Get Sculpted Like Hercules With Steve Reeves Workout

Let’s immerse ourselves into the world of Steve Reeves, a true legend whose name is synonymous with classic bodybuilding. Born in 1926, he transformed fitness with his impressive physique and smart training. The Steve Reeves workout remains influential today.

Reeves began weightlifting as a teen, earning the Mr. America title at just 21. At his peak, he weighed over 200 pounds of solid muscle. More than size, he was celebrated for his balanced proportions.

Think broad shoulders, a slim waist, and powerful, well-developed legs. His abs were especially admired. Reeves became the gold standard in classic bodybuilding.

Reeves’ success extended to Hollywood, where he starred in Hercules in 1957 and other movies that showcased his chiseled physique. He has inspired a generation to pursue fitness, and his training focused on balance, symmetry, and overall health. Full-body workouts and smart exercises continue to influence modern fitness.

This guide will cover each workout in detail, as well as his workout principles and benefits.

Steve Reeves Inspired Workouts

The Steve Reeves workout shows the power of simple, consistent effort. His approach to training has stood the test of time. It provides a balanced, effective way for you to build strength and muscle.

To start seeing results, you should complete at least twelve weeks of this workout. If you choose to repeat it for another twelve weeks, it’s completely fine; just make sure to increase the weight. 

Training Principles

• Full-body workouts are performed three times per week, allowing for optimal recovery and growth.
• Compound movements are essential for maximum muscle engagement and overall strength development.
• Leg exercises are strategically placed at the middle or end of his workouts to balance energy expenditure and muscle fatigue.
• Proper form and controlled motions are key to preventing injury and maximizing muscle activation.
• Rest periods are 45–60 seconds between sets and two minutes between exercises for optimal recovery.
• Muscles are consistently challenged through progressive overload to stimulate continuous growth and strength gains.
• Opposing muscle groups are paired for balance, promoting symmetry and preventing muscular imbalances.
• Rep ranges are adapted for both strength and size, allowing for varied stimulus and comprehensive muscle development.

Day 1

This workout targets all major muscle groups, helping you achieve overall strength and muscle growth. Most exercises use compound multi-joint movements, working more than one muscle group. 

Include both regular and ATG squats to target muscles differently. In case you are wondering, ATG stands for ass-to-grass, which means a full squat. 

The aim of the ATG squat is to lower down as much as possible with maximum range of motion. This type of squat can help improve strength and functional performance. 

If you want to learn more about squats, read our complete guide, which answers the question: What muscles do squats work?

Targeted core work like crunches and sit-ups, as well as arm exercises, round out this session of the Steve Reeves workout. Expect balanced muscle growth and strength gains. 
If you want to learn more about core, read our benefits of crunches and the benefits of sit-ups guides.

Day 2

This day focuses on building muscular endurance and promoting hypertrophy.

Start with deadlifts, a powerful full-body exercise. You will then move through exercises targeting each major body part. Check out our deadlift benefits article to learn all about deadlifts. 

Dips and pull-ups in this workout add bodyweight strength training, adding even more functional components. Such exercises focus on upper body strength while using multiple muscle groups.

This session enhances your work capacity, which is your body’s ability to handle more exercise volume. It maintains the full-body principle and challenges your muscles in new ways.

Day 3

The week’s final workout pushes your physical limits. It aims to stimulate further muscle growth and strength gains. It combines strength-focused exercises with hypertrophy-oriented movements.

Varied rep ranges allow for heavy lifting and higher-volume work. Deadlifts and rows help back development. The legs and upper body are also thoroughly targeted.

Nordic hamstring curls are a challenging posterior chain exercise. The posterior chain includes your back, glutes, and hamstrings, essentially being the muscles on the back of your body.

Studies have shown that Nordic curls exercise activated muscle fibers in the hamstrings up to 66.81%. They also target muscles in the lower back as well as glutes and even calves. This workout completes the week, ensuring all muscle groups receive adequate stimulation.

