For those who don’t know Bob Peoples, here is some background.
Peoples was born in 1910 in Johnson City, Tennessee, and at the age of 9, developed a passion for weight training. He ignited that passion by purchasing the Farmer Burns course and reading “Strength” magazine.
When Bob turned 18, he became very interested in deadlifting. He did all the training, but his specialty from then on was the deadlift. He made a catch of 350 and within a year had worked up to 450 at a body weight of 165. His first competition of any kind was the 1937 Tennessee State Weightlifting Championships.
The next two years of training brought many improvements. He again traveled to Chattanooga and lifted at the 1939 State Championships. His total had improved by 65 pounds, but the highlight this time was a 600-pound deadlift. More contests and higher lifts followed. His crowning moment came during the big variety show Red Shield Boy’s Club in 1949. At a body weight of 181 pounds, Peoples set a world record (for his weight class) by lifting 725.5 pounds.
In 1979, Peoples wrote a book titled “Developing Physical Strength,” which became an instant classic. Peoples passed away in 1992 at the age of 82.
Some of his main lifts are as follows:
Squat – 530 pounds
Bench press: 300lbs (didn’t work much)
Deadlift – 725.5 pounds
All drug free…
This is just one of many routines that Peoples liked to do.
Bob People’s Deadlift Workout
Deadlift 1×15-20, 1×10, 1×8, 1×6, 6×1 (10 sets total)
Squats 5×5
Press 5×5
Notes: Peoples would train 4-5 days a week. He liked to lift heavy things, so there were no light outfits. In deadlifts, he increased the weight on each set until he reached 90% of the maximum, hitting 6 sets of singles. Peoples would use the same weight on the squat and overhead press for each set. If you want to follow this routine, I suggest you do it 2 or 3 days a week. As always, get plenty of rest, eat well, and drink plenty of water. Remember to lift heavy and with maximum intensity.
Understand that to be successful in any weight training program, hard work is a must! Half-hearted effort does nothing for you. If you are new to weight training or severely out of shape, consult a doctor first. End of disclaimer.