Dave Draper’s Musclebuilding Q&A

I worked out with weights every day for three straight months followed by an hour long martial arts workout. I think I was getting a little crazy towards the end. Now I am doing weights every 1-2 days out of necessity: trying to lessen the nagging tendonosis in my arms and chronic soreness in my left shoulder (not yet a rotator cuff tear, thank God). At what point does pain heal and the body get stronger?

Like a fuse, you’re burning out. No time to rest and recuperate and think clearly and wisely about what you are doing — to pause and assess and regulate — to observe and enjoy and appreciate yourself and your endeavors and achievements and life around you. Eager and energized enthusiastic is good; driven and obsessed is bad.

Oh, yeah. There’s that: overtraining, injury, exhaustion, low-resistance and the anxiousness and irritability that results.

When you rest adequately, making sure you’re always eating right, and embark upon a sensible and balanced training regimen.

Godspeed… Dave

I’ve been going to the chiro for a while now given some mid back pain, a result of being overweight a few years ago. She said I should avoid squatting, given the pressure on the discs on the back.  She took away my second favorite exercise after deadlifting.  So I am focusing on the leg press instead.  Have you heard of anyone else having been told the same thing and how they might have dealt with it?  Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Squatting and deadlifting sound like the death sentence to most chiropractors. She might be right-on in your case. Always best to see a professional specializing in sports and athletics when injured.

You can build muscle and might without deads, squats and bench presses.

Add hyperextensions to your midsection and torso workout to strengthen and build muscle in the lower back region. Maybe bring in “sensible, light squats,” if and when back improves. The light weight action goes a long way to fix your head and legs and strengthen the back without dangerous overload.

Leg press can be tough on the back, as well. Be aware. Monitor the movement, warm-up lots, ease into sensible range of motion and, perhaps, support hollow of lower back area with an appropriate thickness of cushion.

You might be able to bring in very light weight deads with a limited range of motion — not too deep, no arching contraction at the top, slow and thoughtful — as your common sense and instinct and pain-signal awareness and lower, yet more muscled body weight permit.

Train consistently and sensibly, and enjoy… Godspeed… DD

Knowing that you went through this last year, I was wondering if you could give me some insight as to what to expect. Was there any side affects and did it effect your workouts any?  I would appreciate any information and helpful hints you could give me.

Everyone reacts to the treatments differently, as you already know. I received 40 rounds of radiation over 8 weeks, no joy to begin with, but no real pain either.

I did experience fatigue — sort of malaise — but managed to drag myself to the gym twice a week for bouts with the iron. Remember, my heart is a major problem, limiting my training input.

Within two weeks of the completion of the radiation I was back to normal energy and endurance and spirits.

Docs said not everyone dips in energy… stay strong, fight hard… you might glide right through it all… If caught in time, radiation on prostate cancer is apparently extremely successful.

Godspeed,

dd

Do you have any tips or exercises to relieve elbow pain that feels like it’s right in the joint? Thoughts on the wide chins? Or upright rows?

The solutions are as numerous and complicated as the problems… need assessment…

Warm up, be aware of proper form, allow plenty of time for recovery.

I have an elbow wrap I use regularly for the past years that allows me to go heavier and get more reps. Hint: I devised it out of a knee wrap cut in half, a loop sewn on one end to slip onto my arm and fixed with Velcro at the right places at the other end as a fastener.

Elbows take a load from every direction as we insist on making our muscles grow. Pressing, dips, triceps extension. Whatever exercises hurt, modify them or go lighter for reps or dump them for a while or for good. A modern and tuned physical therapist has answers (repair and prevention), but they need to know and assess the problem.

