Dave Draper’s Musclebuilding Q&A

My 14 year-old son is lifting weights. He is currently taking whey protein and creatine. I am comfortable with the first, but not the second (I have never taken it myself). He wishes to purchase Oxybolin 250. What are your thoughts?

As a 55-year trainee who’s gone through it since he was 10 and can identify with the urgency for muscle and might at every age range, especially 15 to 20, there is nothing more valuable then a sound diet, high in protein and high-value carbs and good fats— with plenty of raw vegetables and fruit and a good high-quality vitamin-mineral supplement. Consistently smart eating and right training builds muscle, health and guts.

It’s the seeking of tricks to get what you want (at any age) that leads to impatience, false hopes, disappointment and a weak mind and a weak spirit. Time to be strong.

Forget the oxy-stuff and all the hype suggesting plant hormone precursors to play funny games with the hormonal system. Do not fool around with youthful nature.

Creatine is an important ingredient, natural and okay and has value to musclebuilders, is essential in energy cycle and not stored or manufactured. I’ve used it regularly for the past 10 years and my best doc friend says it’s not problematic. Just get the best and purest creatine for absorption and safety. Some are imported from China and have been known to have impurities. Check site: Anabol Naturals creatine. Otherwise, eat a lot of steak.

I’m thinking of you and not a sale I can make: Brother Iron Sister Steel is a great book of straight talk for the bodybuilder of all ages. Training tips, hints, training understanding and pictures of Golden Years I’ve collected over the years. Your boy might get introduced to the iron sport in a very thoughtful and appreciative way… fun photos and captions.

I believe this is a valuable heads-up for your young bud… Godspeed… Dave

I ordered the Top Squat and have been using it for two workouts now. I really like the sense of balance it provides and the ease with which I can squat really low comfortably. My shoulders were a little tender after using it, but I surmise it is because I am accustomed to using a pad and will be comfortable as soon as my shoulders toughen up. My next move is to explore different stances. I did not get the pump and day-after soreness on the quads that I am accustomed to, but rather on the muscles right below the glutes. This time I used the olympic bar instead of the Smith Machine. I welcome any suggestions you may have.

Thanks for the good word. You’re in charge from here. It’s a great piece with nothing but super reports from all users.

Practice and focus and be sensible and stay with the Olympic bar. Let the bar move with the natural body action. I believe in a short time you’ll find your favorite and most likable and productive groove.

Use a natural hip-wide stance, toes slightly outward and squat to a thigh-parallel position, slightly deeper in time as you gain the capability.

Don’t let your legs push up as your upper body lags behind… famous back killer. They move together.

Let the handles move along with you as you move down. Rotate the top squat handles upward (the bar will move backward) . Great control— you’ll love it. Always warm up thighs and knees.

Wear good sneaks — not of the running variety. I like 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 rep pattern… light weight to heavier weight.

Keep bombing… dave

Did you really gain much doing the double split years ago? I’ve been training thirty years, and just now have the ability to do it since I work as a trainer at a resort. My starting weight is 265 at 9% bodyfat - 6′3″ tall. I’m trying to get to 5-7 % and keep as much muscle as possible. I thought the double split might take me there. I wonder if my nervous system will be over taxed and cause a breakdown in energy.

Split routines were initiated when little else mattered and all systems were tuned to training and gaining.

I’d beware of extended output when you’re no longer a kid. You’re right about overloading the central nervous system and burnout.

Like all nutsy training ideas that cross the mind, give them a go for a distance to experience them first hand, satisfy your urge and curiosity, and learn and grow… and go.

Nine percent bodyfat is pretty ripped, less could be costly and unnecessary for non-competitive walk-around purposes; you might double-check that estimate with the most accurate testing system for certainty.

Have fun, train hard, eat right, be strong… Godspeed… Dave

2 weeks ago I suffered a distal radial fracture during some hand to hand training, basically a broken right wrist.  My question to you is should I continue to train my left arm?  I absolutely hate the thought of completely being laid off of upper body training for over 6 weeks (in a cast 6 weeks, then rehab begins after that).  I want to minimize the losses of my hard work but I also don’t want my left arm to be so far ahead of my right that it may never catch up.   What do you think?  What would you do?

First of all, Sergeant, thanks for all your sacrifice for me and everyone I know. God bless America.

Second, I’d give the injury time to settle in and settle down. Get to know it and give it time to mend through everyday activity. When you get antsy and feel cautiously and wisely confident, sneak up on a training scheme with care and sensitivity.

