MOSTLY FREE
Teenage Steve
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Reeves began creating
his masterpiece with only
dumbbells and a barbell
in the garage of his
stepfather’s house in
Oakland, CA, and, even when
he found his way into the
rare gym 70 years ago, the
most sophisticated machine
was a primitive, plate-
loaded, cable-and-pulley
device. So, needless to say,
he constructed arguably
the greatest physique of all
time almost entirely with
free-weight and body-
weight lifts.
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TAKE A STAND
Most of the time
when Reeves had a
choice between hoisting
a weight seated or
standing, he stood.
Doing so
engaged his
lower back,
abs, and legs
as stabilizers
on lifts like
military
presses and
overhead
triceps
extensions,
thereby
incorporating
as many
muscles as possible.
This was fundamental
to his treating his body
as a single, flowing
work of art and not a
collection of parts.
resurrected. He avoided
oblique exercises for fear of
widening his waist. Similarly,
he did no shrugs, believing a
sloping trapezius made his
shoulders appear narrower.
(His traps were worked with
upright rows and deadlifts.)
He did, however, train his
neck, on occasion, as
was common at midcentury,
so you may want to add
“necking” to your routine
to seem Herculean even in
a suit and tie.
POWER
WALKING
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As was the norm way,
way back in the day, Reeves
did only occasional cardio
(beach jogging) during the
years when he flexed on
bodybuilding stages or
movie sets. However, in the
’80s, when he was in his
50s and
prioritized
fitness, he
popularized
power
walking. This
is a rapid
jaunt
performed
with long
strides and
pendulum-like
arm swings,
ideally while
holding light dumbbells.
With plenty of room to roam
on his ranch, Reeves
went for such low-impact,
moderate-intensity
marches year-round. Think
of any outdoor legwork—
including hiking, wind
sprints, and jogging—as
Hercules-style cardio.
He was
forever
focused
on his
physique’s
silhouette.
WAY BACK IN THE DAY,
ANYTHING COULD BE A
TRAINING TOOL.
LIFT LARGE LATE
Reeves saved his most
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taxing exercises, squats
and deadlifts, for the
homestretch of his routine.
This had three advantages.
First, he was thoroughly
warmed up. Second, he
could put his all into those
demanding lifts and not
have that effort diminish
his strength and energy
reserves for other
exercises. Third, along with
the fact that he hit an
eight-rep minimum, he could
go lighter while still giving
his all, reducing injury risks.
SHAPE-
SHIFT
10
He was forever focused
on his physique’s silhouette:
wide shoulders, slim
waistline, proportionate
development. One of the
elements of his workouts—
rib-cage expansion by
supersetting pullovers and
high-rep “breathing squats”—
was misguided. Don’t waste
time trying to alter your
skeletal structure. On the
other hand, another
component—the ab vacuum
(pulling your waist in as far
as possible and holding for
20 to 40 seconds)—is a
relic that deserves to be
STAY LEAN
Reeves’ diet was
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a product of a time when
much less was known about
sports nutrition. A greater
emphasis on protein and
more, small meals emerged
in bodybuilding circles only
in the ’50s in conjunction
with the first protein
powders. Before then,
Reeves ate three meals
daily, with a 60-20-20 ratio
of carbohydrates, protein,
and fat, and with lots of
fruit. He kept his calories
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