Dave Draper’s Musclebuilding Q&A

I followed your career in the ’60s and am thrilled to find your website today. Can you tell me in a nutshell the major differences in your nutrition and training between then and now?

There was a two year stretch in the mid sixties when carb intake was near zero and protein was in the 500s. I was working with a 22-year-old body weighing some 240 pounds.The carb intake came from low-fat milk products (milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese) which I sort of neglected to count.

Through the years the carbs have come up in the form of vegetables and fruit and some low-gylcemics (wild rice, barley and such), the protein is in the 300s and the body weight is 220-225.

I finesse my food intake to match my workouts and daily activity including sleep. Protein is the Man. Pre-workout carbs are dialed in to satisfy energy and appealing pump and to prevent tissue catabolism. I’m surprised at my fat intake. Hard workers with healthy metabolisms need the good fat for energy, anti-inflammation and repair. Nothing’s changed, really.

The volume: 80% supersets driven by our own hands-on-the-wheel.

The basics: some heavy workouts (power style low reps on deads, squats, rows, dumbbell inclines, barbell curls every third week) throughout the month.

The setup: I generally recommend twice a week per muscle group; reps at 12, 10, 8, 6 sometimes 4 pattern.

The cardio: 3X 20 minutes aerobics in a 6-to-7 intensity range.

Fuel to train and feed to build, positive over-viewing without obsession, consistency, time, confidence (don’t be deflected by the new age thinkers born early this morning) and spirit equals muscularity.

Carry on… and on… Dave