Dave Draper’s Musclebuilding Q&A

I have been an avid martial artist since 1983. I have laid off workouts for the past two years due to an injury sustained at a competition. I’m 43 and am ready to go back out and play again. I have a good workout set up for the training on the martial arts side, but have been looking at different ways for strength. My thoughts are to train the body as one instead of chest, a few days later legs, etc. In a fight, as I am sure you know, the body works as one machine.

Take your time re-entering the activities. Be wise, confident and persevering, but don’t allow enthusiasm or need to make up for lost time or excessive drive cause overtraining, injury and disappointment.

With your martial arts on top of it all, you might want to go for weights just twice a week, giving yourself an extra rest day, or a low-output day… a count blessings day…

Each day will be different exercises than the day that matches them before. Monday, flat bench, Wednesday, incline bench, like that.

Think dumbbells instead of barbells — save the shoulders from certain injury, stronger movements,  forget the declines… Pullovers are good.

You’re doing great… carry on the good fight…

Godspeed… Dave

As long as you’re still having fun…it’s all good as if it’s day one! Still loving it after 35 years (1975). Glad to hear from you again and again…

Muscle ‘n power building is a stern, stoical and sacrificial deed. There will be no levity among us.

Hey,  you hear the one about the blond bodybuilder who thought he was a B-68 bomber soaring around the scrap piles blasting the iron?

Go… Godspeed… DD

I will be turning 48 soon and was just wondering if you had to change anything in your training routine after 40 years of age?  Did you have to lighten the weights or did you train as you always did? 

Are you kidding? Surely you jest! Prepare for the storm, lad, ready thyself for famine, drought and destruction. Here comes the judge!

There are wise modifications to make as the years accrue: refraining from the last ultimate rep, resisting one-rep max training schemes, overtraining and abusing. I have always had the tendency — many ironheads do — to push it with all my might. That’s the fun of it, or it’s our obligation, or what works.

The injuries mount, chemistry changes and limitations guide us in new directions: lots of warming up, lighter weights, higher reps, altered exercise grooves, elimination of certain movements, wrapping grumpy joints and juggling routines according to daily capacity.

Other than that, nothing changes. We press on like madmen… Dave   <<<Godspeed>>>

I am a 57-year-old man, been training since I was 21. Last May I had a TIA. There was no lasting physical damage and I’ve gradually been getting back into training. Docs said it was okay to train but not any holding breath to avoid pressure build-up. Depressing when this first happened, nobody could believe it had been me who had suffered a stroke. Have you any had any other experience with this?

Sorry to see this. This stuff is frightening, painful and inconvenient. I’ve had a bunch of medical attention — congestive heart failure, stent procedures, TIA, heart attack, quadruple bypass, pacemaker installation. Rugged struggle. We press on with courage and wisdom, fear and doubt, doctor’s advice and commonsense, trial and error and wonder and thanksgiving.

I have no definitive training advice beyond the above high-jinx; it’s all been a day-by-day plan for the past 25 years. Train regularly, eat right, rest a lot, laugh every chance you get, love your neighbor…

My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation come from him…
He is my fortress, I will never be shaken… Psalm 62

Godspeed… Dave

What are your thoughts on side bends for oblique work while holding a 45-pound plate, bending side to side?  And do you like the weighted sit-up machine or do you think regular crunches are better?

I’d skip the side bends, as you might build up the obliques and thicken the area. Let your rope tucks and hanging leg raises, hyperextensions and overall training and smart eating do the deed.

Don’t like the machine either (spine antagonism), and crunches have been recently downgraded for similar reason — too much spinal flexion.

You might like more core work… I love repetition one-arm dumbbell cleans, floor to overhead, as a rugged body exercise (4×8 reps). Lots of gut and system and energy.

Press on… Godspeed

In your book Your Body Revival,  would you tweak the Standard Balanced Menu if you were to write the book today?

I’m protein high… alter as you need… the older I get the less I desire to eat, and a lighter bodyweight is healthier and easier and wiser.

A little boring, though.

dd

I’m 15 weeks out from a bodybuilding show; I have never done the Showtime Cut Diet Final Week Prep. What do you think of doing a trial run contest week prep about 4 weeks out? I’m just a little nervous to try something for the first time the actual week of the contest. Also, I have never done a show that doesn’t start until 5:30 pm Saturday, meaning no morning show to peak for. What are your thoughts about peaking once in the pm? Water cut off time? Carbs? Salt?

