Dave Draper’s Musclebuilding Q&A

I’ve been trying to gain weight for a long time. I’m 16 years old and I weight 150. I need to get bigger for football season next year. It would be great if you could give me some advice or tips on how to get a little bigger.

Tough for some guys to gain weight during the teens. You’re often busy and growing in all different directions. Of course, there are a lot of rolly pollies out there these days eating too much of the wrong foods and who are too inactive physically. Bad choice — you’re safe — stay safe.

Certainly incorporate a sound system of weight training three days a week, being careful to exercise the whole body for function, good shape and power. Too much power training can lead to imbalance and injury. Too much aerobic can inhibit weight gain. I suggest a heavy bodybuilding MO.

You need to eat more GOOD food in a protein-high balance (40,30,30–> protein, nutrient-high carbs, non greasy — high EFA fat).

You need to eat regularly from breakfast — all day, every three hours, plus or minus — till bed time and you need a lot of rest. Think of adding more milk products and eggs and red meat to your menu.

I offer you direction through some brief, straight-forward davedraper.com links, a great summary of training advice, specifically this weight gain page and this general nutrition page.

Bomber Blend is the best protein powder for healthy musclebuilding and at the lowest possible price for the quality… just sayin’… perfect meal replacement, breakfast, pre-workout meal or weight gainer when added to regular eating schedule.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

Read your article with interest about how to squat, as presently I can’t squat. The reasons for this are (1) lack of balance and flexibility and (2) fear of injury. I intend to take your advice and do the body weight squats your article advises. Is it ok to incorporate a few sets of these with my current leg workout, which is leg presses, step ups, lunges, leg curls, etc?

Sure! Practice this bodyweight movement anytime, even on leg off-days.

Hold onto a rack for support as you practice, progress and perform the movement aggressively.

Try holding on and leaning back (called sissy squats) as you squat to direct resistance to the front of the quad… various versions of the freehand exercise will serve to secure you in the exercise, teach you, invoke experimentation, improve your balance, give you confidence and develop the thighs more fully.

In time, work the exercise into a proper routine, perhaps one day with a bar on your back from a rack with safeties in place.

Little hint: When squatting, sometimes a one-inch board under the heels provides a needed modification in an anomalous leg structure disproportion. Try it.

Be strong, recruit a willing spotter and practice when you get the urge and are warmed up and ready for action.

Throw in some explosive jumping on occasion, after a good warm-up, of course.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

I have a few questions about old-school supplements. For 10 years I’ve been using Gironda’s line, NSP Research Nutrition. What are your thoughts on the 92% milk & egg protein compared to yours? Do you feel Beverly International has a better liver supplement than NSP? You had awesome results with Blair’s milk & egg protein; why didn’t you try and formulate it again only with lower lactose and improved digestibility? How does it compare to your Bomber Blend? Do you still use “old school” supplements such as brewers yeast, kelp, choline, wheat germ oils, glandulars, like Vince and Rheo advocated?

I’ll tell you the truth, iron man.

NSP was created and owned and operated by Ray Raridon, now deceased. Not Vince.

NSP products are excellent and the protein is just as described, quality milk and egg. I appreciate both NSP and Beverly International products and have confidence in the owner-operators, Ron Kosloff and Roger and Sandy Riedinger, respectively.

Bomber Blend was developed by me and a staff of experts: chemist, preventive medicine sport doctor, supplement lab owner and protein research expert. It’s the best vitamin-mineral fortified and balanced protein money can buy. It was formulated to be the best with no regard to cost. Taste and mixability is super.

I took Rheo’s protein randomly, a week here and a week there, when it was given to me over a few month’s period. Rheo gave samples to the guys out of generosity, research and to drum up business. I appreciate Rheo and his nutritional pioneering, but do not contribute any of my musclebuilding advancement to his products.

If I thought the Blair concoction was better, I would have simulated it with modifications.

I suspect it’s hard to improve on my food and supplement intake, as it’s been followed and refined over a 25-year period with no swerving. The basics work best.

We need to relax. Walking a tightrope is dangerous and purebreds are susceptible to injury and disease.

