Bodybuilder Steve Davis Interview

Article from Iron Man Magazine March 1968
www.IronManMagazine.com

This story is about a young man of 16 who took up bodybuilding in an effort to develop a Mr. America physique. Three years later he discovered that he was way overweight, nearly 300 pounds of "blob" as he described himself, too heavy and too smooth.

So Steve embarked on a program to help slice off the excessive and undesired weight, while maintaining muscular growth so that he could be one of the finest physiques in America for a teenager. Besides the weight problem, Steve wasn't feeling well and he thought the Blair program might be the way to improve his vitality.

Steve says it was as if he was running on low octane gas; in the middle of the afternoon he would have to sleep. He as taxing his body with extra weight he was carrying around. Of course, this afternoon nap didn't fir in with his schedule.

◄Don: Steve, will you now tell in your own words the exact program you followed and what you did to enable you to change your body from close to 300 pounds to a beautiful body at 195 pounds.

Steve: Well, of course, Don, everyone makes New Year's resolution and I was not one to forego this pleasure. After Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years I had swelled up to nearly 300 pounds of body

weight. With a frame of 5'11" it was more ridiculous than the figures alone would show. So I was determined to seek some advice, and knowing of Blair's research and success I decided to take your advice, Don, and see him. I came with some reservations, for I knew it meant allot of work. I came on April 15, 1967, heavy and waddling at some 285 pounds.

Don: Excuse me, but tell me, did you have any knowledge of nutrition when you came to Blair's studio?

Steve: Well, I guess the size I had reached is sample evidence that I didn't know what I was doing. I was eating all I could...

Don: Alright, what did you do to put on this hundred pounds of excess weight?

Steve: I ate primarily what is known as a balanced diet, the foods that most people eat, like salads, meat, bread and butter, and some candy-type foods, pancakes, cookies, anything that appealed to my appetite. Fig Newton's were a favorite delicacy.

Don: What about milk? How much milk did you use in a day?

Steve: I didn't drink enough to compensate nutritionally, though I did have a quart a day.

Don: Is that all?

Steve: Yes, and some pop.

Don: What does your typical meal or meals before going on the Blair system?

Steve: Well, a typical breakfast would be French toast, sausage, fried potatoes, a half dozen scrambled eggs, a large glass of orange juice and possibly, and if I was still hungry, milk. Halfway through the day I might have a couple of cookies, a glass of hot chocolate or something like this. For lunch, grilled cheese sandwich, beans, cottage cheese, and pudding for dessert, and maybe a low calorie soda.

For dinner, a steak, which was probably the largest amount of protein I had the whole day. But then I ruined it all with potatoes and vegetables. Probably a glass of milk mixed with a gain weight supplement which only made me fatter, followed with apple pie a la mode which certainly did not need. But, as I said, I realized that going on a routine of training down not only physically, but mentally, would take allot of doing on my part.

Don: Now, you could put this, Steve, as if you were telling it to someone other than me? Can you tell of your experience of visiting Blair, what you talked about, the questions you asked, what you learned, and things like that?

◄Steve: Well, of course my only knowledge of Blair, up until I gave him a call, was reading various magazines, primarily IRON MAN, and I had seen his formulas in the health food store.

I entered "Blair House" as optimistic as could be, and of course the surroundings were neat, very clean, and seemed to epitomize his way of living and the way of living I hoped to achieve as soon as possible Mr. Blair seemed very, very earnest, and very optimistic that through advanced scientific methods I could succeed.

The first thing Rheo did was to show me what other people had done through such scientific methods, and this heightened my enthusiasm to degrees

I find it very hard even now to relate. Men and women who at sixty years old had been transformed from unsightly messes into shapely younger looking senior citizens.

I saw some outstanding shots of such stars as Dave Draper, Larry Scott, Gable Boudreaux,  Don Howorth, Stan Brice, John Tristram, Jay North (Dennis the Menace), Jon Hall, Adam West (Batman), James Drury (the Virginian), Clint Walker, Pete Lupus (Mission Impossible), Lawrence Welk, Liberace, Bob Cummings, Miss Los Angeles, Boyer Coe, and others, which not only showed the Blair had good taste in physiques, and interest in those he thought would be great, but that, in turn, those who were great were also following his program.

