Dave Draper’s Musclebuilding Q&A

I’ve been training with moderate weights for quite some time. I do not take supplements of any sort and am working out with the primary intention of staying healthy, strong and also have an attractive Greek-god physique, but not for being a competitive bodybuilder. Is it really true I’m not going to make any significant progress if I continue my current training?This doubt has made me kinda lose interest in my workouts.

Continue your standardized training, yet sensibly power lift a couple, three days every fourth week… You’ve got to achieve muscle overload to enjoy hypertrophy — muscle growth. The change is good for the head and body. Too much of the same and one becomes dull without even knowing it.

Another approach is choosing one muscle group and blasting it for the month amid your standardized scheme: shoulders, back, arms and so on… fun, novel, interesting plus overloading.

Don’t give up, disappointments are around every corner. The only real answer is not giving in or giving up. Without the training overload the muscles will trickle along, which is not a bad thing: less chance of injury, less stressful, less dominating.

There’s fun in them thar weights, challenge and reward. Rise above discouragement.

Bombs… The Bomber

I have  a quick question about old school training. I know you trained at Vince’s Gym in your early years. I have read several articles about Vince’s training methods. What’s your opinion on training three weeks and then taking off a week?

I take off a week and I’m ready to climb the walls.

If you blast it and think you deserve or require a rest period, take a three or four days off, or lighten up for a week, or try an exploratory training variation for a week… but a regular routine of three weeks on, one off is for the North Hollywood set, not this bum from the dungeons..

Go… Praise God… DD

I have never been able to do barbell squats for 2 reasons. The pressure of heavy weight needs to be spread over a larger area than is possible with a bar going across my spine. My shoulders are not built to allow my arms to support a heavy weight held behind my neck. Is the top squat compatible with the Manta Ray by Advance Fitness Inc?

The 3-inch tough polyurethane covering of the Top Squat spreads the weight comfortably and allows you to rotate the bar into an advantageous position on the back by a slight hand movement. Your arms and hands are in front of you to relieve shoulder and elbow and wrist discomfort and avoid injury risk. It won’t work with the Manta Ray, but there’s no reason for both — the Top Squat will do what you need alone.

This a dynamite piece of equipment highly appreciated  by many lifters, large and small, and, alas, it’s under exposed. I absolutely love it.

Stay warm… Godspeed… Dave

I am still a little unsatisfied with my triceps. I do the litany of exercises and then some. They grow, but this is the problem area I have. Am I better off doing many more reps vs lifting heavier to make these muscles look more defined or increasing the weight?

I think you’re doing all you can do, having put years of hard work into your training. We have a genetic pattern our bodies follow, and I wonder if what you see is what you’ve got.

When working tris with cables, I prefer higher reps…  4, 5 sets x 12 to 15 to 20 reps.

When doing triceps extensions with bar or dumbbells, lying or overhead, I vary reps — 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 reps — as I increase the weight.

We’re all different… different strokes… experiment… keeps us going and hopeful.

Strive for more without abuse… appreciate what you have…

Godspeed… Dave

I am 22 years old and I am from Sydney, Australia. I was 100kg two months ago; now I have dropped to 83kg through changing what I eat and exercising smart. When you have lost weight, how do you mentally keep up the consistency?

I don’t suppose I did it much differently than you are doing it now. When you want a thing badly enough and it’s worthy, and it’s realistically within your range, you just keep going in its general direction.

Each day you adjust to the pursuit, justifying, accessing and appreciating your labor. Some days go well, some days do not go well, but no days go badly.

You lift, live, learn and grow. Giving up is not an option, not if the goal is good, the purpose right, the work productive and the journey well-traveled and enjoyed.

Remember, achieving muscle and might are only a part of what you’re gaining along the way. You’re investing in your personal riches, and they extend to those around you.

Be strong and courageous and happy… Godspeed… Dave

With painful shoulders, do you think I am really better off just letting the bench press alone?

The bench is okay as a thoughtful exercise. Most of us get caught up in seeking the maximum weight or the last rep. It is then the lifter is in danger; form goes south and shoulders go north.

Bring the dumbbells in after benching for a few sets of closing reps. At least as important: Offset your pushing with plenty of pulling. I like two to one, pulling over pushing. Old-school points toward overhead pressing, and it seems the really old-school guys had a lot fewer shoulder problems than we do.

Listen and learn; pain speaks the truth loudly and clearly…

Press on… Dave

If you had it to do all over again, what training would you do differently?  Also, what lower back exercises do you recommend for someone who’s had lower back surgery?

There are one or two (or a thousand) reps I would have withheld that culminated in overload and a bad injury. Our enthusiasm, drive, need and stupidity bring us to the edge and push us over… Oops, torn rotator, strained lower back or overtraining in general.

No routine or particular exercise would I recall. They all had their place in building, teaching and growing. I could go on as I finesse and pick apart the inquiry, but we have muscles to build.

Not long ago I had a quad lamenectomy (L2,3,4,5) and within weeks I was performing rope tucks for health and strength of the midsection and torso, and some version of lat rows and one arm dumbbell rows. When and how you incorporate these movements depends on your surgery and your back’s health, repair and recovery.

