steve, this was the best exercise for
his biceps, and the only one he used in his routine. (3 sets, of 8 to 12 repetitions).
. Tríceps:Extensión de tríceps con soga en polea alta (pushdowns); Rompe-cráneo;
Cross triceps extension with dumbbells (or Tate Press). (3 sets of each, of
8 to 12 repetitions.
. Quadriceps: Partial Squat; Hack Squat; Front Squat. *It was common to use
partial squats in the 'Silver Era' of bodybuilding, as more could be moved
weight, thus gaining a greater amount of strength. (3 sets of each, from 8 to 12
repetitions).
Now, you may not have the machine to do the Hack Squat at your gym. If
this is your case, try doing the Hack Squat with bar, a great exercise that we inherited
old school.
If you do this
exercise, try putting some surface under your heels to elevate them, it will help you a lot
more convenient.
. Hamstrings: Hamstring Curl. (3 sets, 8 to 12 repetitions).
You can use the machine to do it sitting or lying down. Both machines work the
same muscles, so it is not relevant. It is up to your preference.
. Calf Raises: Calf Elevation. (3 sets, from 20 to 25 repetitions).
Here, you can use the machine if you have it. Or you can use the Smith machine, dumbbells,
a bar, whatever is convenient for you. The important thing is to correctly perform the lift
twins.
. Abdominals: 'Sit Ups', crunches or the classic 'abdominals'. (1 set of 20)
repetitions).
This exercise does not require further explanation. It is simply to do 1 set of this classic.
exercise for abs.
. Lower Back: Hyperextensions. (1 set of 8 to 12 repetitions).
This is the last exercise of Steve Reeves' training routine. If you don't have the machine
To do the exercise, you can ask someone to assist you and hold your ankles, and thus you perform the ...
same movement.
. Keep the following in mind: If you want to do the routine in less time, alternate groups.
opposing muscles. That means, training chest and then back; training biceps
and then triceps; quadriceps and then hamstrings; etc. That is what is known today
like 'super series'. It will be very helpful for speeding up the training, that
it could easily last a couple of hours.
. Cardiode Steve Reeves: Para él, la mejor forma de cardio era hacer caminatas rápidas
or 'power walking'. I used to walk faster to improve my capacity.
aerobics. Y realized walks more moderate for maintain.
↓↓↓
Between approximately 3 to 5 km to improve aerobic capacity. 30 minutes, 4
times per week.
Between 1.5 and 3 km approximately for maintenance. 30 minutes, 4 times a week.
week.
Ideally, take these walks on your days off.
As you can see, it is a routine only for the brave. It was the routine that Steve Reeves used to
compete in the Mr. Universe of 1950. There are 20 exercises in total, which is quite a volume.
high. It may take you between 1 and a half to 2 hours to complete it. Keep in mind that it's only 3 times.
per week, for what it's worth the try.
More data about Steve Reeves than you
they could be interesting
. Beforethe Mr. Olympia championship was created in 1965, Mr. Universe was the
the most important bodybuilding tournament. One could say then, that the title that
Having Steve Reeves is as valuable as having won a Mr. Olympia.
. Steve Reeves' diet was very similar to that of today's bodybuilders, obviously without
the supplements and drugs. But it stood out in the distribution: 60% carbohydrates,
20% protein and 20% fat. In that sense, it is very different from diets of
Today, the focus is more on proteins, and they reduce carbohydrates and fats.
. Great bodybuilders like Larry Scott, Frank Zane, or Arnold himself
Schwarzenegger has named Steve Reeves as one of his greatest inspirations.
References:
1. Greatest Physiques
[Link]'sStrength and PoweryDaniel Figueroa
3. Photos: [Link] and [Link]