Dump the uprights (bad for shoulders and elbows) and abbreviate the full extension on chins, maybe the width… try it for awhile. Use overhead pulley pulldowns as an alternate…

Godspeed… DD

Having been infected with the disease requiring the need for iron more than 30 years ago, I have come to a crossroad. I was recently diagnosed with PV (polythycemia vera) and mitrial regurutation, and have been told by my hematologist “no more weight lifting.” I’m awaiting my visit to the cardiologist to see if I need to have surgery. Silly me, I thought the shortness of breath and chest pains were just a sign of an older guy still being able to hold his own. I ask no medical advice of you, only that if you have the time, can you answer me this? I’m a deeply spiritual person and have prayed over this, yet I have no clear answer. I feel I have to give up a part of who I am. If it is necessary, is there really life without lifting?

Absolutely. Health and family first. There’s a path…

But Still.

Ask more than one doctor, more like 10, if you can you do a little curling and pulling and pushing… any is better than none for the BMS — body, mind, spirit.

I would find the elimination of resistance exercise less distressing if I wasn’t the actor behind the curtain of davedraper.com and had an image and rep to putz with. Drop the bodyweight, seek yoga-type meditation and performance in my own zone of refuge. Gee, sounds like fun, especially when it’s life-sparing. Any viable reason (excuse) not to clink, clank, clunk.

I face a similar dilemma, being a small wreck for the past three years. I push too hard (child’s play) and it concerns me. Thank God I have the keyboard and find expression and fulfillment in writing. Thankfully, I have God (Jesus), who cares for all my problems.

A quickie google search tells me exercise with PV is limited to mild performance, such as walking. Once you’re certain the iron is out of the picture, then you walk and watch your diet and adjust, which includes seeking another avenue of expression.

I understand there’s a lot more to Yoga than we ironheads realize.

Time, common sense, creativity, encouragement, gratefulness, guts and moving ahead… Look to the reality and joy and promise in the wife and kids and the horizons… God loves us… DD

You mentioned in a recent Q and A about avoiding upright rows. I was wondering if you thought doing them with dumbbells would be easier on the shoulders. I know you’ve avoided the regular barbell bench press for years in favor of incline dbell benches instead. Would using dbells for upright rows in your opinion provide a similar alternative for the upright movement, such as upright rows and the hang clean and press?

Be your own trainer with vigilance. Partial upright rows with moderate weight might be okay, if you don’t enter a red zone of dislocation. Make the muscles work via focus, form and controlled force.

Try the dumbbell things (in both cases, bar and dumbbells) with a light weight to warm up, study the movement and locate a groove and achieve healthy and productive eccentric and concentric action. Take the weight up slowly and employ a well-defined, low-volume thrust to ease the weight into a substantial, non-endangering groove.

In other words, be careful, Chief Ironhead. Use your head and shoulders… Some people can do ‘em… most can’t.

We lift, live, learn and grow, don’t you know… DD

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

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

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’m coming up on 62 in February. My knees are giving me problems, especially my right knee.  In May I’m having a partial knee replacement on my right knee.  How do I keep my leg strength when I can’t squat anymore?

You’ll be wise to listen to your physical therapist and take your time… walking is a great exercise, inclines and stairs eventually.

Light extensions and curls might be included with leg presses in time. The extent of the injury and the particulars of the repair will certainly determine your course of rehab.

You’ll get a few clues from your PT and previously wounded friends and settle on listening to yourself and your instincts to lead you to recovery. You’re a smart guy…

Oh, and prayer… dd

In terms of taking a layoff, how often do you think one should set down the iron and for how long?

Depends on a bunch of factors — your training intensity, training frequency, exercises performed,lifestyle, recuperative ability, age, health, stress, condition and such.

Once a week when I was young, twice a week till I 60, three times a week when I didn’t care. Now when I need to, 1 day on, two off works.

A lay-off of more than a week only when it’s important — injury, health, vacation, obligations, urge.

dd

I am having biceps surgery on Thursday… Any advice and/or direction you can offer would very much be appreciated. I had my right rotator cuff (with some biceps tearing) repaired about 2.5 years ago; it’s come back really well, good and strong.  I am hoping for the same with this.

Tough one,  and I don’t have any advice that’s worthwhile.

