Quite a few months ago I received a couple of photos from a reader asking me my opinion of one of his friends; Steven Reeve. I was quite impressed and decided to ask for an interview that he kindly accepted to give. I asked simply because I believe that this guy could go very far in this sport, sometimes you spot ’em, sometimes you don’t; this time I did. Steven is a Sports Nutritionist and Consultant out of Essex and doing very well. Here is his story:

Mick: What is your basic training system Steve and how do you construct it, 3, 4, 6 days etc?

Stephen: Well Mick, I like to train three days per week on non-consecutive days and use the following split:

Day One:

Back, Traps, rear delts and biceps

Day Two:

Chest, shoulders and triceps

Day Three:

Legs

I like to train my abs twice per week on non training days. After warming up, I will do only "one work" set which is worked to positive failure, usually within the region of 6-12 reps. This is followed by some high intensity techniques such as forced reps, drop sets, rest pause and negatives. On some occasions, I will do a super set in pre-exhaust style, such as leg extensions straight into squats.

Mick: Do you like to g straight into the hard workout or prefer a gradual build up?

Stephen: My training philosophy is to train intensely for a brief period of time (50-80 minutes) and then allow plenty of time to rest, recuperate and grow. I have experimented with training more often and with more sets and the only thing that I developed was over training syndrome.

Mick: Yes I agree, many people do not realise the dangers of over-training. I try and explain this time and time again. What about your diet Steve, is it so strict all of the time?

Stephen: Well in the off-season I don’t have a set diet and believe in making the most of this time by eating some of the foods I like, to reduce my pre-contest cravings. However, I make sure that I eat six me als per day (3 whole meals and 3 protein drinks with fruit) which contains good quality protein. I aim for at least 3 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight per day. This way I know that I am meeting my requirements to make the fastest possible progress. I also like to take advantage of the post-workout window of opportunity (referring to a time when the body is highly receptive to nutrients) by making a drink which provides 1 gram of carbohydrates and protein per kg bodyweight to restore glycogen levels and repair muscle tissue.

Mick: Do you stay within a certain range of your contest bodyweight or like to get BIG!

Stephen: I tend to get about three stone over contest weight in the off season, which some people may think is too high, however, I find that it helps my strength and recovery and therefore my progress. I am also glad to have some competitions under my belt because I know I can shift it come contest time, which was previously a worry.