So after being to Rheo himself, and his lovely secretary, Ruth Backlund, and the surroundings, we launched into the program, But before launching into anything major, Rheo decided to take a "protein break". So through his large, well-stocked showroom we marched - shoes off - of course, for this is a standard rule at the Blair House; shoes not only for comfort, but for relaxation. We marched into his nutritional kitchen for a protein break. Now this kitchen, though large, was practically all ice box (refrigerator). So Rheo showed me exactly what he kept in his "fridge". To my amazement, there was nothing but two rows of cream, certified raw milk, cheese, eggs, and very, very tasty flavorings. The next step was to put these into his protein cocktail.

The first thing we decided on was a systematic diet; something I could follow, something that would fit into my schedule, and yet something that would keep my health at an optimum condition for, as a student and a teacher of English,

I'm very busy. Of course, the supplements would be taken in ample quantities. For, of course, I wanted not to gain but to lose, yet not lose vitality and strength. Actually I had next no to health, so I wanted to lose weight and gain health! So the diet was to include a milk and egg protein supplement which, as far as I am concerned is the best tasting, almost like ice cream.

This is the way Rheo suggested I try it: mixed with cream (not half and half), the cocoanut flavoring, mixed to custard-like consistency, almost like an ice cream, sprinkled  with cocoanut and a favorite deistic fruit (he suggested either peaches or strawberries as the best fruits to use as part of the flavoring material). Unlike many proteins I have taken in the past, now I actually look forward to my protein break, for this protein dish is as delicious is as delicious as ice cream.

So then, the protein supplement mixed with cream was to the basis of my diet. This made eating very simple. The next aspect of the diet was supplements which I took in the proper ratio that would benefit me in this diet. I might say I took a lot of B-Complex vitamins and liver exact.

Don: The major part of your program was the protein. How, exactly did you use the protein? Did you use it with milk; did you use it with cream, or half and half? How did you take it?

Steve: To lose weight, I found it best to use the protein supplement mixed with cream. Take Gable Boudreaux for instance. He was a Navy reject at 107 lbs., who gained some sixty-five pounds, to 170-plus, all the time maintaining a 27-inch waist. And here is a man who consistently drank milk, cream and protein all day. He gained weight. I felt that to lose weight and yet maintain my protein I would have to make it in the custard-like consistency. This may be new, Don, but I felt for my purposes I should use the protein mixed with cream, and keep my milk intake to a minimum. I did take possibly a quart of certified raw milk a day. I took four or five small meals of protein each day, each made with 1/4 cup of protein mixed into one half cup or so of cream.

Don, I noticed a color improvement in my skin. Is that a common occurrence?

Don: Yes, that's common; liver is known to be a blood builder so you make get an improvement in skin coloring.

Steve: I was using liver extract, an average of 30 to 50 capsules a day, B-Complex (one) four times a day, and a special choline formula, about eighteen a day, which we though might help burn the fat. Also, a special protein digestant containing Pepsin and HC1 which I used to make sure I thoroughly digested the protein, and I averaged about five per feeding of food or protein. I was amazed at the effectiveness of this special digestant.

By the way, Don, all my foods, other than the protein or supplements, were taken in small quantities. When I had meat it was the white variety, either chicken or lamb, for no special reason or other than I enjoy them.

Don: And how much would you eat?

Steve: About four ounces.

Don: When you ate food, then, you averaged only about four ounces of food. Is there anything else you would eat?

Steve: Two or three eggs a day.

Don: You mean cooked?

Steve: Usually raw.

Don: You mean egg yolks?

Steve:  Yes, I had one egg three times a day in a whiskey shot-glass, according to the famous Blair manner. And when I ate meat it was usually in 4 ounce servings. I was taking about five of the 20 International Unit potency Vitamin E capsules per day. My endurance did increase right away from this combination.

Don: That means that your energy level increased. And did you feel better? You said you were not feeling good when you went to see Blair.

Steve: I found that immediately, in two or three days after starting the program, I could do away with my mid-afternoon nap for rejuvenation and stay up the complete 16 hours one normally stays up. It was as though I were suddenly catapulted into a more energetic life. 

