HOW TO GET BROADER SHOULDERS WITH THE REEVES DEADLIFT! IT'S NOT A DEADLIFT!!
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- Опубліковано 14 січ 2025
- In this video, we look at the real purpose of the Reeves Deadlift, which is to develop Broader Shoulders! Reeves believed this movement, when done slowly widened his skeletal frame and thickened his side delts. Enjoy!
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I think the marketing team is to blame here. They could have easily just named it "The Reeves Shrug", and avoid all this confusion.
yess! like seeing a cow and saying"that's a beautiful horse"
Steve Reeves in many ways was a pioneer when it came to innovating and developing specialized exercises to build his extraordinary physique. For example he used seated incline dumbbell curls to fully extend and isolate the biceps muscles to completely work the biceps. Reeves also used what he called "visualization" to picture in his mind what the exercise would do to the muscle being worked. He also used this as motivation to emulate the goal he was seeking. He would look at other bodybuilders of the time and try to use their body parts as motivation to build his own body. He wanted legs like John Grimek, wide lats like Alan Stephan, biceps like Eric Pederson, etc. But above all he sought aesthetics over muscle mass and thus created the greatest physique of his time.
Good way start the day is with a new golden era video
Thanks man
Of course 💪
For people interested in trying out the lift a good que for the shrug motion is actually a flaring of the lats like when doing a lat spread. This motion along with a slight elevation of the scapula is more or less how the exercise should be executed. The problem i find is that the standard bars today are too wide, unless you are as wide as Reeves, to perform the exercise correctly.
Works well with an EZ bar
@@DCWilliam24 thanks bro, I didn’t even think about that
Thank goodness you exist I will start doing reeves shrugs. I’m obsess with width since i already have a natural wide physique I really wanna see how far I can push it. Ever since I started dumbbell pullovers for back my width is getting crazy. I wanna see what this does now. Can’t wait!
And? Any widening of the clavicles noticed?
@@cavallopazzo340 nah didn’t do anything but dumbell pullovers and straight arm pulldowns got my back!
@@Enmanuel_V6so the Reeves shrug didn't work
I recall an account of some guys giving Reeves the business for doing these with a relatively light weight...135 or some such. . Just to shut them up, he loaded up 405 and did it just as easily.
LOL, the point was to stretch the Shoulders
@@captainamericaamerica8090 sure, I forgot you where his dealer Captain America
@@captainamericaamerica8090 are you asking to be blocked?
@@captainamericaamerica8090 do you have proof though
@@captainamericaamerica8090 what's the name of your grandma's
I've never heard of this lift, but I've been looking for more shoulder workouts so this should be an interesting addition
Simon Dean enjoy
Tried this yesterday and was surprised - I really felt my delts, don't even get this feeling from military press. It's also a finger grip strenght developer because my gym doesn't have plates with cut holes for handles. I will do it more often now, thank you for sharing this Reeves wisdom. 🙏🙏🙏
Did you continue doing them for a while? Any widening of the clavicles noticed?
@@cavallopazzo340 i did do them regularly and I still stand by this exercise. I now do heavy DB side raises Meadows style and love the feeling. Mechanically the two afromentioned exercises are quite similar.
Have your clavicles gotten longer doing this workout?
God damn it GEB every time I think you will be out of ideas but you always bring something knew you never cease to amaze me with your knowledge truly fantastic you are doing more for us bodybuilding enthusiasts more than these new magazines will ever do.good job man don’t stop bringing us the forgotten knowledge I am so happy that I have found your channel
Thanks guys, you said it Magnus, this is the tip of iceberg...this channel will last my lifetime
@@GoldenEraBookworm I agree with the above poster, you are truly doing God’s work. I hope this channel stays on for eternity because the training methods of the Bronze and Iron eras have helped me significantly increase my frame and muscularity; this is a time capsule of knowledge that should be passed on to every iron worker in the trade of bodybuilding. Thank you so much.
I got spared today by Reeves, lol. Did his deadlift shrug. I only could use a smaller barbell, since I'm 5ft 5, to wrk to Olympic bar. I only could do 35 to 45 lbs total. Never did these and loved it.
p90x Mike Cetola excellent
Actually affecting skeletal dimensions is a novel idea.Thank you for this knowledge.
Don't believe everything you read and hear. Unless you're still growing, no amount or type of exercise will stretch the length of your bones.
@@velwell492 I think the point is to stretch the cartilage and connective tissue rather than the bones
@@ubaidm7864 Perhaps, but I remain skeptical.
