Dave Draper’s Musclebuilding Q&A

Could you tell me how to use the following to enhance my training? Bomber Blend, Ageless Growth and Creatine.

I take the Bomber Blend (two scoops in low-fat milk, generally) in the morning as a significant part of my breakfast, along with a level teaspoons of creatine and my daily Super Spectrim vitamin-mineral supplements.

I use Bomber Blend again prior to my afternoon workout and anytime I feel I’ve been delinquent in my meal intake or feel too light or am on the road or don’t feel like eating — busy, no appetite. I keep a plastic jar of the powder in my gym bag for emergency fueling situations — I spoon the powder into the mouth and slug down some water. Works. BB is always a convenient meal — extra meal when training heavy and seeking mass — meal-replacement when seeking to lose weight and trim down.

I take six Ageless Growth 30 minutes before each of three or four workouts a week.

I take a second teaspoon of creatine in the evening. I don’t pre-load and I don’t go off the creatine at all. Some folks like to dose-up on creatine before a heavy workout… your choice.

Blast it… You’ve got a great combo… Godspeed… Dave

I am a 55-year-old female, who’s been at this for a year. I created a split training routine for building muscle. I plan on doing one warm-up set of 10 reps with a light weight, and one working set to failure with a heavier weight. Should I add a third working set?

Monday: chest (upper); back (upper); shoulders (front); traps; triceps; biceps
Tuesday: quads; hams; calves; butt; forearms; abs (middle & upper); 15 minutes high intensity treadmill
Wednesday: chest (middle); back (middle); shoulders (middle); traps; triceps; biceps
Thursday: quads; hams; calves; butt; forearms; abs (lower); 15 minutes high intensity treadmill
Friday: chest (lower); back (lower); shoulders (rear); traps; triceps; biceps
Saturday: quads; hams; calves; butt; forearms; abs (obliques); 15 minutes high intensity treadmill

Add the third set.

As for your training scheme, may I comment? I believe you are missing the fun and function of training by chopping, slicing and dicing the body into various tidbits. Very confining in the mind and it’s not how the body works as a friendly companion. You might appreciate your training more and find it more productive if you think of you body of muscles as connected and flowing, overlapping and co-operating.

Consider: Working chest by pressing involves front delt and triceps and torso mass; working chest by flys and crossovers works bis and other specific upper torso regions; heavy shrugs for traps works bis, forearms, grip and linear torso; any pulldown work for lats and back engages bis… and so on. You’re visiting the entire body (that’s good) but seem to regard it as very distinct parts.

I find it more delightful and motivating and worthwhile to know each exercise performed has multiple advantages and rewards, and it helps me design routines more wisely and freely.

As a gal you might not want to do too much trap work (gets enough stimulation from the other exercises) and I’d attend the upper chest more than the lower.

Also, I’m not crazy about six-day routines as we gain in years. Body and mind burnout, insufficient repair time. As we get older it’s wise to allow our training to go with the flow of energy, injury, soreness, need based on instincts and commonsense, and often mood. Order is important, but not rigidness.

Two links worth checking out:

Superset Training

Draper Favorite Workout Routine

On that one, trim it down to three sets, don’t tri-set… something to work from for a four-day approach if and when you feel daring to stray from your norm.

Be consistent… Godspeed… DD

I’m a 54-year-old male in pretty good shape. I slipped on some ice in March,and broke my right wrist. I continued doing cardio and some ab work; then the cast came off, and I start to work out again. My strength and stamina seemed to be coming back, but my back went doing squats. The doc says I have a slight muscle tear. How long will it take my body to get back to where it was before I broke my wrist?

Depends on the quality and quantity of muscle mass developed - established - before the layoff. The more and the longer, possessed the shorter the recovery time, as muscle cells have “memory.”

That you continued cardio and ab work is a plus. The reconstruction is based on your wise and consistent training from these days forward.

Don’t hurry because it’s dangerous and counter-productive, both physically and mentally. Instead, be confident and resolute, patient and joyful — you’re back in the saddle again and the ride is fun and challenging… or not.

Lacking forbearance, you’re in big trouble: disappointment, frustration, negative imagery, anger, injury, sloppy training… Your sweetie will throw you outta the house… then what?

Another plus is that there’s plenty of summer left for warm-weather spirits, training and repair.

Ten years and you’ll be good as new… just kiddin’… think mid-fall, but every day you’re a little closer, better adjusted and stronger in character.

Go… Eat right… Godspeed… Dave

You answered a question from a 45-year-old asking if he was too old to weight train. Your reply was that he still has 10 years left. I am 55 years old. Does that mean I am too old to weight train?

Never! We’re all different in health, genes, mind, capacity, training and its application… I noticed after 62 I was no longer a young man. I’ve become more moderate in all ways as the years and years of experience modify my thoughts and actions.

I’ll always “blast it” according to time and ability and need and desire — the big four motivators

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

Train hard and always… God’s Might… Dave

Am I too old? Can I still make progress in my musclebuilding? I am 56 and have been training consistently since last October.

Sure you can make progress in your 50s and 60s and on. How much progress is relative to one’s physical starting point.

As we grow older we relinquish a few things, but proper training adds to our strength, muscle mass and well-being. Lifts spirits and mental alertness as well.

Be consistent and don’t injure yourself…

Go… Godspeed… Dave

I was wondering what percentage of protein, carbs and fats you recommend in the diet? I read that one bodybuilder’s diet consisted of 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats.

That’s a good ratio generalization, though the source and quality of each nutrient is super important. Each of us is different with differing goals and the ratios need to be tuned accordingly when getting serious. I don’t recommend being too serious — very troublesome.

I prefer protein from animal sources (meat, fish, poultry and milk byproducts and eggs), adding a considerably smaller percentage from nuts and beans and grains.

Carbs should be of the complex variety, high in nutritional value and favorably alive and fresh (salads, fruit).

Fats should not be of the greasy variety high in trans fats (most commercial fried foods) and excessive saturated fats (meat fat, milk fat), with an accent on those of the essential fatty acid family (EFAs) high in omega 3 — fish oil.

Train hard, Be consistent, No junk… Go… DD

I have recently had to condense my workouts to three days a week and have started to incorporate the clean and press movement mainly as an “all body” strengthener, but also for shoulder development. Would you recommend this exercise for this purpose or would I be better off using the deadlift and maybe military press for shoulders and all body exercises?

The clean and press is a superior exercise, done with either a barbell or dumbbells. Whole-body musclebuilding and systemic qualities. Love it.

Take your time, establish correct form, practice and treat with respect, learn and grow.

Another conversation about the clean and press can be found here.

Press on… Godspeed… DD

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