I also took calcium. I was taking a Germ oil concentrate about five capsules six times a day, same as the liver. And Vitamin C, about six a day, that would be three thousand milligrams a day. And, of course, no fruits or vegetables.

Don: That's right no fruits or vegetables on the program - none at all.

◄Steve: Except for the tiny amount I'd get of peaches in the protein coconut peach delight, and that would be the dietic variety, of course. Blair explained that the dietic is better than buying the regular fruit, pouring off the syrup and washing the fruit, because the fruit has been cooked in the syrup and sugar has saturated the fruit, and I wouldn't use it.

I guess that includes all the supplements I used. Oh, I almost forgot. I did take a special Iron formula. Now, do you want to hear about my training?

Don: Yes, but first I want to finish about the diet. I will want to hear all about your training program, how much you trained, how often, the poundage's, the sets and reps, and how much rest between exercises; all of that I'd like to know.

Right now, I'd like to know what you did toward the end of the program before you took the pictures, to add extra leanness to your body.

Steve: Unfortunately, Don, it's a sad story. To lean-up for these pictures I realized that I'd have to lose that minute layer of adipose tissue to really refine my body to the condition of Larry Scott or Gable Boudreaux. You have to admit these men have fantastic definition for their size, which is something one finds very difficult. Anyone can be "sliced" at 103 pounds, but to have a 20 inch arm and good separation, that's ruff.

At this point in the program Rheo said, "Steve, we want to help you get a little extra leanness to your body, and there's a special dietary program we can use to do this. It's living only on meat and water. At the same time, how would you like to conduct an experiment to prove the inferiority of meat compared to milk and eggs?" I said "Let's do it."

Rheo explained, in order to lean up just especially for the pictures, just for two to five days at the very most I should live on nothing but meat and plus a meat-protein supplement, using the same meat-protein supplement that he used with Gable Boudreaux and also Larry D. Scott.

I could have as much as I wanted of this meat-protein supplement, but must not use any milk and egg proteins during this period. So I went on this program but without the recommendation of Rheo, and on my own, I continued this type of program for a period up to twelve days. And this is the sad part of the story.

I became so physically exhausted, so high strung, so nervous and drawn that after Rheo had taken the pictures I was about ready to collapse. And when I told Rheo this he gave me a terrific scolding because of this detrimental to both mind and body and that it was not necessary.

And now I had realized what a mistake I had made. Now I am back on Rheo's program, living on cream and protein almost exclusively. I have put on 10 pounds, I have added an inch and a quarter to my arms, yet my waist has come up only one-half inch! And there has been no appreciable difference in cuts.

It seems as if my fat metabolism had improved. This completely amazes my more than anything that has happened; that I have been able to take nothing but cream and protein, and maintain abdominal definition and still put on 10 pounds of muscle, has improved to me so dramatically the superiority of undenatured milk and egg proteins.

Don: Now, tell me more about how you felt during this exclusive all meat protein diet, while eliminating eggs and dairy products completely.

Steve: Rheo and I spent most of one whole afternoon taking the physique pictures. I was tired, I was nervous, I was edgy. I didn't feel like shooting, I didn't feel like posing. I didn't feel like getting out of bed!  Don, I had no energy. I had energy, but it was the kind of energy that almost hurts to expend. After that posing day it was difficult for me even to wipe the baby oil off! It was difficult for me to sit in the car waiting half an hour waiting for my next protein. I wanted to lie down. I felt intravenous feeding was the next step.

But I must say when we arrived at the Blair House; Rheo made me the most delicious protein delight in all my eight months. It was great, it hit the spot. Yes, the protein supplement in cream, with peaches and coconut. It is what I needed. Within about two hours I felt like a new person.

Don, since then, I've gained ten pounds already, and I'm just as cut, as you can see. We're going to have to do another article on "How I Gained Thirty More Pounds Without Losing Any Cuts!" We're going to have to show people it can be done. It can be done with milk and eggs, which is something 90 percent of the bodybuilding public doesn't know.