Go… Godspeed… Dave Draper

My inner biceps grow, but I have no outer biceps.  I’ve tried close grip barbell curls, nothing seems to work. Do you think it’s just genetic, or can I do something about this?

Solution in brief: Biceps and triceps exercises of the most basic variations, plus patient time, enthusiastic hard work, loving persistence, high hopes, plenty of protein, sufficient rest. Your arms (and much more) will grow impressively according to their pre-described pattern.

Time and Perseverance and Focus work Wonders.

There’s nothing specific you can do to accentuate the outer area of the arm. This region develops as muscles and training mature and according to your genetic blueprint.

Rotate in other biceps-building exercises for variation and completeness — incline curls (25  to 45 degrees), standing straight bar curls (oly bar is fun), thumbs-up curls with dumbbells and reverse curls. Either of the latter might very well hit the area more directly.

On all exercises try 4 - 5 sets x 10, 8, 6 reps, increasing the weight according to urge, need, common sense or instinct.

Fullness of bis depends upon fullness — thickness — of triceps as well.

Also, biceps are involved in most every exercise as you train the whole body and are subject to overload and subsequent development — cleans, sidearm lateral raises, rows, pulldowns. I’ll bet these movements account for substantial behind-the-scenes biceps thickening and shaping. Every little bit counts.

Of course, training intensity with an eye on power is a swell idea — In other words, Blast It!

I speak the truth. Hoist that steel… Draper… Godspeed

I have a son who trains hard, eats well and is very very strict on himself. He’s very dedicated to his dream of being a professional bodybuilder. I do not want to kill his dream, but I also do not want him to waste years of his life on something that’s never going to happen. My question to you is does he have any kind of realistic chance at achieving his goals?

Part of the great journey of lifting weights is the growth of character and commonsense and insight. There’s a good chance he will develop these hallmark qualities. As for becoming a champion bodybuilder sponsored by the fitness industry and continuing a career as a paid product endorsee, the chances are one in a zillion.

There are few things more worthy than muscular fitness and good health and the determination to achieve them. The money will make a strong man weak, a healthy man sick.

Remember: The iron heals, mends, fortifies, toughens, vitalizes, enables, engages, entertains, satisfies, serves, instructs, humbles and makes a good door stop… (note… riches, yes… no mention of money).

My suggestion: Train hard and always… God’s Might… Dave

I am 21 years old and have been training since 2003. I have problem with my deltoids; when training, I can’t focus on them. I want to increase my shoulder size.

Lucky you. You’re young. It often takes years to accomplish the focus you are seeking. Try doing either presses or lateral raises for high repetitions — sets of 15 reps — to achieve maximum deltoid burn and pump. The pain will get your attention and you’ll discover the deltoids’ exact location.

My favorite approach to building big, strong and muscular shoulders is supersetting presses (front press, behind-the-neck press, steep-dumbbell-incline press) with lateral raises (side-arm or bent-over), performing 3 to 4 supersets of 6 to 8 or 10 reps.

Choose one or two combinations and practice them twice a week.

Do not hurry during your workouts. Think muscle and might.

Carry on with courage and intensity… Godspeed… Dave

Although my upper body has dialed in tremendously, my legs lack the hardness and cuts that I need in order to place in a bodybuilding competition. Any advice as to how to cut the legs up in the next ten weeks?

I suspect your legs need more musclebuilding work and not last-minute cutting-up techniques. I’d continue healthy, productive leg training and lighten up the last week to drop a few pounds of water-weight often held in thighs.

Flexing thighs intensely in various poses regularly between now and show time should help delineate the muscles, and familiarize you with their action and potential.

The journey continues… Godspeed… DD

I was talking with Ellington Darden the other day. I told him I was a naturally skinny guy and asked if I should modify any of my training because of that. He told me that ectomorphs have more slow twitch muscle fibers, and that I will see my best gains training with very high reps in the 15-25 range. I was hoping you could give me an opinion on this.

Mr. Darden is a lot more informed technically and scientifically than I am, and I would not disagree. But the proof is in the application and observation of the results. I never advocate the high-rep training across the board, only certain muscles with certain exercises for prescribed sets during a workout.

I mix the reps — 6 to 12 commonly, as low as singles and doubles on back, chest and thighs, as high as 25 on triceps or quads or calves, never high-high on bis and back and delts.