@@velwell492 never know until you try right
@@ubaidm7864 Okay, you first. Did you try, and did you manage to stretch the length of your cartilage and connective tissue?
And don't forget what Reeves reportedly said about his father never having worked out and having shoulders as wide as his own.
4-6 inches around the shoulders! Incredible. Please take my money for your books sir.
What do you mean? 4-6 inches?
@@felipedeornelas8054 he said his side delts grew 4-6 inches along with his clavicles or something, I cant remember. Im not on a bodybuilding program rn but I would definately incorporate this.
T-Rex arms... Can't even reach the plates of an olympic bar
You can use a smaller bar. It's simple to adapt ;)
Try using a six or even five-foot Olympic bar genius.
Very masuline man .Broad shoulders and chest is a sign of manhood.God Bless him 🙏
That picture of him in that overcoat made my jaw drop. Two people could sit comfortable on his shoulders haha
Dude arms are long as hell 😂😂😂 this move looks craaaazzzyyy
Please do some more broadening video like this. Thanks love the channel.
Use metal plates with a deep lip or bumpers for pinch strength. Used to do this as a dead lift, now I know what it's really for. Thanks.
Thanks for clearing things up. I do these on a trap bar because I'm 5'8" with T-rex arms.
Awesome going to give these a go for sure!!
Excellent video and breakdown, thanks!
Great job on debunking the misinformation 👍
His pinch grip must have been nuts
Before I ever seen this I always wanted to try it.
Big Daddy Yum Yum the chocolate treat go for it
@@GoldenEraBookworm I will now.
Great video
Thanks
@@GoldenEraBookworm you are welcome
Thank you Bookworm!!! Your excellent passion is much appreciated! As usual you are an excellent source off enlightenment!
Thanks man
@@GoldenEraBookwormBut I dont want bigger traps. This exercise will grow the traps huh?
@@derauserwahlte8004 did you watch the video?
Very interesting. I'm going to try this in my next cycle 🙂
Excellent
I have Reeves book Building the Classic Physique and I have wondered about that photo for years. Thanks for shedding light on it. No mention of the Reeves Deadlift is made in the book.
Also would you perhaps know what was the actual weights used by Reeves in his routine?
The book does not give all these details which would be interesting to know.
Thanks.
Mohamed Sibda the only book it is mentioned is Dynamic Muscle building by Steve Reeves. It is not covered very well either, but the exercise has been covered by Reeves in interviews which have appeared in muscle mags over the years. I'm a muscle mag collector so I have access to these. Reeves is said to have used very lightweight, only 135 lb, as it is a stretching movement
Golden Era Bookworm
Thanks for that. Reeves is a great inspiration.
@@bashsibda6289 Welcome
You should team up with the channel Forgotten Fitness. He details the old time strong men and golden, bronze and silver era bodybuilders and their various exercises. Also he demos the exercises himself within the same video.
Thank you very much for the information
just tried it...very cool ..felt great..will see if it works for me
Did it work
And?
Did it work?
Pure gold
It always did get on my nerves when I saw articles of people explaining the reeves deadlift as if it was a snatch grip deadlift. Snatch grip deads does everything they claim reeves does and you can use much more weight. Reeves DL is a specialty movement
THANK YOU! You have the common sense that is lacking these days
Golden Era Bookworm the art of sculpting the body and using each and every exercise as a chisel to sculpt and form your artwork has been lost. Movements are no longer analyzed as what they can do for shape/structure/illusion to a physique and are only seen as another how much weight how many reps exercise. If your mind is not in it the body will not follow and as everyone who follows the sport for real knows, bigger is not always better. Dave Palumbo was much larger & stronger than Frank Zane could ever imagine but Franks quality over quantity mindset built a body that shit on a unpreportoned mass monster any day
Love this
I did Reeves shrugs from the floor with a trap bar yesterday. I don't have the wingspan to use a barbell.
That's just regular shrugs isn't it
Need broader shoulders badly am going to try this out
Most of the shoulder width comes from the length and position of the clavicle bones. Mine go up, which is unfortunate; however, luckily they are also somewhat parallel.
How did it go?
Bro, and what results? Does it works?????
Reeves did in fact have very broad shoulders but the long coat he was wearing was heavily padded as was the style of the 40s and 50s .
Seen this pic for years. And always forget to give it a go.
I've seen more than one current BB today redoing this said move.
Which ended up being a DL.
