Dave Draper’s Workout Routine

Subj: The Dave Draper Workout Routine for massive strength and muscle size.

This is Dave Draper’s workout routine that he used to train during the Golden Era of bodybuilding.

The Blonde Bomber trained 5 days a week: Three days training, followed by one day rest, then two more days of training followed by one day rest. The cycle was repeated for 6 weeks total.

Draper had a MASSIVE frame and was right up there with Mike Mentzer in terms of muscle density and fullness.

The thing I love about Dave Draper’s workout routine is his use of Tri-Sets.

I never see guys doing tri-sets (or even supersets) at the gym. Combining exercises back to back (to back) in superset fashion is a great way to sculpt your physique.

The Dave Draper Workout

Draper used the following training split:

• Monday – Chest, Shoulders and Back
• Tuesday – Legs
• Wednesday – Arms
• Thursday – Rest
• Friday – Upper Body
• Saturday – Legs
• Sunday – Rest

Abs and core were trained everyday.

Workouts were high volume, high tempo, and high intensity.

Dave Draper workout routine trained each muscle twice a week. It was cleverly designed to train in such a way to allow for adequate recovery by not hammering muscles the second time.

Supersets and tri-sets were performed often in order to keep up the heart rate and to train more muscles in less time.

The sets performed varied based on energy, recovery, etc. but the format stayed the same.

This workout was pulled from Dave Draper’s official website.

DAILY – Abs, Midsection and Core

Variation of crunches, incline and weighted sit ups, leg raises, back hyperextensions, and hanging leg raises. 

Dave Draper Chest, Back and Shoulder Workout

MONDAY – CHEST & SHOULDERS & BACK

Back/shoulder Tri-Set:

1. Seated Front Press (3-5 x 12, 10, 8, 8, 6)
2. Wide Grip Pulldowns (3-5 x 12, 10, 8, 8, 8)
3. Standing Bent Over Lateral Raises (3-5 x 6-8)

Upper Body Tri-Set:

1. Dumbbell Press (4-5 x 12, 10, 8, 8, 6)
2. Dumbbell Pullovers (4-5 x 12, 10, 8, 8, 6)
3. Seated Lat Row (4-5 x 12, 10, 8, 8, 6) 

Dave Draper Leg Workout

TUESDAY – LEGS

Here’s Dave Draper’s BIG Leg day

Leg Tri-Sets:

1. Leg Extensions (3-5×10-12) 
2. Leg Curls (3-5×8-12)
3. Calf Raises (3-5×15-20) 

Followed by Heavy Squats

Squats (5-7×15, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 6)

And then deadlifts as a cherry on top of the workout

Deadlifts (5×10, 8, 6, 6, 6) 

Dave Draper Arm Workout

WEDNESDAY – ARMS

Dave Draper was famous for his enormous arms.

Rubber tubing rotator cuff work: 5 sets x 20-25 adductor, 5x 20-25 abductor

Rapid reps, warming up the shoulder girdle.

Arm Tri-Sets

1. Wrist Curls (3-5×20, 15, 15, 15, 15)
2. Thumbs Up curl (3-5×10, 8, 8, 8, 6)
3. Pulley Pushdowns (3-5×12-15)

Arm Superset:

1. Bent Bar Curls (3-5×6-8)
2. Dips (3-5×12-15)

Another Arm Superset:

1. Dumbbell Alternate Curls (3-5×6-8)
2. Overhead or Lying Triceps Extensions (3-5×12, 10, 8, 8, 8) 

THURSDAY – OFF (Eat Hamburgers)

FRIDAY – UPPER BODY

Back and Shoulder Superset:

1. Seated Front Press (4×12, 10, 8, 6)
2. Pulldowns (4×12, 10, 8, 6)

Chest Superset

1. Dumbbell Inclines (4×12, 10, 8, 6)
2. Pullovers (4×12, 10, 8, 6) 

Dumbbell Rows (4×8) – Alternate sides.

Bicep and Tricep Tri-Set

1. Dumbbell Alternate Curls (4×12, 10, 8, 6)
2. Dips (4xMax)
3. Pulley Pushdowns (4×12) 

SATURDAY – LEGS

Same as earlier leg day, with an additional superset:

1. Light Deadlifts (5×8)
2. Rope Tucks (5×25)

Sunday – Rest (Eat Hamburgers)

Notes on the Dave Draper Workout

From the Man himself (from his website) –

“Ideal conditions are for an Ideal World. Still, sticking to the prescribed plan laid out by these orderly routines is very desirable. The body will respond to the consistent overload, the chemistry of the system (hormones, enzymes, metabolism, immune system) becomes more defined and healthier, and your psychological health and mental toughness improves big time. You’re invested. You’re cleaning out the attic and the junk in the trunk.”

The Dave Draper Diet

Hamburgers.

Dave Draper Workout Take Aways

Have a Go-To Workout Routine – have a routine you can turn to when things get stale or you’re stuck in a rut.

Mix up your Training Routine – Notice Dave Draper stuck to this workout for six weeks, then found something else. Muscles adapt so it’s important to change your training from time to time so you continue making progress.

If you want to know more about Dave Draper’s workouts, diet and training philosophy, check out his book: Brother Iron, Sister Steel: A Bodybuilder’s Book

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The Workout Routines of the World’s Greatest Bodybuilders The Old School 70’s Bodybuilding Routine Bill Pearl Workout and Diet Bob Paris’ Workout and Diet