Go light (duh!) and higher reps (10+ range) and with great focus on groove-finesse and pain signals. Modify weight and reps as you recover, no more world championships.

Press on with God’s might… Dave

Deadlift problems… hurt my back a little, caught a minor cold, took some time off and now, after a month in the weight room, all my lifts are back to normal but the deads took a dive. I suppose it is silly to want to deadlift 250 just because I could three years ago, or 8 x 235 anyway, but it is kind of a hobby of mine.

Give the deads a rest for awhile. Do some healthy non-aggressive stiff-legged DLs to keep your back and mind placated; give the one-arm dumbbell rows a good toss and perform full range-of-motion seated lat rows with a good arch at the end-pull contraction… no maniacal thrusting, maintain good control.

Eat right, gain a few red-meat pounds and return to the deadlifts in a powerlifter’s month (three weeks), refreshed, sensible and smiling — teeth bared.

Systemic movements are known to crash when we get out of rhythm, tilt and go bananas. We press on…

FYI — Bodybuilder’s month = five weeks.

God’s might… Dave

From reading your newsletters, I know  you have a pacemaker. I got one in December. I’m okayed to work out, but my doctor said not to exaggerate arm movements as with the dumbbell fly. He had nothing more to offer than that. Apparently some exercises may break the wire from the pacemaker to the heart or cause what is called a clavicle pinch. What exercises are you unable to do?

I’m a triple-lead Medtronic man, myself. It’s been like a year and no problemos.

I was offered the same in-depth training input by the docs and decided to do what I always do: use commonsense, instinct, and feel.

Approach slowly, cautiously, attentively with freehand stretching and warming up… soon daring experimentation and testing of limits as the unit settles in and wire placements strengthen their attachments.

A few momentary scares early on (Oops, now I did it — not a bad thing to keep you honest) when I was sensitive and protective, but in weeks I was dipping, performing dumbbell presses and cable crossovers with legitimate confidence and only occasional discomfort. Now I don’t think about it unless the unit itself slides down my pant leg… tickles… just kidding.

That was my experience, and I offer no solid advice. We’re all different, mind and body. I do wish you a long, healthy and happy life with the solid iron in your hands and a rhythmic sparkle in your heart.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

When I lie on my stomach and do leg curls I get a cramping in them , not to the point I have to stop. Also are there any leg workouts other than squats and curls that you can suggest?

Thigh biceps are generally underdeveloped and unconditioned in average non-athletic individuals. Pain and cramping is not uncommon. Conditioning comes with proper muscle action and time.

Perhaps the leg-curl device is improperly constructed — not uncommon in home versions of the leg-curl.

You might be lacking in minerals in your diet and need supplementation.
Other leg exercises to try:

• Uphill hiking, climbing stairs or lunges, either with or without weight (in hands or on back)
  Deep knee bends with dumbbells in hands serve legs, back and entire system
  Dead lifts engage thighs as well as system
  Wide-stance squats with weight suspended between legs

Go, with Godspeed… DD

If I don’t get enough sleep — say only 4-5 hours sometimes — should I still get up and do the musclebuilding deed?  Every time I use this reason for skipping the workout, I feel incredibly guilty and horrible, and find it easier to make other excuses for the rest of the day on making right choices.

Another musclebuilder conundrum… Gee, we’re nuts and difficult.

I’d hit the workout well-fueled with Bomber Blend, a strong attitude and appropriate training modifications (less weight, less sets, less speed, more finesse and stimulation) to match the dismal loss of rest and sleep.

I’d joyfully agree to strive to limit such misbehavior without guilt — shame on me — and dare not make wrong choices the rest of my life. And should I misstep, it’s the guillotine.

Push that iron, take a nap.

Go… Godspeed… DD

I’m getting up there in the decades. I still PUSH. Then I pay. I still try to bench the 75-pound dumbbells when I can press them, but my lower back says no. I can’t get over wanting to PUSH. Screw the pain. Should I continue on? Need your best guess.

We’re not alone, pushing and paying. Comes with age plus passion and drive. Oh, and vanity… and stupidity.

Save the body. We need to adjust our minds, moderate our workouts and accept less to achieve more.

For example, dump the heavy dumbbells; thrusting them to get them in position is murder on the hips, not to mention the shoulders and elbows once they’re in place.

A whole new training style evolves out of age and limitations. Knowing that, seek it and come to know it well.

I manage to push my workouts with my limitations by realizing I will only increase the limitations and add more sooner if I exceed them.

This is to say nothing of the crappy pain accompanying them when I play the bombing and blasting fool.

Warming up takes on new meaning — more and slowly.

I lighten up the weight (duh) and slow down the reps and focus on the useful pain with enhanced radar. The latter requires practice and confidence in its value.

I separate good — necessary — pain of injury from abusive, destructive pain, relying on the former for direction and guidance (groove, max-exertion). Wrestling abusive pain is tempting at first, grows old fast and only contributes to injury and delays healing. And, there are the sleepless nights and tantrums.

Big head-trip, growing older. Hang on and hope for a long, long ride…

We press on… God’s mercy and might… Dave