Never would have guessed it was intended as a shrug this whole time, as mentioned here.
Well done!
I must have been asleep during last year's 'trend' of S.R's DL . Quite a few were attempting it. . as a DL :-/
barbend.com/reeves-deadlift/
Deadlift.....uuuurrrgghh
Interesting. Actually doing a lot of snatches works wonders for lat width and side shoulder development as well. Sergio Oliva is a good example. Even though he did use steroids he started out as an olympic lifter.
TRUE, I covered all this in my Sergio Oliva series
The clavicle is a bone, so how is this supposed to lengthen bone after puberty?
My guess is the stress on the clavicles produces a response which makes them grow, re-stimulating growth in that area even after puberty.
@@dhuss14 I don't think it will grow outward though. I think you'll just get increased bone density.
The growth plates in the clavicle don't close up until you're 25, I've heard.@@SWIFTzTrigger
@SWIFTzTrigger Same as you bones strengthen and become harder after punching a bag
I've been trying to find an exercise that'll get my side delts super sore from a heavy weight (possibly compound) movement the way that heavy t bar rows leave my rear delts...crazy sore. This Reeves deadlift looks to be something that might do it. I tried it last night, and i think I figured out the key...it's how he's holding it.
I did my first set or two with relatively light weight but gripping the plates as is seen in the pictures with my fingers on the top of the plates, and immediately after I stopped I noticed a tightness in my lateral delts. I figured why not load up some real weight, which meant there was no way I could grip the plates with the ends of my fingers, and use straps and plates with holes to grab through. I did a few sets this way, but didn't get any tightness in my side delts this time. Reeves must have had INSANELY strong hands to be holding all that weight like he is in the pictures with the ends of his fingers.
Anyway, perhaps there's something about using that grip with the fingers that activates the side delts instead of the traps. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else tried the Reeves deadlift and how it went as far as working the side delts. Thanks Golden Era Bookworm for yet another fascinating gem from the past!
Heck now that you mention it, maybe this exercise could be used for grip strength. Not just by gripping the plates, but actually curling the barbell with your finger tips, similar to a wrist curl.
I'm gonna toy with this now.
He did a225 barbell press while kneeling and the barbell on the floor
How did I not know this and my last name is Reaves
Goldenerabookworm... big fan here, we need a live demonstration of you doing the Reeves Deadlift with all the explaining.. Just nothing good in UA-cam ❤
Possible to get a tutorial in video?
Thanks for setting the record straight on this exercise. It's not very well known, but is usually done wrong. I like to use this at the beginning and end of my shoulder workout, and it does dramatically impact the side delts when done correctly.
Cool
Thank you for this interresting exercise I will test it if it works because my shoulders were always my weak spot so I will add it to my push workout and in 1 month and then in 3 month I will report here if it worked.
How is it going
@@zalik777 😂
As pointed out in John Little's book, The Time-Saver's Workout, Steve Reeves said his father had shoulders that were as broad as his own despite the fact that his father didn't do any resistance exercise.
And so, I don't believe there is a need to overthink it. A selection of key basic exercises performed intensely followed by adequate rest along with a sensible dietary regimen is pretty much all you can really do to naturally achieve your genetic potential. Everything else is mostly just chaff to sell books and magazines and such.
Well one questions the efficacy of an exercise to hypertrophy bones.but who knows,the old time guys did pullovers because they swore it enlarges the rib cage.but learning about what guys did to get pretty damn jacked and strong without any supplements and without scientific,evidence based studies is good stuff.interesting stuff this channel...
Very cool
thanks
Cool lift.
The Silver and Golden Age for bodybuilding...was SO FAR AHEAD of what they do today...which is...decide what drugs to take..LOL...:) Love these old magazines..and techniques practiced by the REAL Icons of the sport...
CORRECT
Correct. Today it's "what drugs should I take currently?"
Instead of
"what is the best food /training style to maximize my muscular / strength potential ?"
@@theironforce3000 LOL, exactly
Drugs aren’t new... Arnold was on plenty of drugs
@@damnnitsdantee737 yes but he wasn't from.the Silver Era, and that's what we are talking about here
where can I see it being performed?
Steve should of been Superman I think a missed opportunity.
Shall I keep shrugging once I lift it or put it back down and lift again
Great videos, thank you! 🙏
Welcome
So Reeves Shrugs? 😆
Mig Ram
Just like the Reeves Squat....I mean Calf Raise
Yes, but not emphasise on traps. Shrug like movement that focus on side deltoid.