My mumbling mouthful: Biceps repairs are iffy cuz there’s no dense, sinewy tissue to sew together or connect, as I understand it from my biceps surgery and surgeon 10 years ago.

I think injuries, as we muscleheads and strength athletes know them, are in the hands of the injured. Commonsense, mind- and emotion-, as well as, body-control, sensibleness, patience, rest and nutrition, and slow introduction of partial movements associated with the injured area.

Focus and finesse, muscle action without resistance, and, in time, light weight and long warm ups, more focus and finesse and onward in reps and range of motion and another hint of additional weight/resistance.
Time goes by; you live, you learn and grow, you restore, you adapt and compensate. The beat goes on.
Continue to be strong and courageous… God’s mercy and 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

How long do I have to stay out of the gym before I can train after back surgery? My doctor is saying six months, and I can’t take that.

Sorry for your dilemma, but this is not a situation I am qualified to or would dare advise you on.

Certainly, you want to be positive the diagnosis is precise and the surgery absolutely necessary. I would seek a second opinion and direction from a sport-savvy surgeon or medical professional and continue to research empirical circumstances. Add this volume of knowledge and understanding to your commonsense and instincts and astutely ease into a quasi-educated plan.

I recently had an L2, L3, L4, L5 lamenectomy and was back in the gym within weeks applying the above ad hoc principles. Be smart, sensitive, sensible, wise, focused and rational and forbearing — warm up, go slowly, enjoy…

There are too many unknowns (age, condition, mentality, severity of injury) for me to make evaluations and offer worthwhile advice. And I would offer them only to me, not others… too speculative and consequential.

God Bless you… Dave

What would be the best-fastest-safest way for me to recover and get back to my lifting schedule after a long absence following a successful surgery? I know I can probably work on my lower areas (abs? legs?) Or will I have to possibly start from scratch or square one? It’s hard for me to fathom not being able to workout, and how I’m going to be able to deal with it.  I’m 63 now, going on 29.

We are amid the tough times when injuries and limitations besiege us. No one is immune. It’s — dare I say the words — old age. I didn’t expect the debilitation to be so soon and so quick and so crappy.

You will deal with the repairs according to your own needs and abilities and, finally, determination. Don’t let determination become an enemy; a strong will can push a good man over the edge.

Get to the gym post haste and do what you can in torso and leg work, and sneak in wrist curls and little highly-focused mini-curls with a dumbbells. You are about to learn how to get maximum exertion with minimum weight and abbreviated motion. Soon you’ll branch out as you test your potential. You’ll find a path upon which to trod with sufficient comfort, safety and fulfillment, as you listen and focus and improvise and play.

Light weights, thoughtful reps, certain machines and tiny dumbbells are your temporary tools of choice. They work wonders. Be encouraged.

You know better than I what to do… follow your nose.

Godspeed… Dave

You’re still a inspiration to us old dungeon gym rats. I have a question: I think I have a hernia. Have you ever had one and what was your down time from the gym? What was the recovery time?

I don’t think you’ll go through major withdrawals. By the time you enjoy a well-deserved rest, you’ll visit the gym and start poking around the machines that are suitable, applying cautious effort.

That’s all it takes for your system to re-awaken — commonsense and survival will help you plan a smart workout.

While avoiding stress and strain on the repairing hernia, you’ll soon know its limitations and work around them. All the time your confidence and sense of wellbeing will soar.
See?  Nothing to it! Smile, be happy… Dave

I’ve just had hip replacement. I’ve been released from the doctor and am ready to get back in shape. I have a good range of motion with both hips, but can’t yet do a stomach crunch. I can bend half way over so I suppose I can do upper body action. What do you suggest?

I know nothing about hip rehab, but I’m sure there are a dozen or more great exercises you can slip into if you go to an agreeable gym, assuming you’re released from physical therapy that is.

Start off light with the machines — dips, various-grip pulldowns, pulley pushdowns, seated lat row, flat and incline presses on the Smith Press, mild rope tucks.

