lazur1 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I believe he meant the same 20lbs, taken off/put on. Already-built muscle grows fast. SR was only 215 @ 6'1.5" & was a muscular teen: He only gained c.50lbs from age 16 to 22, much as natural maturation. He'd stop BBing off-season & would lose weight, so getting back 20lbs naturally is realistic. SR was more than "not saying" drugs were good. He was actively against them. This "guilty until proven innocent" attitude would make the whole world on steroids: Not realistic, fair, or rational.

NzNexus (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

if reeves said growth drugs are good in his books lol, i am sure his books wouldn't been published.

NzNexus (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

who knows if steve is natural. in his book the the natural way he tells he gained 20 pounds of solid muscle in 2 weeks before going to the mr america contest. and then he also says he gained 19 punds while he were in the army working out for 8 MONTHS.. who knows..Steve knows..this man is handsome. I mean handsome.

MikeDunn (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Not taking anyone's side, but I don't think it's entirely fair to compare Reeves to today's bodybuilders. Of course they train differently now, and they have a different look. Today they look more "pumped up", more sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Whereas Reeves looks like he has a more strength oriented body.

pac8x8 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

That maybe, but they also traveled together -Sergio entered contests where Steve Reeves presented the trophies to him. Sergio may of slipped and uncovered a truth he didn't mean to. I see no reason why Sergio would want to lie about his hero. Sergio admires Steve Reeves and John Grimek more than any other bb and they were his main only two influences. He says that in his book.

lazur1 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

SO adds SR's name to a long list of BBers. Seems like he's trying to make a point, & SR's name was the best way to top it off. I see no reason he'd know, no mention of a relationship. Perhaps he heard same rumors I heard, (from a proven liar), but never heard the correction. A 6'1.5" man w/amazing potential @ 16 yrs old works his butt off ,weighs a mere 216, & -still- is accused of using steroids! Wouldn't that mean weight training alone simply doesn't work?

pac8x8 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Back then, athletes had access to real fresh foods, not like today. Most everything in the market lacks any nutrient value and athletes rely heavily on supplementation (and drugs). The only way to really succeed naturally is to eat a bunch of fresh "right out of your backyard garden" variety of vegetables and natural eggs/meat, which was available to Steve Reeves - besides his tremendous genetics and will, made all of his success- I agree, not drugs !

pac8x8 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I understand, Sergio mentioned it off the cuff and it may of been a "slip of the lip" by Sergio and that he didn't mean for everyone to assume that it was part of his success in his competition dayz. Only that when they came on the scene when Steve was much older (40's), he may of used them because they didn't know at the time how dangerous they were and most bb's were trying anything new. Steve Reeves health did go down in his later years, besides his wife smoking, drugs could of been a factor.

lazur1 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Grimek was of course part of the York 'experiment', fromerly coerver up as an ismrtic experiment. He only used long after all of his bodybuilding competition was over. I can't find a timetable, but it seems reasonable to assume that he only used for a year or less. I'll check the site you mentioned

lazur1 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Reeves was 6'1.5" tall & never weighed more than 216, usually less, in competition & off season, never shredded. (Compare to current Mr Olympia, Dexter Jackson: Only 5'6", he was 233 at his 'O' win, 250 off-season & is considered an aesthetic BBer!) Insisting Reeves' look required drugs is absurd. The main difference between Reeves & a typical lean athletic male who trains w/weights, is his one-in-a-billion bone structure. Drugs don't help that.