Dave Draper’s Musclebuilding Q&A

Could you take a minute and write up your thoughts on pullovers, please? I know they’re a favorite of yours.

The bent-arm barbell pullover was one of the very first heavy exercises that got my attention 40 years ago, when this stuff we casually discuss over the Net was a mystery, a dark and unexposed, primal urge.

At 17 hanging out on the street corners in Secaucus, there were a few bad boys with mean builds, mostly pig farmers who worked hard and ate meat and potatoes. One was a soundless guy with a wide back, broad shoulders and strong arms. The whisper was he lifted weights and did barbell pullovers. Posthaste, I included this movement as I imagined it would be done with the rest of my primitive, invented and improvised workouts.

Primitive, invented, improvised – never let these endangered qualities fade from your practice and performance.

This is a bit of a crusher but you might just like it.

Try the movement with light weight [the bar] at first to locate the groove and action. With a slow set of 12-15, you’ll determine the muscles involved, their role and range of motion. The first set will prepare you – familiarize, warm up and loosen up. For your second and third sets, increase the weight and begin to enjoy the stretch, pull and radical exertion.

You’ll find less shoulder rotation than the stiff-arm pullover.

Of course, don’t go heavy until you are adequately conditioned — weeks to months — and have either the urge or need. This stuff is for bears.

Slow and deliberate reps are productive for the tough bodybuilder: overall torso might, lats, minor pec, abs, grip, subtle bi and tri. Neat stuff.

BAPs — cute acronym — are considerably different from forward or front lateral raises or uprights. Dissimilar mechanical action, leverage demands, muscular recruitment and rotation vulnerabilities. There’s a little front deltoid involvement when bar is across or near across the chest — more when lifting heavy — but tough on elbows in this placement.

Stiff-arm pullovers can be done with a single dumbbell, grasping the inside plate with the hands flat and spread or with a bent bar, most commonly using the close grip. A long-time standard in my workouts, for the lats primarily. Because of the extended-arm position acting as a lever and subsequent huge load on the shoulders, elbows and related insertions, a truly heavy weight cannot be used.

The bent-arm pullover, because it is done with the arms bent, cannot be performed feasibly with a dumbbell. Got something to do with the skull and nose. Thus, the bar.

How do you deal with motivational failure? Often I just can’t get myself to the gym.

Mostly what I do is try to motivate people. The process of lifting to grow stronger and bigger and better is simple and basic. Doing it with any kind of effective enthusiasm, consistency and confidence is big time hard.

Takes a curious combination of madness, guts and need. Think of this…… what if you don’t?

You’ll gain none of the fantastic rewards this incredibly personal diversion promises… guarantees: commitment, discipline, perseverance. Ten-cent words that define the character of the really good men and women.

Muscle instead of awkward fat. Strength, not weakness. An understanding of yourself and those around you that is enlightening and humbling. I think it makes you a better person.

Besides, don’t you love the pump?

You’ll want to live longer and you probably will.

Besides, don’t you love the pump?

Bomber

My recovery is quite slow, always has been. Given that, what workout frequency, ie what bodyparts/when, would you recommend to prevent overtraining and keep gains a comin?

I’ll ramble as I answer your question hoping to cover associated matters for you and others, including me, at the same time (sneaky way of excusing my irrelevance and ignorance).

I know from earlier email that you upped your protein and the body fat has dropped and the muscle is coming on. This is the muscle builder’s dream come true. I also know when I head in the direction of leaning up and dropping the body fat, shedding pounds in the process, my strength and ability to pump and recover drop enough to make me grumpy (I’m so cool, no one notices). If you’re in any way dieting — limiting your food intake — to lose fat while trying to gain muscle, you might be up against a recovery conflict, sort of a catch 22.

Age and, it seems to me, the level of muscular achievement are factors to be considered. The three years in my mid-twenties permitted me to train six days a week, each muscle group three times a week (4 exercises x 5 sets – 12,10, 8, 6, 6 reps approx.). I was in the prime years for building and repairing, given my structure and system, and I pressed on. I don’t recommend this for you or anyone, twice a week per muscle group being my personal ideal for my training through 2000. I then wisely reduced my workouts to 4 per week based on feel, and hit everything twice a week regulating the intensity (always hard, sometimes harder) according to recovery.