I had open surgery on the right shoulder and biceps years ago and applied this methodology. I started training within a week of my surgery with various machines that allowed some safe action within the mending area and the sense of balanced training. I moved quickly to lightweight dumbbells, training the injured and healthy equally. Such action provides stimulus to the muscle-memory and improves nutritious blood flow to the tissues and keeps one’s head together. The restrained efforts accelerated healing, and I advanced my training accordingly. Every workout was investigative, focused, satisfying, healing and educational.
Only you can determine the action and level of exertion you can apply without damage. Pain will guide you… improvise movements… stay very light yet effect tough effort through the mind and dynamic tension.
Had I pushed it, my efforts would have been destructive.
You’re smart and intuitive. Recovery is around the corner, virtue development along the way. Go…
Godspeed… Dave

I have read many articles and sites about getting lean and ripped, but I have a more unique case. I am 6′2 and about 150 pounds. I have been working out for about 2 years on and off now so I’m am a decent size. However, I don’t have the six pack that I’ve wanted for the longest time.

Overall musclebuilding is far more important and healthier than training for abs as your chief motivator. Your core and midsection will develop sooner, more correctly and functionally.

Building muscle mass and shape and definition takes a long, long time and requires perseverance, trial and error to understand what suits your particular needs. Stick to the basics in menu and training as outlined in my book Brother Iron Sister Steel.

You are 6′2″ and 150 pounds. This is extremely thin and your attention is on great abs… I suspect you need to rethink and revise your training motivations.

If you don’t have tight, visible abs at your weight and height and with two years training, you are on the wrong program. Abs are muscles (like arms) and need to treated as such — rope tucks, hanging leg raises — three days a week. Train abs every other workout.

Eat right to gain needed muscle mass, and the strength and energy that accompanies it to train hard. Add red meat to your diet, the aggressive musclebuilding protein and B-complex source.

Cut the cardio in half as it interferes with sound muscle growth in a lean individual. You can’t have much of a fat problem with your statistic to warrant extensive aerobics. Do cardio HIIT-style and limit the rest.

Eat more animal protein, nutritional carbs and EFAs (50-25-25 ratio). Musclebuild four days a week.

Pay attention and discover your needs without relying on others to lead you. The answers are in you and your training. The sooner this musclebuilding becomes personal through wins and losses and persistence and determination and living and learning, the more fun and productive it becomes. I sense you expect too much too soon, a common and disappointing obstacle for all early and intermediate lifters. Train head, eat right, practice, be strong, be confident.

Go… God’s strength… DD

Is there still time for me to add some size before my age (43) gets the better of me?

If you’re in good health and with a decent training regimen and can avoid injuries, you have at least 10 years of musclebuilding, shaping and hardening before you. Stay tuned to Irononline.

Train hard, eat right, be strong and consistent… Godspeed… Dave

I was wondering what you think of cycling (i.e., periodization)? I have heard some bodybuilders state that it is okay to change certain exercises and the order of them, but you should train within the same rep range (and weight range) all the time. I have heard other bodybuilders state that you should change up your reps and weight amounts on a periodic basis. Since you have been bodybuilding the majority of your life, I was wondering what your opinion is of cycling?

When presented with a question like this, the answer I can give is “it all works.” That’s not original; it came from my buddy, Zabo, Muscle Beach sandman. A little broad, but I can’t argue with the generalization.

This is up to you and depends on your lifting background and current needs and current condition and frame of mind. Whatever is most appealing to you (reps and weight and exercise changes) will probably work best… you’ll apply yourself more completely and enthusiastically.

My rep-range usually remains the same (12, 10, 8, 6, 4 — in a way built-in periodization), and I have my variety of favorite exercises that I interchange frequently these past years… a methodology I didn’t trust until the more recently.

Early on in one’s training absolute order and routine is important. Once skilled and intuitive and developed to a sufficient degree, the field of practice broadens. Be confident. Welcome trial and error; learn and grow.

Both (or more) work… sit still and think… which do you favor today. Sometimes this takes awhile and comes to mind after days of subconscious digestion.

Be strong, train hard… Godspeed… Dave

I have no access to a squat rack and currently do hack squats. I was wondering if there were any other exercises to help develop the outer thigh area for me.

Do deep squats holding dumbbells in your hands. Try walking lunges with a light bar you can place on your back freehand.

Try sissy squats. Stand four or more feet from a secure rigging, with an attached rope mid-waist, hold rope, lean backward and drop with knees bending… you’ll be going down as if falling on your back… control with hands, arms and rope… practice and discover resistance and movement groove.