You can then try some freehand movements as your growing strength and familiarity guide you.

Play for week or two, warming up slowly, experimenting and designing an appealing and  efficient and safe training scheme. All your movements executed with high regard for your rehabbing hip will contribute to their repair.

2 to 3 sets x 10s is a good range as you fight the good fight. Specific hip rehab is in your hands and the   hands of the therapists.

Eat right, rest a lot, be wise, be aware, be courageous, be thankful, walk around hurdles…

Go… Godspeed… Dave

I have an irritated biceps tendon. I stopped doing exercises that hit that area, curls and back exercises, but now it hurts doing things like hoisting dumbbells into position for presses. My question is, would you advocate doing no upper body work till this heals or try to use light weights on machines that don’t stress the injury too much? I want to get back to the heavy weights ASAP.  The thought of doing cardio to replace my iron fix is so depressing!

Sometimes a layoff is just what we need, though I wouldn’t know how to do that.

Unfortunately, a biceps tendon injury usually demands full rest and icing, or the recovery time will take ages.

I have found best success with going extraordinarily light with controlled and penetrating high reps (10 - 15 — not ultra high). The warming up and the finessing are priceless and often make the way clear.

Pain is your companion and guide. Engage absolute focus and searching, working your way heavier set by set till an intuitive voice says, “Just right.” Do this where necessary with confidence and appreciation for the education and sensitivity injury and light weights provide. You might enjoy the feel of the reps and the change of pace… modify your training a few degrees.

Tough and intense doesn’t necessarily mean heavy and struggling. You go too heavy too soon and you have your hands full for, like, ever.

Geez, we’re dumb… Onward… Dave

I am doing 45-degree leg presses and strict leg extensions and my legs are wasted at the conclusion of my leg workout.  Unfortunately, squats are history due to two operations on my neck.  What do you think about leg presses and leg extensions?

I understand about disappointing limitations. Rats. But you’re doing the best you can, and it isn’t bad. I’m currently following a similar regime, though I add 4 sets of curls to the leg extensions and the 4-5 sets of presses. I miss the squats, but a recent laminectomy has me out from under the bar. Rats, again, though I feel lucky, fortunate and blessed to have the option. It works.

Our gym has a very cool squatting machine by Bodymaster, which settles the load on your shoulders like a standing calf machine. The heavy duty beast handles tons of weight and neatly replicates the action of a full squat. I use one or the other.

Have you tried squatting while holding dumbbells or a trap bar? Walking lunges with your hands full of dumbbells? Me, neither. Those in the know say these work. I’ll try them if you try them. You go first.

Go… Godspeed… Dave

I’m a 68-year-old man. I don’t feel I’m lifting too much weight, but after workouts the left side of my left elbow hurts and both shoulders hurt. Weights range in poundage from 30 pounds to 40 pounds. I do 15-10-5 reps. Should I back these off or lower my weights?

Oh, boy. The stinkers. Elbows and shoulders and past 25; to back off or not back off.

I don’t know, and I say this with a whiny sigh. The origins of injury and pain are often varied and uncertain and the ultimate resolutions are no less a mystery. I’m going to the gym in an hour and face similar circumstances and wonder which way I’ll go to outwit my adversary.

Warming up is important. I’ll have my right elbow wrap in action, on and off as needed. You might consider a similar assistance, a smaller version of a knee wrap, to handle the load, protect the joint, reduce the pain and enable more exertion — sets and reps or weight handled.

The shoulder limitation demands more creativity. The range of exercises from presses to lateral raises need to be investigated and modified and improvised. The answer is found by trial and (near) error. Try both avenues — alter the reps or alter the weight — for a week and make assessments during and after (days following) the workout.

Focus, feel, find, fix, finished… fun. That’s what I’d do.

There are always your over-the-counter anti-inflammation meds: Tylenol, Advil, Aleve.

Carry on the good fight… we press on… foreword march… never quit… never…

Godspeed….DD