I would only suggest the trial run if you have doubts and can’t help yourself… Might interrupt the musclebuilding flow and cost you in muscle and momentum. Best scenario: your training is going so well you have no worries and want to blast on…

About the peaking, it’s very personal, and depends on the contest condition you achieved:

Keep the nutrient-high carbs sufficient
Stay low on salt and drink modestly to serve your health and energy.
Chances are nerves and busyness and tendency to overtrain toward the end, your water retention will not be problematic.
Beware of overtraining and over-starving yourself toward the end.

A strong and sound mind plays a major role in muscle building and stage presentation and performance. Tough, cuz most bodybuilders are as secure as Yemen and Afghanistan.

Think on these things… Relax and be strong and courageous… do your job, get your posing and music down… visualize success performances, never failure…

Then, read this if it gets down to the wire and things are going as planned.

dd

I have recently developed tennis elbow or water on the elbow. I had it a few years ago and it went away on its own. Have you ever had this problem and if you did, did you find a fast cure?  I am using heat and ice.

Fast cure? Bullet to the head or amputation above the elbow.

Further insight: If you have in fact water on the elbow (or knee), you can visit a doctor and have it drained. If it’s swelling only, that’s a different thing.

You’d be wise to back off your triceps and pressing movements as you seek to discover which action or actions are the culprits in the crime. Make needed modifications. Warm up lots, always. I use an on-off wrap to support my right elbow when extending. Gives me an advantage and mitigates the pain.

Obstacles make us agile, if they don’t break our necks and paralyze us…

(trying out a new dark humor… maybe I should stick to humor-lite)

Go… Dave

I’ve noticed that tryptophan is on the market again! My wife has sleeping problems and I thought about this amino acid as a remedy. Would you recommend this as a sleep aid for her?

Tryptophan does nothing for this ole hoot owl, but gets an A+ from Laree. She recommends 500 mg before retiring. If that dosage doesn’t do the trick, go to 1,000 mg.

Alternative sleep-aid suggestion: I have a friend who says reading a Draper Newsletter puts him to sleep every time without fail, guaranteed.

Pressing on… Dave

I am a 43-year-old female who has been weight training with a partner for a few months, four days a week. There seems to be some question about the amount of weight I can lift comfortably and keep good form…  I am wondering if it is better to go lighter with good form and more reps, or should I push myself and go heavier?

Here’s where you come in: Your decision.
If your goal is to grow muscle mass, this methodology is often necessary (my experience). You’re seeking hypertrophy and it’s expensive. The tough overload and a degree of compromise in form should be approached carefully during segments of your workouts, either daily or throughout a schedule of workouts. You’re taking it to the edge.

The goal to be healthy, fit and lean and to enjoy injury-free training without ogles of muscle and might is best sought by hardy training minus a lot of risky muscle and joint overload and training intensity.

The method one chooses usually matches their personality. I was driven and chose MO #1. 50 years later I’m driven and have driven for a long time, and I like both methods 1 and 2 . Number two is more appropriate and sensible, yet on a good day I’ll push it with all my remaining might. Be aware, beware, have fun, live long and free…

Go… Godspeed… Dave

What is your opinion on children lifting weights? Is 12 years old too young for a structured routine with cardio and resistance training? I know unsupervised or heavy lifting are not options and maybe benching or squatting could impact the growth plate of a bone.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You sound like a sensible adult, with commonsense and compassion and an eager child within.

Cut ‘em loose after you show ‘em the ropes, unless any one of them is a wild and crazy monster-child.

Hope this link helps: IronOnline Youth Training Archive

Go… Godspeed… Dave

I don’t know if you’ll ever share the reasons for dropping from the public eye way back in the early ’70s, but every man has his choices to make. Sometimes they’re made for him.

The reasons are simple:

• Being very good is fun; being the best is too serious
• No money while you’re trying to get there, no money if you do
• Too much ego and too many egos in the immediate atmosphere
• I enjoyed using my muscle and strength as a function in my work-life (counterproductive for championship)
• Too self-centered, which imposed sacrifice on those I loved and liked, including me (time, dedication, dieting, costs)
• I admire muscle and strength building, whereas bodybuilding is a rub…

I forget the other reasons… and excuses…

We lift, by God… DD