Don: I can tell you what is going to happen. You're not only going to get bigger with the same definition, but you're not going to have a dead looking face. You are going to have better skin tone, texture and coloring. Which means you're going to look healthier all over. Another thing, you're going to feel like a human being should feel instead of feeling like you're not going to make it.

Steve: I'm finished feeling like a spider; it just isn't worth it. 

Don: I think you ought to go over your training; what are the exercises you mainly did and what kind of reps and sets did you use.

Steve: My biggest problem was burning off fat. The supplements to a great degree were going to help me out of course the other 15% of my bodybuilding was up to my physical exercise. Recognizing that nutrition is 85% of bodybuilding, according to Larry Scott who has been a Blair student for 8 or 9 years, and I think there's nobody today who would argue with Larry on that point.

Don: And, of course, you might say that Rheo is the first to admit that these men still train very hard and the exercise is a very important part of it, but if it isn't backed up with sound nutrition then, in many cases it is like a man knocking his head against a wall.

Steve: Now, my training was to consist of high reps, light weights, shaping and defining exercises. My original objective while following my own diet program before meeting Rheo, was to get big and strong, and I didn't know it, but also in the end very grotesque and ugly. I was out for bulk.

Back to my routine: I started out Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with chest, and I did incline dumbbell presses with 70 lb. dumbbells, 8 sets of 12 reps, super-setted with wide-grip parallel bar dips for 8 sets of 15 reps.  To finish off my chest work and give me a little more separation, I did incline dumbbell flies.

As Larry Scott has so long shown the bodybuilding world, with his advanced techniques in bodybuilding, I too followed his program of working in alternate (or might I say opposing) muscle groups after my chest, which of course would follow to be the last.

 At 285 I couldn't do too many chins, but I struggled and I started out that first week which I'll never forget, which five sets of five wide-grip chins which is really an insult to someone who used to be a gymnast and who can now do some 35 chins.

After chins at five sets of five, I went to pulley work, low-pull rowing five sets 12 reps, and I finished off with back hyper-extensions off the bench. Then because I realized I certainly didn't need to do any more squats or leg work, I took a mile run. I came back, finished off with about fifteen minutes of abdominal work and called that Monday or a Wednesday or a Friday.

Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturdays I did shoulders, biceps, triceps, forearms and again my calves and legs which I developed in running.

For my shoulders I did wide grip press behind the neck, light weight eight sets of twelve super-setted with front deltoid raises, eight sets twelve reps.  My final deltoid exercise was bent over laterals, three sets of twenty-five reps.

Getting back on my Monday, Wednesday, and Friday routine, I used 150 pounds for pulley rowing. For my wide grip press behind the neck I used 135 pounds.

For my front raises I used 25 pound dumbbells and for my bent over laterals I used 35 pound dumbbells. Again, using the Larry Scott system of biceps worked, I did the Larry Scott bench curls super-setted with incline curls, five sets of ten reps, using 100 pounds in the Larry Scott bench curls and 45 pound dumbbells on the incline curls. Finishing up biceps work I did concentration curls.

End of my triceps work I super-setted lying heavy triceps presses using 145 pounds, super-setted with lat machine pull downs, 120 lbs. To round off my triceps I did lying one dumbbell triceps extensions and standing one dumbbell triceps extensions. Again for my legs, I did a mile run, came back, and did fifteen minutes of Abdominal work.

Now that we've gone over the diet and exercise routine may I tell a little story that summarized the whole thing in a nutshell? I was an athlete in high school and I had a typical, hamburger-fed athletic body. After I graduated high school I went to college and was really determined to become a weight-lifter. You saw the results. My friends, I should say, were not embarrassed. They weren't impressed; they kind of accepted my size.

They weren't too happy about it, they weren't sad; they just accepted it and took me for their new Gargantuan. During this summer, when I probably had more time to concentrate on my dieting and consequently lost the most weight. I didn't see one particular fellow on the football team from June until September, 4 months.

The first day of school I was in the gym undressing for a training session when he bumped against me, I said "Hey, what are you doing Jim?" He said, "Well, not much. Say, do I know you?" He actually said that to me, his friend, whom he'd known for two years in high school and one year in college. He asked me to my face, "Do I know you?" and I said, "Well, don't I look the same ninety pounds less?"

