DAVE DRAPER, MR. AMERICA

Muscle Training, Illustrated, March, 1974

By Denie

The Dave Draper I knew in my teenage years was a quiet, reserved lad who came from Secaucus, New Jersey. I knew him long before he became the mighty Blond Bomber of bodybuilding and motion picture fame. Yes, long before the multi-physique titles had made him world famous. The magazine of the time promoting him labeled him a muscle champion who had once been a bulky, hulky fat boy. The truth was that Draper, and I knew him well, was never a fat boy. He may have been a bit smooth when the magazines discovered him, but he was never fat. The whole thing was a gimmick from which, to this day, he suffers.

Dave in those early days boasted a 54-inch chest and a 35-inch waist. At six feet one that's hardly fat, is it? And, of course, there were those 19 � inch arms, too. I believe he finally made them 20.

The man's power in those days was also tremendous. The fellows he grew up with in the gyms, because he was a boy, then, still talk about him. They talk about the 240 pound seated press behind neck. They remember when he'd load up the end of a six foot bar and do leverage rowing movements with the astronomical poundage of 450. And there's the story of the famous block party festival which occurred in Secaucus where some wise guys were annoying and bothering the locals. Draper simply walked over, grabbed one guy by the front of his shirt with one am, and lifted him off the ground. The warning was well taken.

He was very intense and never really talked much, his whole mental makeup was devoted entirely to hard training and healthful living. The results are obvious, although when quoted by other sources are not always accurate. Here is the true story of the Blond Bomber which your MTI reporter got from Dave when he visited the East recently to guest post at the WBBG Mr. America. I had not seen Dave in about ten years except for his screen and TV appearances. He told me what it was really like then - what had happened in between - and the facts about who Dave Draper is now. I found him still the decent fellow. You will too - read on and meet the real Blond Bomber as he is today.

Could we get a little recap of the Dave Draper career from the beginning?

I started training when I was twelve. I got a little 14-inch bar with some 7.5 pound plates in the middle and 5 pounders on the ends, and 3.5 pounders. With this I used to do curls and bench presses all on my own, without magazines or any of the guys in them. It was just my own thing. The Hercules movies were around at that time and Reeves was.. well, if there was an inspiration it was Reeves. Leroy Colbert was another one, as I got into it. I happened to see Leroy on the cover of a magazine. I trained, pretty regularly from that time one and I'm thirty-one now.

I was eighteen when I got into serious, consistent training with the intention of growing bigger and developing a good physique. I was out of school by then and pretty well situated in my own free lifestyle. I lived in New Jersey then, about a year before I met you. At first I did pushups, dips and chins, and gradually I built that up and got more weights from that organization in Union City. (Dave chuckled about that remark.)

Now, based on your early experience, what advice could you give to fellows just entering the training field? Do you think they can build a really good physique at home?

It depends on the person and his motivation. You can make a great deal of improvement in growth and satisfy yourself and your bodybuilding needs. But it will take an exceptional person to become a champion in a garage or home gym in my opinion. Once you get past the initial stages of training at home, going to a gym with some pretty good guys around is important. Not a super gym or a top gym, but one with some pretty dedicated bodybuilders. It's good to ask questions, but better to observe and as you get to know them, and they get to know you, you can ask more questions and learn this way. And you have to remember that everything you're learning you should apply. And you must relate that to your body, your person, your own chemistry and your motivation and intellect. Gyms are better equipped. They have pulleys and there is much more inspiration. Then, too, if the gym is not overcrowded and you are not stifled you can train at your own pace and not compromise yourself so much.

In the beginning you had a reputation of being the skinniest person. Do you recall any of those early measurements?

That's not true. I don't know how that story got started. In high school I wrestled. I was of average build and had a good bone structure. I played a little football and basketball with the PAL - the Police Athletic League. I got into training more completely through gymnastics. I belonged to the Swiss Turnverein and trained with E.M. Orlick, who, as you know, was the first editor of MTI. It was there that I began to use the weight room. Soon I saw something taking place - a V shape and some shoulders! I was still unaware of the magazines or the books and how to really do it. So then I started to do a little more with the weights and put the gymnastics aside. I joined a bodybuilding gym. It was yours. From there I went to a Vic Tanny's Gym in Journal Square and finally found myself out on the West Coast training with the Muscle Beach guys: Zabo Kosewski, George Eifferman and others�. In places where Reeves and many other stars trained.

We know that hard training is important. How about the Dave Draper diet?

Okay. That, in my opinion, eventually becomes fifty percent of it. As you come to a point in your training, where the body reaches approximately sixty percent of its potential development, you diet becomes extremely important. The more you develop quality in your build, the more important it is to change your diet. Actually you can change your body chemistry. I had a very poor chemistry. Basically it was slow, which made me bulky and soft looking because, also, of my thick skin. I changed my slow metabolism through strict dieting, taking almost zero carbohydrates for two years. This meant no more than two pieces of bread. I also had maybe one potato in two years, and no milk at all.

Isn't that unhealthful? I understand you need some carbohydrates.

Yes, it could be, but I feed myself a lot of tuna fish and liver products, plus high supplementation. I also had fresh fruit.

The following is a short dialog between Dave and this MTI reporter:

MTI: I remember some of the stories I used to get about you from friends in California, saying that you used to show up at parties with a jar of liver tablets and never go near the food and drinks.