These are some ideas of leg work when limited by available equipment. Thigh sweep often depends on inherent structure. Not all lifters achieve this quality, and in fact, from a movement perspective — and particularly an athletic perspective, striving for that is not even a good idea.

Don’t neglect hamstrings… curls and leg extensions if possible… lunges — lunges with rotation in the upper body. Try wind sprints.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

I own two olympic bars and a smith bar. They all have slightly different circumferences and I do not know if any of them is 1 1/16″ in diameter. Do you happen to know if the Top Squat will fit on the Smith Machine bar? If it fits the Smith, will I be able to twist the bar on and off into the locked position to start and end a lift by just changing the elevation of the handle? Does the Top Squat place comparable strain on the neck and lower back as the Safety Squat?

I’m not sure if the top squat will be a perfect fit on any of these, but you can out the inner tabs (provided for fit modification) with an exacto to accommodate a thicker bar, or layer duct tape or inner tubing at appropriate locations for thinner bars.

It’s used on the Smith Machine at my gym with effectiveness, with individuals attaching or removing it easily.

There’s no strain on neck once you are familiar with unit… you’ll understand the action and placement throughout your first attentive workout, and there’s no strain on the lower back except the resistance of the weight used.

Key point: Let the handles move along with you, down and back up — don’t try to keep the handles firmly in place a the top position.

I absolutely love it and have had my best workouts using it — good form, pain free and heavy. I think three have been returned due to not fitting the bars, and another couple that the buyers reported it worked as advertised, but wasn’t suitable for their particular issues.

Lots of raves, a few school coaches bought 4 to 6 to 24.

Godspeed… Dave

I’m seven weeks out from an upcoming bodybuilding contest. Do you have any suggestions for how to retain size while cutting bodyfat?

We’re all so different and respond differently in the last critical stages of contest preparation.
Several errors are quite common among many contestants in the last weeks and days: We get nervous, stressed and doubtful and overly critical, all conditions causing mental and physical inhibition, and result in overtraining and under-nourishing. Cortisol and catabolism have a field day. Avoid these killers.

In the day, I continued to train hard and sensibly and intuitively till two weeks out, dropping bodyweight to my desired weight range by adjusting quantity of food intake (My preferred balance: 50,25,25 — protein, hi-value carbs and fats), removing most milk products.

At this point my training regimen became enthusiastic stimulation with the notion of nurturing my muscle and body with enjoyable and uplifting workouts.

Posing would become, not excessive, but more deliberate.

Visualizing positively — confident imagining — is a valuable practice.

Keep your eyes open for controllable flaws, be grateful for your wonderful development and health, appreciate your strengths.

Rest a lot, but don’t be inactive.

Here’s one for you: aerobics didn’t exist outside supersetting or the tough gym workouts during the golden era. No treadmill, no loop-t-do master, no bike. Don’t over aerobicize, kids.

Don’t starve yourself. Don’t overtrain. Relax and think positively.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

I was on course losing 85 lbs last year, but the doctor was not happy with my blood pressure hovering around 145/93 and put me on Atenerol. Well, one of the side effects of said drug is rapid weight gain and swelling of the ankles. The doctor changed my prescription, but I still can’t get the weight back off. Got any suggestions?

The only advice I have is the advice you already know:

Weight train regularly with sensible intensity.

Apply ample cardio.

Eat right always… we’re all different and need different nutritional plans.

Try the tuna and water diet.

Use Bomber Blend as a meal replacement once a day… give me high protein, medium good-fats, medium healthy-carbs.

Be strong… in mind, attitude and behavior and discipline.

Be confident and happy (joyful or content) in your training approach.

Pursue, persevere, persist, stick to it and never, never give up.

Be grateful for every challenge (this one often gets sneers of contempt).

Consider another doctor if you’ve lost confidence in this one because weight and blood pressure are substantial issues.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

Last week you wrote, “I choose five exercises from the iron heap and complete five sets of each — you and your sis’ can do four — of enough reps, generally six to 10 and as many as 20 to 30 for triceps or core work.” You recommend 20-30 reps for triceps? I have never heard of high reps for triceps before.

It’s hard to be descriptive and succinct at the same time.

I superset pulley pushdowns with heavier bar or dumbbell movements of variations of curls or tri-extensions. With the pushdowns I go for higher reps as I reposition my body to affect different areas of the tris, and as I provide a minor, yet ample degree of body thrust to force out reps resulting in pump, burn and agreeable overload. Choosing a heavier on weight in pushdowns to lower reps kills my elbows and is not as productive and broadly engaging.