Benefits Of Training Like Steve Reeves

There are many benefits of Steve Reeves’ workout routine. These range from noticeable hypertrophy gains to an increase in bone density. Find out below about each benefit to help you get inspired.

Increases Muscle Hypertrophy

Muscular hypertrophy refers to the increase in muscle mass. This occurs when muscle cells grow larger and multiply, resulting in thicker and more prominent muscles. The Steve Reeves workout is specifically designed to promote this muscle growth effectively.

Gaining muscle mass is more than just aesthetically pleasing; it’s a powerful anti-aging solution. Research shows we can lose up to 50% of our muscle mass by our eighth decade. This is quite alarming, given that we need our muscle strength and mass to function independently. 

Strength training, like the Steve Reeves’ workout, is crucial for maintaining health and independence as we age.

Steve Reeves’ workout program leaves no stone unturned in its quest for balanced muscular development. It combines compound movements engaging multiple muscle groups with isolated exercises targeting specific muscles.

The program’s structure also allows for progressive overload, a key factor in muscle hypertrophy. By gradually increasing weights or reps, you continually challenge your muscles. This consistent challenge forces your muscles to adapt and grow over time.

Increases Muscluar And Bone Strength

Building strength is crucial for both gym performance and quality of everyday life. Stronger muscles and bones help prevent frailty as you age, enhancing independence and ease of daily activities. The Steve Reeves workout naturally promotes this strength development.

Daily tasks like carrying groceries or moving furniture become effortless with increased strength. The Steve Reeves workout’s approach ensures that all major muscle groups are targeted, promoting functional strength for real-world applications.

Bone health is particularly important as we age. After 50, bone density typically decreases, potentially leading to osteoporosis. This condition makes bones weak and brittle, increasing fracture risk. 

Studies show that even moderate-intensity resistance training can help improve bone mineral density, particularly in the lumbar spine. Regular strength training, like the Steve Reeves workout, helps maintain and even increase bone density.

Improves Posture And Muscular Balance

The program works all muscle groups in a balanced manner. For example, squats and deadlifts build quadriceps muscle mass. To balance this, Romanian deadlifts and Nordic curls target your posterior chain. 

Many exercises in the Steve Reeves workout also engage your core. Dynamic exercises like sit-ups and crunches are included. You’ll also find isometric core activation (tension without lengthening or shortening the muscle) during big lifts and presses. 

This multidimensional approach helps improve your posterior chain and core strength. In turn, this enhances posture, particularly your pelvic alignment. Plus, having a stronger core and back muscle often results in the ability to perform workouts more effectively.

Steve Reeves’ Diet 

Steve Reeves followed a simple yet effective diet plan. His daily intake consisted of 60% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 20% fat. According to the book he has written, Building The Classic Physique The Natural Way, he ate three times a day. 

His breakfast typically included a power shake with orange juice, gelatin, honey, banana, eggs, and protein powder. Lunch often consisted of cottage cheese, nuts, raisins, and fresh fruit. Dinner usually featured a large salad with lean protein like swordfish, turkey, or beef.

Reeves avoided white sugar and flour, opting for complex carbohydrates like sweet potato and brown rice instead. He believed in eating real food and listening to his body’s needs. This approach, while different from modern bodybuilding diets, worked exceptionally well for him.

Conclusion

Steve Reeves’ approach to fitness and nutrition demonstrates that simplicity and consistency can yield remarkable results. His balanced diet and comprehensive workout routine helped him achieve a physique that remains admired decades later.

Reeves’ methods remind us that FAD diets and extreme measures aren’t necessary for building an impressive physique. By focusing on whole foods, balanced nutrition, and regular exercise, we can sustainably work towards our fitness goals.

While nutrition science has advanced since Reeves’ time, his principles of moderation and whole-food nutrition remain relevant. His legacy continues to inspire those seeking to build strength, muscle, and overall health naturally.