He said, "Is that you, Steve?" and I said, "Yes, that's me! Can you tell the difference?" He said "I can't tell the difference, I didn't know the difference existed. You have lost more weight than any other human I have ever seen. How did you do it? Did you cut off a leg, did you have an operation?" I said, "No, I didn't. It was completely a well-balanced nutritional program, adjunct to my training." And that was a 90 pound loss.

Since I've lost this weight I had contacts from Universal City to make a movie and I have been more accepted as a normal functioning American citizen at my new 195 pounds. You walk into a room at 285 pounds and even if you can get through the door which is really a stumbling block at that weight, you're still not accepted. Have you seen this problem before?

Have you seen other "heavies" go on this program? Or are they mostly people like Jay North (Dennis the Menace) who are trying to gain weight? Is Rheo's program basically for those who want to gain or want to lose?

Don: No, this program is a body normalizer; it can work for either one. I sometimes think that the overweight person can be a little unhealthier than the other kind.

Steve: Well, you know how I looked that first day; I looked sallow.

◄Don: Rheo though you had ruined yourself for life! I'd like to have you add to this tape what would be some of the important pieces of advice to a bodybuilder.  What would you say to a bodybuilder, one who is working out and trying to get a physique? What would be some of the major things that you have learned since working with Rheo that would help other people?

Steve: I want to say I have enjoyed my association with Rheo as a person and it retrospect I probably have less to say to the average American than I do to the bodybuilder.

But I do think I have a lot to say to the bodybuilder. The first thing I want to say to the bodybuilder is, DON'T UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BULK UP on carbohydrate foods, and then hope through some meat-water miracle to train down, retain measurements, retain size, in those areas desired and yet cut up and be healthy. It's just possible.

You've got to start from the ground floor up, just as if you are underweight for your bodybuilding goal. If you're overweight I suggest you do just as I do. Follow the program, lose weight gradually. Don't do what I did the last week and a half, but train up with the Blair program but do it gradually.

Now this is what I want to say for those who wish to gain muscular size. Like the paragon example, Gable Boudreaux, skinny, slight, gaining some 70 pounds, yet kept the same waist size he started out with, but was able to pack on pounds and inches of pure muscle.

I guess in the case of Dave Draper and in the case of myself, although I certainly don't put us in the same class, we both had to lose weight to cut up. We both followed the Blair program of nutrition; we both cut up successfully and without detriment to our bodies.

Remember, it is the right combination of many things that bring good results, such as exercise, rest, good food and concentrated nourishment in the right formulation and in balanced ratios.

Don: Now, in one period of your training you went on nothing but meat proteins. I would like to have you tell the readers what happened to your muscles and how much of your actual muscle size you lost going on the all-meat protein. 

Steve: Well, it seemed a little ridiculous to work so hard for my muscles and then have them disappear. Even though I was eating hundreds and hundreds of grams from meat and meat protein supplement, my muscles seemed to diminish.

Don: Tell us what happened to your strength and your vitality and your pump.

Steve: My pump was non-existent on all the meat protein diet. A workout for me wouldn't pump. Three sets at the maximum per body part, and look at Howorth; when he was cutting up he was doing 30 sets. Howorth and I were both trying to cut up, yet he was able to do ten times the work and twice as fast as I was able to do it.

So there is a perfect example of what happens when you take a meat protein diet at the end of training for a contest. You lose energy, you lose muscle size, you lose any kind of vivacious healthy look, and your attitude is very pessimistic; I was ready to give the whole thing up, feeling depressed, washed out, edgy. You can't train when you have no energy. No wonder Howorth looks so good; he could train hard and yet cut up, which is exactly what the bodybuilder wants to do.

Don: Say, by the way, how long did it take you to lose your weight?

Steve: Eight months, roughly about 12 pound's a month.

Don: Well, Stephen Davis, I'm sure that your story and the experience that you have conveyed to us will be a great inspiration to many people and, I'm sure, very helpful. And I certainly thank you for the time you've taken to share it with us.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, supplement or exercise program. Individuals differ in response to supplements and so will results.