Often, as the reps and body action are rhythmic and flowing, and the resulting pump and burn desirable, and as exhilaration supports my action, I will add a variety of extensions and contractions and nuances of movement that works involved outlying and connected muscle — lats, pecs, upper back, bis and abs and core.

These stretched set sets are my favorite for a grand upper-body workout. I’ll do anywhere four or five sets of 20 to 30+ reps most every session. You have to see the action, of course, to better understand it, and, though it has order and a plan, it’s made up as I go by feel and muscle needs.

Suits me.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

I see all the references to low carb dieting, but will they work in an ectomorph like me?

The diets I suggest are high-protein, low-carb, medium-fat musclebuilding diets for hard trainers. Adjust the ratio of good carbs and healthy fats up if you want. This will possibly work better for your metabolic needs.

EFAs and no junk carbs, mix protein sources. Don’t go crazy.

Getting overly particular in counting calories and grams of sugars, proteins and fats can lead a good lifter to the madhouse. Searching for the perfect menu from the gillion sources of experts will interrupt your sound training attitude.

Estimate; practice right eating and train hard regularly and trust yourself — be of good cheer, be confident, be tough…

Go… Godspeed… Dave

How much protein should a 78-year-old male have in his daily diet?

Without knowing height, structure, activities, goals and exercise regimen, I’ll say no less than 100 grams from mixed sources.

You might be interested in our Bomber Blend protein. I’m lost without it for convenience and low appetite, musclebuilding quality and likability.

dd

I’m about 275 lbs and want to chop 50 off of that by tackling the mid section while strengthening the core muscles while not bothering a recovering herniated L4. Do you have any cable exercises that you can recommend that I can start with?

Glad to hear the recovery progress is going well. I hope to have my back surgery in the next few months, same area involving three discs that need to be relieved of nerve blockage.

I don’t have the weight problem, but assure you you’ll be able to attend to that by increasing your activity (cycle and whatever exercises are possible regularly — daily) to help raise the metabolism and by right eating. You need discipline in eating and the right combination of foods (nutrients) to suit you — we’re all different. I like high protein, medium good fat and medium healthy carbs.

I go to a gym; after surgery I’ll roam the gym floor and select by sampling the various machine exercises that do not adversely load the lower back. There are a bunch: dip machine, pulldowns with a variety of grips, seated back row, certain Hammer Strength back or chest machine, pushdowns. Any of these, if approached carefully (body positioning, improvised body support, light weight, modified range of motion, extreme focus), will serve to build and rebuild the body’s muscular system and structure. They make me happy and keep me strong and sane.

Slowly, surely, playfully and without pressure or doubt or anxiety you will sort out the worthy task before you.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

Is there something natural that you may know about that will suppress lower back pain, as well as some back exercises to help as well? I’m 6′, 259 pounds and need to get to around 205-210.

The first thing you’ve got to attend is the excess bodyweight. While perhaps not the root of your problem, it is certainly a major contributing factor. It’s gotta go or your problems will worsen. This is accomplished, as you well know, by exercise and correct eating habits.

Without medical attention, you’re limited to the over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol and Aleve, and anti-inflammatory products like Advil and aspirin. These will help to a degree.

Bottom line, you lower the stress on your back and your entire system as you lower your bodyweight. It’s a wonderful thing if you or your spouse are great food-makers, but you must take strong and deliberate steps to drop the weight and build the body’s muscular system.

Discipline and perseverance and smart thinking are the tools. Everything will improve as you get in shape: energy, health, strength, endurance, diminishing of pain and of back-overload, attitude and behavior.

I suggest you train in a gym where a stationary bike is available for aerobics (four 20-minute sessions of various intensities a week) and 45-60 minute weight workouts three days a week. Nothing overhead, light weight (to moderate weight, in time) for reps in the 8,10,12 range, entire body with an ear to your low-back pain signals.

Take your time to develop your routine as you feel your way around the gym and recall your past workouts and condition your mind and body. Always warm up. Read my last newsletter for the training approach.

You might view our forum… or join in… a smart and friendly bunch.

Train hard and always… God’s Might… Dave

I’m planning to enter a bodybuilding contest and have a few questions. First, I don’t know how to deal with the stage.

