Dave Draper's Musclebuilding Q&A

Need more information

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:20:07 +0000

I find that your emails are so infrequent that I cannot take them serious, please provide me with something that will actually grab my attention as a trainer.

I suggest you browse my website. It’s full of info about all aspects of training.

It’s true; I’m not profound… neither is lifting weights ‘n eating right. “Just do it’ pretty much wraps it up.

After 650 newsletters, one a week for 11 years, I’m quite serious. Lifting is a heavy sport. I just like to lighten it up a bit.

You want something that grabs your attention? Read this: Slumpbusters

God loves us… Draper

Muscle Rock

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:19:50 +0000

I’ve started reading Dick Tyler’s West Coast Bodybuilding Scene on my Kindle and I’m really enjoying it. I started training back in 1979 and Arnold, Zane and you were my idols early on. The cover photo of Arnold’s Education of a Bodybuilder was and is an inspiration. I grew up in MN and always wanted to go to Muscle Rock where that photo was taken. I’ve lived in CA now for more than 20 years and I haven’t been able to find out where it is. You made a reference to Muscle Rock in one of the captions in West Coast Bodybuilding Scene. Could you tell me the location of Muscle Rock and how to get there?

Gee, Muscle Rock might be a shopping center by now.

It’s up a couple of miles of one of the winding Malibu Canyon roads off highway one… can’t remember the name offhand. At the top there’s a lonely roadway intersection, a short climb above which is a sun-soaked concrete slab about 20 x 30 feet for fire-prevention utility.

Sunned up there with Zabo or alone in the mid-’60s. I could find it if I needed to… like, in prep for the Mr. Big Boy Contest.

We rock when everyone else rolls… Dave <<< Godspeed >>>

Creatine and blood pressure

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:18:34 +0000

Can creatine jack up your blood pressure?

It’s very unlikely that creatine is the cause of high blood pressure, but not impossible. It may influence it if you already have a tendency in that direction or if you have an already-existing kidney problem. If that’s the case, it’s something you’ll want to discuss with your doctor, or at the very least, do your own testing with a home blood pressure cuff, which we should probably all be doing anyway.

There is sometimes some intramuscular water retention from creatine intake, which may raise BP slightly. It’s more likely you are working out harder, faster, and more intensely which shoots up the BP. Creatine MONO is ultra safe so you don’t have to worry about and wild adverse effects.

I love the stuff, been using it regularly since about 1990.

Reduce the gut at age 64

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:37:58 +0000

Greetings from Ireland. I am 64, 5ft 5 and 155 lbs. I have been training one way or another most of my life – marathon running, swimming and hill walking and weight training. I am in good shape and training very hard one day each week in the gym. I also cycle abt 20 miles and swim for 20 mins on different days. My question is how can I cut the flab around my waist? I eat very little bread red meat or dairy products and avoid junk food and cookies etc. On training days I take a good protein drink before bed. I have good definition for my age. I would like to reduce my waist and maybe increase my thigh size – do you have any advice?

Gee, you’re doing it all, and well. I suggest splitting your weight routine into two whole-body workouts a week, and adjusting your other athletic activities accordingly. Review my articles from 2011 wherein there are stashed multiple short and intense revolving workouts.

I suspect you’ll sacrifice muscle and strength and endurance in your attempts to diminish the excess tissue. Is it worth it to you, is the big question. I can’t think of anything more you can do – beyond hopeful tinkering – to blast the blasted area. At 64, staying injury-free (whatever that is) and healthy are the main concerns. Carry on with wisdom and vigor and gratitude… I call that Godspeed… Dave from the USA

PS… have you heard about tuna and water?

Alcohol issues

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:37:44 +0000

I am an alcoholic, used to work out regularly but not for the past few years. What is your advice to get out of this funk and back in shape?

Some things never change. Some things must change.

Alcohol wrecked my life by time I was 40. Health, family, home, work, gone. Haven’t had a drink or recreational drug since release from the hospital with very-near-fatal congestive heart failure 30 years ago.

I stopped the hard way — drink and die or stay straight and live. Chose the latter, by God’s grace. Works wonders.

Walk a lot, get before the iron and do some old-fashioned pushing and pulling — standing barbell curls and light bench presses. This is a neat combo for easy interest and easy re-learning and rapid response and pure fun.

Keep it that way for a long time. Don’t get crazy, don’t injure yourself, don’t make big demands, don’t make it a pressure, but keep it consistent. Three times a week or every third day works… work up to four sets of 12, 10, 8, 6 reps.

Get the miles in on off days… stairs and uphill if you can.

In time add an exercise for the back (pulldowns, one-arm dumbbell rows, assist chins) once a week. Dips are fun and productive… dumbbells are best for pressing when you’re invested… on you go and grow with wisdom and increasing confidence and enthusiasm…

Zoom… You can do it… pray about it…

God’s strength… the Bomber