Age and percentage of muscle limits my recovery, the later a condition I’m not yet clear on. In fact, I’m working on the whole aging process from one moment to the next. I intend to keep ya’ll posted as I learn anything new.

My method of operation to discover the mysteries of the aging of the muscle builder (a dumb subject I have not undertaken by choice) will follow a mad course of taking things (workouts, sets, reps, weight, time) to the extreme to the best of my ability and work my way back to safe ground. I refuse counseling. I’m aware of overtraining, a mighty popular subject, yet I seldom see anyone who trains intensely enough. Of course, I don’t visit the training centers of the hi-tech muscleheads.

I want to answer your question clearly but I don’t know what to refer to: age, rest, job and family and playtime demands, eating habits, current training and training history, physical stats.

For you I like (here’s the square peg, round hole suggestion) 4 to 5 days a week, 2 times per muscle group and 3 exercises per group with mixed reps (12,10, 8, 6-ish). Use your internal muscle barometer to gauge when to withdraw a workout day from a week and what workout — perhaps rotate them. I like pushing and pulling combinations (super setting…duh) and never separate bis and tris. Hard early in the week and pull back to fastidious focus and pace toward week’s end. Chest and back — legs — shoulders and arms — day off — legs — a creative mix of upper body, day off and repeat.

In this flight I hope someone can find an answer to… something. ..dave

What do you think of Reg Park’s 5×5 training routine, the one he used to win the 1951 Mr. Universe title? The old school bodybuilders are by far the best.

It’s good… not my style, but worth applying for a month or so to determine its benefits and if it suits your body and mind and personality.

That’s what bodybuilding is all about — seeking and finding, trial and error, and always with heart and soul and high hopes. We’re all different and in search of the training methodology and nutritional plan that meet our needs — what works for and pleases us.

At the end of the day, healthy muscles!

Our friends in the forum have sorted out their thoughts on 5×5 programming. You’ll find your questions answered at that link.

Go… Dave

I’ve been advised to retract and depress shoulder blades when flat benching. Should I look to do same for barbell inclines, declines and also dumbbell benching? Have also been told to keep upper arms at 45 degrees to torso when benching. Should I look to do same for all chest moves as described above?

Good idea… more complete muscle involvement— upper back, traps and the less-recruited supportive muscles.

Any bench pressing has drawbacks. It’s tough on the shoulder cage and elbows. Heavy benching shortens the musclebuilder’s otherwise healthy and painfree training life span.

Dumbbells are better for structural health and muscle growth.

Declines are a waste. Lower pecs build easily and get hangy if you don’t watch out.

Don’t sacrifice the basic concept of pressing at the cost of complete contraction. I don’t see this completeness happening in bar inclines and dumbbell inclines. Those particular muscles are less engaged in incline positions.

Regarding the pressing positions: You be the judge according to your structural needs. Not all wise advice fits everyone’s needs.

Go… Draper

I started working out a little over two years ago (at age 64; it’s never too late). The more I do it, the more I love it.  What is it about this sport that it is so bloody addictive?

Weight training is a spirited challenge, healthy, energizing, strengthening and fulfilling.

Can’t play football and baseball, basketball and hockey without obvious blundering and certain injury, but the weights we can vigorously persuade according to our own devised plan, purpose and prosperity.

It’s tough and friendly stuff at once. It feels good and it’s good for you, body, mind and spirit.

I could go on, but we are both due for barbell curls supersetted with overhead triceps extensions. Race ya to the gym.

Push that iron, lift that steel… Godspeed… Draper

All in all I’m happy where I am, but I would love to gain another ten or twelve pounds of solid muscle. Can you help?

Well, no, not really. It’s up to you to continue a strong and sensible training scheme that keeps you interested and fulfilled. It all works if effort and commonsense and accrued insight are applied. Be confident and enjoy the tough journey.

My findings: After our prime years, muscle size does not come without its share of bulky mass. Accept that and you’ll be strong in your training.

Have fun, grow slowly and be energetic and healthy. Muscle-only comes slowly and can be frustrating, interfering with attitude and maintenance.