I postured up, and didn't shrug to ears, but retracted my shoulder blades and squeezed them, trying to keep shoulders in even form. Its definitely small movement, but felt right, does this sound right? Ty. I squeezed them in the retracted part. Scapular retraction
Did you continue doing them for a while? Any widening of the clavicles noticed?
Havent watch the video but just went to a random spot and he says “it is not a deadlift like they make it to be”. The danm thitle says steve reevs deadlift
Should reeves deadlift be light ? cuz i dont know how to pick up properly the barbell using the position... how often should i perfom it in a Week ???
He grabs the weight with his fingers today the barbell has holes on the side
Works
Did you try? Any widening of the clavicles noticed?
@@cavallopazzo340 just a tip, don't actually hang the weight down for "the stretch". And yes, but mostly noticed my side delts grew
@@Tgrey808 Thanks. What do you mean with don't hang the weight down? Don't unshrug fully while you're upright and holding the weight?
@@cavallopazzo340 yes
@@Tgrey808 Ok. Why? Have you found it to be dangerous on the shoulder girdle? Sounds like that position is where the maximum stretch is achieved.
What if I do them with cables??
Very interesting indeed. I'm going to give it a try somewhere next week...
Cool
@@GoldenEraBookworm Though I do not think I'll be able to lift as much as Reeves!
@@Kaven_Benoit Me neither!
@@Kaven_Benoit mind you, Reeves only used lightweight, like 135lb or 60kg, no more. It's a stretch, not a deadlift
@@GoldenEraBookworm Trust me, I listened carefully to your comments in the video. I have no intention of deadlifting but rather protracting/retracting my scapulae. The only detail I'd like to know is if I should lean a little bit forward or stay upright. Obviously, leaning forward too much will turn the exercise in a lower traps/posterior delts exercise...
Will it actually do something?
How many reps, sets, and times per week did Steven Reeves perform the Reeves Deadlift? 🙏🙏🙏
Has anyone in the comments here tried this long term and taken measurements before and after
I have replicated this with resistance bands, shiii-
With all due respect, the Trap Bar Reeves Deadlift is an amazing innovation. This is now pretty much the only lift I train (I'm into minimalist training). With small plates for handles the range of motion works everything and has replaced my squats and deadlifts (as I have taken a break from powerlifting comps).
What I have taken away from you video if to superset Reeves Trap Bar Deadlifts with Reeves Trap Bar Shrugs.
Could only do 1 rep with 135, grip strength is terrible. Lowered to 110 and got 12 shrugs for 3 sets.
The book is no longer there
The so-called "Reeves Deadlift" should be considered as the "Reeves Shrug"
could you do this with dumbbells
No, it won't give you the collar bone stretch that you need.
Will it increase delts or cavicle
Salludon?
@@Ulrich-p4s ryan jfl
@@mewying5184 god
Reeves thought that ot broadens the shoulders and thats ok, people later on found out that based on science it cant broaden the shoulders but it is a great exercise to use as a deadlift variation to build grip strength traps and more. It being intended to broaden shoulders doesnt mean using it for other goals is mistake
Your clavicle cartilage doesn’t fully ossify till you’re 30 so you’re wrong.
@@alsqudgus01 lets say you can get taller until your 30s, would that suddenly mean that height growth pills work?
So, it should not be seen as a Deadlift but as a shrug/low rom upright row
Could you do the Reeves shrug with a pair of dumbbells too?
❤️
It sounds similar to an upright row
Waste of time at 28 or not?
it's so over
This will sparr me
Sparr?
Anyone have experience with this exercise?
this is forearms exercise more than side delts
Ee ee No, you just have to have sting firearms lol
If you use heavy poundage it is
Is this Reeves dude natural?
Why?
REEVES LIFT
I wonder how this would work for a 47 year old grown man?
Train wide get wide.
INFORMATIVE VID THANKS,,, BUT THAT COAT CAN HANG BY ITSELF, YES THERE ARE PADS IN THERE
Guys, would it work with dumbbells? I don't have accès to barbell unfortunately.
NO!!!!
But a Barbell and dates if you want to try it. If you can afford a phone you can afford a rusty old barbell
@@GoldenEraBookworm ok, thanks, I'll do something because I've tried technique of this exercise without weight and I'm definitely felt side delt pump so this exercise might be the answer.
Thank you for amazing videos though.
