Steve reeves, diet and roids.

[Viking18]

So something i have been wondering is, a guy like steve reeves and some others of the early bodybuilders, had only three meals diets, and it for sure didnt have enough calories. So how did they get the physique they did? lets take steve reeves as an example, classicphysiquebuilder.blogsp...que-steve.html

his diet is there, about roids i dont know. But how can it be that today everyone is really concerned about getting calories and all macro numbers, when guys like him with a great body only, ate like he did and looked as he looked? genetics?

what are you guys opinion on all this? could an average guy, jump on a similar diet like reeves with 3 meal, a good fullbody with an progression cycle, and a simple test/primo cycle, and get a good looking physique?

 

[fueledpassion]

So something i have been wondering is, a guy like steve reeves and some others of the early bodybuilders, had only three meals diets, and it for sure didnt have enough calories. So how did they get the physique they did? lets take steve reeves as an example, classicphysiquebuilder.blogsp...que-steve.html

his diet is there, about roids i dont know. But how can it be that today everyone is really concerned about getting calories and all macro numbers, when guys like him with a great body only, ate like he did and looked as he looked? genetics?

what are you guys opinion on all this? could an average guy, jump on a similar diet like reeves with 3 meal, a good fullbody with an progression cycle, and a simple test/primo cycle, and get a good looking physique?

I believe the consensus is that he used roids when he could but access to them were limited. I cannot remember which ones he took but I remember reading an article from an older bodybuilder that talked about it. I'm sure he used them but I'd also bet that you could probably count on one hand (maybe two) the amount of times he did use them.

You'd need superb genetics to look like him without gear. That said, it would be possible to look like him with just a dab of insulin & fat burners.

With test/primo, you could EASILY beat that body. Give me another 7-10 weeks and I will dominate that physique with only similar amounts of stuff your talking about. We know so much more about dieting and training now and each generation seems to outdo the last in terms of size and leanness.

Primo is really good on low calorie diets too. I don't know if 3 meals a day would net the best results though. 5-6 would be ideal.

 

[gaz7456]

It's also easy to look at some old bodybuilders and think that they looked like their photo shoots the whole time, which most didn't. Reeves may be an exception, but do not know enough about his life to say either way.

Reeves was still amazing though for what he did for weight training generally and yes, i think he had better genetics than the vast majority, but still worked hard for what he built.

 

[210LBS]

Genetics, genetics, genetics. Reeves didn't look that big in my opinion, so there are definitely people out there who can achieve that build without AAS. However, I don't think anyone can just achieve that build. You would still need favorable genetics in my opinion.

 

[fueledpassion]

Genetics, genetics, genetics. Reeves didn't look that big in my opinion, so there are definitely people out there who can achieve that build without AAS. However, I don't think anyone can just achieve that build. You would still need favorable genetics in my opinion.

I agree. I'm sure he worked for it but I also can tell by looking at him that he clearly just had a good shape to begin with. I've seen lots of guys in the gym really work hard at their physique only to see marginal results in terms of superficial changes to body composition. That said, they improved in strength, stamina and overall well being by a large margin - that is something everyone will experience.

But also, I'm certain that most people don't eat and train like they say they do. When we're talking genetics, I'm referring to muscle tie-ins, overall shape of the muscle, size of the muscle relative to other muscle groups and body weight. What I'm not talking about is hardness, leanness and overall graininess of the muscle - that by far and large is based around diet and training. Everyone can get lean. Everyone can mature the muscles they have. Some, like Steve Reeves, may be able to do it with 3 meals a day, training 90-120 minutes per day, while others need to do far more in terms of discipline to get there.

 

[Bunshichi]

Lets be honest. If people can get big on fighters diet like plans with only one real meal daily there is absolutely no reason 3 meals wouldn't suffice.
I'm not 100% sure Reeves didn't use steroids but I am sure he did not do it most of the time.
It is certainly possible to get as big and lean as Reeves without steroids on a 3 meal plan. However to me the great bodybuilders are about way more than how big and lean they were. To me Steve Reeves and Frank Zane are the greatest of all times because the lines in the body have a flow I haven't seen anywhere else. So it is possible to get in similar shape but not to look as great in my opinion.

 

[210LBS]

Lets be honest. If people can get big on fighters diet like plans with only one real meal daily there is absolutely no reason 3 meals wouldn't suffice.
I'm not 100% sure Reeves didn't use steroids but I am sure he did not do it most of the time.
It is certainly possible to get as big and lean as Reeves without steroids on a 3 meal plan. However to me the great bodybuilders are about way more than how big and lean they were. To me Steve Reeves and Frank Zane are the greatest of all times because the lines in the body have a flow I haven't seen anywhere else. So it is possible to get in similar shape but not to look as great in my opinion.

I agree it is possible... but is it probable? In my opinion, some people will have the genetics to yield those kind of results and others will not. Building a body at the size and body fat of a Frank Zane naturally is a tall order.

 

[Bunshichi]

I agree it is possible... but is it probable? In my opinion, some people will have the genetics to yield those kind of results and others will not. Building a body at the size and body fat of a Frank Zane naturally is a tall order.

Oh yeah. I definitely only meant Steve Reeves. Without drastic mutations no one will get as big and lean as Zane in his prime naturally.

I only mentioned him because he points out best what I meant with the lines. While on gear its certainly possible to get as big as Zane its a different story to look as good.