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

Train hard and always… God’s Might… Dave

Is it true you are an endomorph? That’s what I read in Arnold’s Encyclopedia book. I think I am. Do I really have to watch my carbs? How many grams would you suggest I take in daily?

Medically there is no such categorizing as endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. They are the creation of one researcher. That said, I would fall into the mesomorph category of the gentleman’s theory.

I can’t answer your carbohydrate intake question without more knowledge about you — age, years training, size, body composition, training scheme, lifestyle, current food intake, etc.

Count on this: Keep your protein high, your good fats medium and your good carbs medium. This is a good practice for most types of musclebuilders, unless they are in the final stages of competition preparation.

Here’s a helpful link: General nutrition for bodybuilders.

Know just enough, seek inspiration, train hard, eat right and be happy…

Go… grow… Godspeed… Dave

Could you give me one good tip for my three trouble spots: Outside of triceps (I’m doing pulley pushdowns); Upper chest (incline benches hurt my shoulders, doing press to the neck, flys, and cable-crossovers); Peak biceps (the gym where I train doesn’t have a Scott bench).

For the triceps, you’ll need some overhead and lying triceps extensions to thicken the muscles. Add dips on any upper body day. I never do less than four sets of any exercise; on tris I like higher reps — 10 to 12 plus, and with cables, more toward 15 plus.

I often rearrange the tri resistance by modifying body position throughout cable work, often reaching 20 reps… sensible thrusting welcome as reps toughen.

As to the chest, do your pressing — incline and flat — with dumbbells. Safer, better musclebuilder. Four to five sets of 10, 8, 6 reps

Try a one-arm cable cross movement from overhead placement. Position the body by leaning and trial and focus so that the upper pecs are under maximum resistance. Four sets of 12, 10, 8, 6 reps

About the biceps, you don’t need a Scott bench. In fact, preacher curls often lead to tendonitis and over-extension.

You can’t beat a properly performed bar or dumbbell curl. Start the contraction from the fully hanging position… sensible thrusting (minor, low end) is okay.

Try curling with a lighter weight and hands extended (flat wrist) rather than curled tightly toward the forearms.

Working forearms with vigorous wrist curls is a great asset, fun and attributes to biceps baseballishness.

4 sets in the 12 to 15 rep range.

That’ll keep ya busy for awhile. Eat right and rest and be nice to your mom.

Godspeed… Dave

I don’t have time to go to the gym, so I bought one of those Samson Twisters, which are made of steel, that you have made an advertisement of in the ’60s for Weider (you were bending it in the picture). So I bought this flex bar and I began to bend it in the way the manual describes, and I felt my muscles much more pumped and tough. Ok, that’s good, but at night I feel my shoulders hurting. Do you have some tips on how to use a power flex bar, or should I change the tool and begin to use one of those back/chest expanders?

Chances are you are doing too many of the same exercise patterns over and over again. You are limiting yourself.

Back off the twister and revise your training to include freehand exercises — chins, pushups, dips, freehand squats and their variations (improvise: feet on a block, close grip, wide grip, lean forward, lean back)… play seriously.

I don’t really have any tips on how to use it. Just don’t over exert joints or apply force unnatural to body.

You might invest in exercise bands (rubber bands) of varying strengths. They work very well when limited in equipment.
Godspeed… Dave Draper

You said you dissuade from taking the shirt off and flexing and groaning out loud under heavy weight. Coming from the era you did where guys and gals alike did just that, and often,  why would you dissuade at least from the groaning out loud? I have been asked to please keep it down after being kinda vocal during a heavy set of benches, and I never understood it. Can you please give your opinion on this? 

When in the greater majority of public gyms we are responsible to control our personal habits that might distress our neighbors. No one wants his or her space invaded by undo sounds, nearness, gestures or odors in mutual work areas. We must be respectful of those around us.

That said, one’s behavior is determined by commonsense and unspoken mutual agreement with one’s co-inhabitants. Vocal response to heavy exertion while lifting is sometimes helpful and unavoidable and generally acceptable on selected occasion. Excessive and frequent noise-making is disturbing, annoying and irritating. It is also unnecessary, careless, often selfish and just plain dumb.

Dig in and enjoy yourself; keep the noise to a minimum so those nearby can do the same. They’ll love ya for it.

Godspeed… Dave