We can never really certain of our body type, a bit of my non-factual body evaluation. We’re all mutts, mixed breeds, muscleheads. I treat the animal according to his instincts.

Train hard, eat right, be strong… Dave

I read your latest email newsletter, and can identify with the 50+ crowd. I now have two bad knees and a bad disk in my back. I have lost 80 lbs so far, with about 100 more to go. I would like some advice on what to do now. Time is at a premium for me, and I live in a small apartment, so no room for a Bowflex or other home machine.

You need to continue your weight-loss journey by adding regular exercise to your routine. No problem, except you have neither the place nor the time, walking is out and you’re no spring chicken. What can I tell ya; something’s gotta give.

You must maintain a sound diet, yet that’s not enough to accomplish your fat-loss goals. To live long and with strength and breath, you must exercise.

How about a sturdy bench and a set of all-in-one, adjustable dumbbells? I love the idea. You can develop a valuable and fulfilling diversion, as well as a certain healthy musclebuilding and fat-loss activity. Practice the basics, adding some crunches and leg raises throughout the week.

The weights (ah, the iron) will become ‘your’ time to confront yourself, de-stress, build muscle and strength and bones and hormonal system, improve your fat-burning metabolism, further develop your disciplines and character.

Possible drawback: the girls will chase you around the block… great aerobics but tough on the knees.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

A while back I bought a copy of the book “Natural Hormonal Enhancement” by Rob Faigin. It’s a great book, but I’m having a tough time wrapping my mind around it totally. It’s a lot to absorb. Can you explain, in an easier way, his basic eating program for weight loss?

You’re right, Faigin’s book is a gem.

It’s also over the top for the regular guy and gal interested in getting in condition — building muscle, strength and body shape. Goes with today’s conviction we need high tech info to achieve.

Building muscles and appealing bodies requires the diligent practice of the fundamentals in nutrition and in resistance training. The why is for the curious and fascinated; it is not otherwise important.

Train hard, consistently and with heart. Eat smaller meals more often throughout the day in a high protein, lower carb and medium fat formulation.

No sugar or junk food or fried food.

Eat red meat, fish, skinless poultry, dairy and some nuts for protein intake, loads of salads and steamed vegetables and some choice fruit for carbs (dairy has carbs, too), and olive oil and what fat you get in red meat and fish for fat needs. Add EFAs (Omega 3s) as supplement for sufficient fat.

Have a breakfast always and pre- and post-workout drinks for sure nutritional advantage at these key times of the day. Bomber Blend is an excellent choice here. These are to be considered meals, the pre-workout drink used when it’s been a long time between meals and you need to fuel up for the workout. Otherwise, in the case of a weight loss program and you’ve eaten within an hour or two prior to training, switch that to post-workout.

Weight gain seekers should use a shake or half-shake prior to training and either the other half shake, or better yet, a meal post-workout.

Add a high quality vitamin-mineral for nutritional assurance as your demands and expectations are high. Super Spectrim is my choice.

To lose weight, your portions are smaller. To gain, they are larger. Rely on your instincts, logic and ability to estimate portions to guide you through the territory ahead. Too much thought is a stumbling block for any kind of long term - or short term - plan.

I know I must sound like a salesman with my suggestions, but they are, I believe, valuable. and worthy. All you need to know, unless you’re seeking a doctorate of sorts.

God’s speed… Dave

Quick question: When you have a cold, do you still train? Or do you take a few days off to rest?

Depends on severity — mild symptoms suggest mild training is okay, maybe beneficial in stimulating immune system and fighting off illness.

Less mild symptoms suggest a system breakdown and overload, and exertion might suppress immune system and drain energy reserved for restoration.

Examine the facts and clues and evidence and make your decision wisely. Play it safe and rest.

Keep in mind, if you’re sick and might be contagious and still want to train, you’ll need to train at home, just bodyweight training if you don’t have equipment. It’s truly bad form to pass illness around your favorite community gym.

Funny thing, cardio suppresses the immune system while weight training lifts it. Perfect!

Of course, I go to the gym unless it’s on fire. What do I know?

The Bomber and part-time witch doctor… Dave