Nothing to it. It’s like jumping off a cliff. Once you’re in midair it becomes fun and you forget the fright and the audience becomes your friend. They want to like you. Help them by liking them. Let that be evident in your expressions, your aura, your spirits, your posing through which you speak. Be happy you’re there, on stage with them for the joy of it. Doubt and fear and dread have an odor about them… they turn an audience off… be prepared.

- Is waxing as dreadful and painful as it looks?

Probably, and expensive and sort of embarrassing.

I never knew anyone who waxed in my day. Shave with a barber’s electric clippers for the bulk of the body hair and use a safety razor or average electric shaver to get very close shave. I use a barber’s electric clippers with fine cutting teeth… Perfect.

What can I do to “ignore” the crowd and perform my posing routine at the stage without feeling shy?

You want to choose your exercises wisely — those that accentuate your strong points and hide your weak points — and you want to practice them often with a purposeful mind and discovered enjoyment. Have a pal whom you can trust and who has an eye for muscle and performance help you, assess and encourage you. Practice, practice, practice, so the poses are alive and enthusiastic, automatic but not robotic; so they flow and complement each other, never halted, never doubtful. You are entertaining the audience; work and smile and be real — with real excitement and confidence (not arrogance).

While you rehearse and prepare your posing routine, visualize, imagine, your backstage moments prior to your stage appearance, your name being announced and your appearance. And, too, visualize your routine before the crowd. Always up, always successful, never unsure or dispirited. Purposeful visualizing will put you there before you get there and it’s good, it’s great. Don’t become breathless backstage, be warmed up, lightly oiled and relaxed as possible — certain as possible. Three deep breaths and you’re on your way when they call out your name and favorite gym location.

- What did you do to keep focused in your training and diet when things got tough?

Be strong. That’s the easy part. Never give in. Never, never, never give in.

- What is it like to be Mr. Universe? That’s just what I want to be.

There’s a lot of work and compromise and challenge in preparation and you hope that in itself is a worthy investment in your character and spirit. To win is exciting, confusing, noisy and uplifting to a tired body, mind and soul. The greatest thing about winning is not losing.

There’s more to it than that: gratifying, fulfilling, stunning, cool, large… That was in my day 42 years ago.

Have fun… Hoist the iron… Godspeed

What is the best arm building routine for women? I want to lead a group exercise class for adult women.

Were I you I’d train just as a man does to develop his physique.

My favorite biceps exercises are standing barbell curls, seated dumbbell alternate curls and low-incline curls. Choose two and perform 4 sets X 6 to 10 reps, mixed according to weight used.

Triceps favorites are lying and overhead triceps extensions, dips and various versions of pulley pushdowns. Choose two for 4 x 10 to 12 + reps.

Intensity and focus are most important. Work arms twice a week and once a week according to fatigue and response, other workouts which stimulate bis and tris and commonsense.

Work forearms with wrist curls and reverse curls once a week, 3 sets x 8-10 reps if you care a lot. Also, supersetting bis and tris are the way to go. I’ve practiced this methodology forever.

Depending on the group size and the receptiveness, you might encourage them to warm up, gain focus and add to their conditioning and learning by doing five minutes of planks, side planks, bridges and bent-leg leg-raises –1 set of maximum. Repeat if popular.

With dumbbells, you can do standing curls and alternate curls for biceps, and overhead dumbbell triceps extensions for triceps. Modified floor pushups are a good triceps exercise, which includes shoulder, chest and back muscle engagement as well.

A lot of your instruction success depends on the trainees before you — level of understanding, condition, motivation, willingness and ability to listen and learn. How you approach them and what you offer them is also dependent upon theses factors as well.

Consider starting with two sets of 10-12 reps of any four exercise (standing biceps curl, alternate curl / pushups, overhead triceps extension), in that order.

Development depends on consistency in training and intensity in training. Only with these disciplines will progress be made.

Progress from light to heavy as equipment allows. Keep focused on the work and muscles involved, keep a smart pace to keep interest and energy and warmth high.

This is a start. Dips, chins and floor pushups are possibles for the toughies — a challenge.

Encourage them to eat right for real results.

Have fun… God’s Might… dave

I broke my toe in a fall the other day. Dumb! Will I be able to work out soon?

I suspect you’ll be back to hobbling about before too long (less than a week) and be able to devise a routine that is suitable and even aggressive.

The pain and instability is high at first and in these long days we become impatient and testy, and finally adapt.

Careful moving about will be good therapy for the injury. All sorts of specific-muscle machines will gain your interest and you’ll put your commonsense to work and discover training from a creative viewpoint.

Train hard, eat right and be strong. God’s might… Dave