steve reeves workout

[abett07]

having decided to use the steve reeves workout from this site as my next workout I decided to do some research on the great man and was shocked when I found his actual workout routine

Dumbbell Swings 3 15-20
Upright Rows 3 8-12
Bench Press 3 8-12
One Arm Row 3 8-12
Dumbbell Laterals 3 8-12
Incline Press 3 8-12
Tricep Pressdown 3 8-12
Barbell Curls 3 8-12
Seated DB Curls 3 8-12
Squats supersetted with... 3 8-12
Pullovers 3 8-12
Breathing Squats 3 8-12
Dumbbell Laterals 1 20
Deadlifts 2 8-12
Good Mornings 2 8-12

how on earth did he do this ? based on what I have learnt on this site this is some serious overtraining

[LtL]

My guess is that he didn't jump into this volume straight away. He would have built up to this gradually over a period of time to allow his system to get used to the workload.

LtL

[bamazav]

Originally Posted by abett07

having decided to use the steve reeves workout from this site as my next workout I decided to do some research on the great man and was shocked when I found his actual workout routine

Dumbbell Swings 3 15-20
Upright Rows 3 8-12
Bench Press 3 8-12
One Arm Row 3 8-12
Dumbbell Laterals 3 8-12
Incline Press 3 8-12
Tricep Pressdown 3 8-12
Barbell Curls 3 8-12
Seated DB Curls 3 8-12
Squats supersetted with... 3 8-12
Pullovers 3 8-12
Breathing Squats 3 8-12
Dumbbell Laterals 1 20
Deadlifts 2 8-12
Good Mornings 2 8-12

how on earth did he do this ? based on what I have learnt on this site this is some serious overtraining

If you are running this 6-7 days a week, I would probably have to agree that it might be over training. Read glwanabe's terrific write up on this routine (Steve Reeves Intermediate Full Body Workout Variation - Muscle and Brawn Bodybuilding, Powerlifting and Muscle Building.) and you will find a variation that breaks it down into more mortal chunks.

[kitarpyar]

Originally Posted by abett07

having decided to use the steve reeves workout from this site as my next workout I decided to do some research on the great man and was shocked when I found his actual workout routine

Dumbbell Swings 3 15-20
Upright Rows 3 8-12
Bench Press 3 8-12
One Arm Row 3 8-12
Dumbbell Laterals 3 8-12
Incline Press 3 8-12
Tricep Pressdown 3 8-12
Barbell Curls 3 8-12
Seated DB Curls 3 8-12
Squats supersetted with... 3 8-12
Pullovers 3 8-12
Breathing Squats 3 8-12
Dumbbell Laterals 1 20
Deadlifts 2 8-12
Good Mornings 2 8-12

how on earth did he do this ? based on what I have learnt on this site this is some serious overtraining

IN his book, he did describe this workout, but mentioned that this was his "championship routine" that he followed the last 7-8 weeks before Mr Universe contest. So this was not something to be followed all year round, or for beginning/intermediate lifters.

[abett07]

going to change from SS to the steve reeves workout from this site starting satarday, power cleans are giving me some trouble on SS.I plan to stay with this workout for a minimun of 12 months

2 questions

when I have a choice between barbell and dumbbell is one better or is it just a personal choice ?

can I perform the dips so that they are 50/50 chest and triceps ?

any advice with this routine would help

thanks

[MikeC]

Originally Posted by abett07

when I have a choice between barbell and dumbbell is one better or is it just a personal choice ?

I say it depends on the lift. I like dumbbell rows more than barbell, and dumbbell curls more than barbell. In most cases though the barbell lift is a better choice.

Originally Posted by abett07

can I perform the dips so that they are 50/50 chest and triceps ?

Don't think about bodyparts. Think about good form and working as hard as you can.

Originally Posted by abett07

any advice with this routine would help

thanks

Ease into things. Most who run this program gradually ease into it by slowly adding weight and allowing time to get used to things.

[Casey Butt]

Originally Posted by abett07

going to change from SS to the steve reeves workout from this site starting satarday, power cleans are giving me some trouble on SS.I plan to stay with this workout for a minimun of 12 months

In that case, you'll almost certainly have to implement some form of periodization over that routine as well. As Kitarpyar said, Reeves didn't follow that routine indefinitely ...though he did appear to push it fairly hard for a stint before the 1951 Mr. Universe. This was used to build up to a peak by Reeves, after a long period of many months of no weight training at all. Personally, I wouldn't expect to get 12 months from that routine.

when I have a choice between barbell and dumbbell is one better or is it just a personal choice ?

Generally, I'd say barbell, particularly for beginners. But at the more experienced level dumbbell versions often become preferred by some people ...usually for pressing, curling and sometimes rowing. Everyone develops preferences in time, but barbells are generally the better bet for beginners and as a general rule ...with exceptions not entirely uncommon for more experienced lifters. Even then, with personal tendencies considered, one is rarely so superior to the other that you can completely forsake one for the other - it's usually a matter of biasing your training cycles to favour barbells or dumbbells, but rarely completely and forever. IMO, most people would be best off to "make friends" with both and use them for cycles according to their personal preferences/strengths and goals, with beginners starting out with barbells as their base and introducing dumbbells gradually.

can I perform the dips so that they are 50/50 chest and triceps ?

It's impossible to know when you're using 50/50 of anything, but as a general rule more pecs are "involved" as you move your elbows out from your body; elbows in = triceps, elbows out = pecs. Of course, nothing is really that cut and dried, but that will give you a ballpark idea of what to expect. Depending on how they're done, Dips can be a very effective pec exercise, or nearly all triceps.

[MikeC]

Excellent post.

[Off Road]

Originally Posted by Casey Butt

use them for cycles according to their personal preferences/strengths and goals,

Cycles...My absolute favorite word when it comes to progression...Everybody should embrace that word

[Natural_Look]

Did he really use that workout? I was under the impression he too used 5x5 (or am I confused with Reg Park?).