Ahh yes...,"It is not a Deadlift" and proceeds to show his own explanation where he states "I Deadlift the weight this way".
So it's like a upright row or high pull?
No, it is a shrug with a barbell pinching the plates.
Not pinching the plates... using the side delts to pull against the plates with a thumbless hook grip. Look at the pictures of Reeves... his thumb is free.
NO!!! No bending of the elbows...NOT A ROW
@@GoldenEraBookworm as far as you understand the reps start from the floor and end with a shrug or the set starts from the floor and the reps are shrugs?
@@LifeandLiesSyra the reps are shrugs only, that's the way Reeves said they should be done as I said in the video and even presented a snap shot from an interview...from Reeves own words
No need to do this exercise, simply JUST do side laterals with dumbbells.
Any evidence this actually works to widen the clavicles? lmao
interesting
Well tbh reeves deadlift performed as real deadlift and pinching by the plates, not the handles is really very hard on grip so it can be used very well for grip training
I know, but that's not it's original purpose, that's the point of this video
@@GoldenEraBookworm lol point of video is very clear from it...i just dont get why are you so mad about it...is it a wrong thing if somebody does this exercise from other reason than it was originally designed for?
If this exercise have potentional to be good grip exercise as well, then so be it...its even better that its multifunctional exercise that way, or not?
@@hodornador6085 absolutely agree. I am not MAD about it, I sound assertive cause I am quite masculine in behaviour and it comes out, when I talk, when I walk, etc
@@GoldenEraBookworm haha like tbh those t-nation articles pissed me off a few times too...whole bunch of bullshit with a little bit of knowledge there
If he was in his late teens early 20s it may be possible that he could have stimulated growth on the clavicles because they are still growing. 24 and up it wont work you cannot naturally lengthen bone at all. You can only stimulate density.
I am 18 will it work for me?
"I'm 5'8" but I'll use stretching movements to lengthen my (adult) bones untill I become 6'3." "
Lengthening your clavicles (bone) is just as reasonable..
I wonder if the "great" Steve Reaves had any such exercises to also make himself taller.
If so, it appears they didn't work [He was actually a bit under 6'.]🤔🤣
[Anyway, this shoulder movement hits (& imperils) the shoulder joints, rather than having a direct impact on the clavicle itself]
In any case, I think Arnold's inspiration, Reg Park, during this time, had a better physique than Reeves, as Park also had brawn along with symmetry, from his heavy basic training. Compare these 2guys in those Italian back & white Hercules movies....Park is much more impressive.
But gotta hand it to the Golden Era Book Worm for another interesting article.👍👍👍
Clavicle growth plates close a lot sooner than the rest of the growth plates.
Meaning that your shoulders can grow well on in to you early 20s
@@famousnoname8556 You just said "clavicle growth plates CLOSE A LOT SOONER than other growth plates".....then you state what seems to be the reverse, "that they can keep growing well into your early 20s" {that they keep growing while growth has stopped elsewhere}....this is contradictory!! ( If I'm understanding you right).
So which is it???
Also, dude, there is NO PROOF that stretching exercises, especially the very harsh ones described, actually lengthen bones, the clavicle being one such. Indeed, the science tends to point in the opposite direction, I e , straining hard/harsh exercise DAMAGES GROWTH PLATES, thereby stunting growth. This is why it is recommended that growing kids NOT perform heavy/ straining exercise.
Anyway, the debate goes on! 👀🤔😏😏🧐🥸
@@highhplainsdrifter9099 i said it wrong. They close later.
And yes, i dont believe stretching exercises will make them longer.
But high stress on bone can influence remodeling and growth. If you look at medieval archer skeletons, one arm is a lot longer
@@famousnoname8556 OKAY, the language has been clarified & that stuff about the archers arm being stressed & hence longer is an excellent point!!
I sort of notice what seems to be the same phenomenon with the wide shoulders on Olympic level gymnasts.
I know early bodybuilders did some gymnastics moves to build muscles, but some like Reeves, & others ( John Girmeck) & even well into the 1960s ,were associating & mimicking some of this gymnastics.
So maybe, some of these things, when the bone is growing, may actually work.?!?!?!
@@famousnoname8556 EXCELLENT point about the archer's arm!! Maybe the same thing is happening to give Olympic level gymnasts those very wide clavicles?! I know bodybuilders in the1940s, 50s& & 60s were associating with gymnasts & picking up tips & moves from them.🤔🤔🤔
Well I guess Its time to slap Some people with 45 lb plate