Dave: I can't remember that. I wasn't a wacko!

MTI: I'm going to write this as I'm saying it.

Dave: I mean, I wasn't wacky. Not too wacky� maybe a little wacky. It just appeared to me that this was the only way to upset my metabolism to bring it around so that it would be keener and faster. So I trained very hard, very fast, still using heavy weights with a very strict diet - mostly protein, particularly fish and tuna fish.

MTI: As far as power goes, the last time I spoke to you about seven years ago you said you were bench pressing 450. Did you ever go higher than that?

Dave: No, that was my limit. I'm a reasonably good bench presser with dumbbells. I was heavier then, around 240, and I've been up to 255. But that was a long time ago. I'm a good curler, and while I don't want to brag, I'm strong in curls even at a light bodyweight.

MTI: Didn't you do a lot of lying down curls?

Dave: Yes, I used to do a lot of those, but now it's mostly standing alternates. I don't care much for the lying curls anymore because I think stretching in the movement is abusive to the body. I like to keep movements that are not abusive. I don't want to hurt the body anymore. I care for it too much. I know guys who have been training for a long time and are really suffering. They have elbow and knee problems. They have to wrap up the knees and bind up their lower backs. It's pitiful. You've got to be careful.

MTI: How about pressing?

Dave: Pressing isn't really my forte. Curling is - back work. I'm good at pulling.

We felt it necessary to add this discussion to show MTI readers what a real down-to-earth nice guy Dave is. So we'll return to our interview format.

Could you give us a breakdown of your sets and reps?

It varies. When I walk into the gym I have no idea what I'm going to do. I train around seven in the morning in Gold's Gym in Venice, California. This is a good time because there are just a few guys training and they are very dedicated like Zabo and Frank Zane. None of the boisterous type so we have a great camaraderie. When I start training I just zip through the workout. I used to train very strictly according to a set routine. But now the workouts are more spontaneous. So sometimes I'll train six or seven days a week, or train ten days in a row and take a couple of days off. I can tell if the body hurts and I then train instinctively as I feel I must. The body can hurt in two ways: in a good way, and in a way you know you're damaging yourself. I like to train every bodypart every day, and at time doing 9 or more sets, keeping the reps high and using decent weights. The movements have to be done with quality and I keep moving all the time. This keeps the workout down to an hour and a quarter, and then I finish by going for a run on the beach for a mile and a half and hit the surf for a quick dip.

Is it true you run your own furniture business in California and do you have any catalogs or brochures available for anyone to send for and see your work? Do you ship across the country?

I've been working on furniture for about three years. I can best describe it as rather massive renaissance castle type furniture, and sometimes nautical depending on what the customer wants. I've airmailed pieces to Minneapolis, to Albuquerque and many other places. I do have a photo composite available for those who are interested. They show my best pieces, all hand made by me. I call the line Northwood. Christine Zane, Frank's wife, is a very fine artist and she helped design my brochure. I don't really consider myself a good businessman in a heavy sense, but I'm developing it a little more. I can be contacted at Gold's Gym if anyone is interested. Letters may be addressed to Dave Draper (Northwood), C/O Gold's Gym, 1006 Pacific Avenue, Santa Monica, California.

Is it true that Gold's Gym is not Gold's Gym?

Joe Gold put the gym together and did a beautiful job. That was about seven years ago. He has sold it and it has passed through two different hands. It's not quite the same place, having lost a certain quality of bodybuilding and strength. I mean it's my gym and I love it. But ever since it has left Joe Gold's hands it's still a great gym, but there's just no Joe Gold there. Joe Gold is Joe Gold, like Vince is Vince Gironda and Bill is Bill Pearl. It's where all the top men on the West Coast train, as well as at Vince's. But Gold's is the real place. That may sound prejudiced but it's true.

East Coast, West Coast, what's the difference who's got the best bodybuilders?

Well on the East Coast you've got the Atlantic Ocean and on the West Coast you've got the Pacific. I couldn't comment on who has the greatest bodybuilders. I'm not an authority on bodybuilders (chuckle). You tell me. In reality it's the same ocean all around the world. You got them here, man. You got some gorillas here. And you have them there. It's just where they happen to be lifting.

What's this gorilla thing you refer to?

That's a term I like to use. There are good gorillas and bad gorillas. I like gorillas. I think they're beautiful animals.

What's in the future for Dave Draper? We hear you're packing all your possessions on your back and moving.

I live in Playa Del Rey and my house falls under the airport's landing zone. They're extending the airport and my house happens to be in the condemned zone. It's just five miles south of Santa Monica. I'm going to move to Ventura as soon as the airport takes my home. But what I'm going to do is move the entire thing myself. Just jack it up and move it to Ventura, otherwise they're going to take the house.

What's the Dave Draper philosophy now? If I remember right you were a super quiet guy.

Philosophy isn't something I like to get into. I mean, I don't like being any special way or thinking along any particular line. I try to live as close to the moment as possible. I want to live as a free man, able to pursue my own thing and lifestyle. Now sometimes I like to cut loose, or remain quiet. It depends. I like to be spontaneous, getting everything out of every second. I think I've changed a little from the old Dave Draper. I'm really not as quiet as I used to be. But one thing that's the same is that I just want to train and be happy.

Go to it, Dave!

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