Almost
without exception, all references to Steve Reeves append to
him the phrases “V taper” and “flawless symmetry”.
Those attributes took him to victory at the 1947 AAU Mr.
America, 1948 Mr. World, and the first NABBA Mr. Universe in
1950.
Reeves’
matinee-idol looks and physique qualities led him into the
movies; audiences were able to enjoy Reeves in the
Italian-produced series of Hercules films made in the late
‘50s and early ‘60s. In those roles, he was the Arnold
Schwarzenegger of his era, the most visible and best-known
bodybuilder in the world; in fact, Reeves’ Hercules films
served as an inspiration to the young Arnold.
Never
really known as a gym rat, Steve’s personal philosophy was
to train hard, then forget training and be a normal person who
happened to have the adjunct of muscle. Nearly 50 years after
he last competed, Steve Reeves is a bodybuilding icon whose
physique is always presented as “Exhibit A” in any
bodybuilding debate concerning aesthetics versus mass. Steve
lived on his ranch in Valley Center, California, for many
years and passed away on May 1, 2000.
Without
a doubt, his legacy lives on in the countless legions of
admirers who were inexorably drawn to a healthy and fit
lifestyle because of their hero – the only true Hercules.
