Dave Draper (1942–2021)

Over the course of the past 45 years, I’ve read more books, essays, and articles about weight training and physical fitness than can fit in a mid-sized U-Hall. I’ve read all the crap consistently published in muscle mags since the mid ‘70s, such as “the fastest way to six-pack abs”, “six-weeks to a herculean body”, and of course, the money-hungry publishers’ favorite: “The Real Secret to Muscular Development”. The secret changes from issue to issue, depending on whatever “champion” is being marketed that month. There’s been so much misinformation written on the subject, it’s almost impossible for the hungry novice to navigate through this jungle of training advice.
But, then the Blonde Bomber, Dave Draper decided to take up a pen in his iron callused mit, and set the record straight. With over 60 years of consistent training experience, and three major bodybuilding titles, he thought he might have something to say. What he didn’t expect was that he had a real talent for writing which brought his unique wisdom to life for thousands of us “muscle heads” to learn from and enjoy.
Strength and fitness coach Dan John likens Draper’s writing to Dylan Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night”. If you’ve ever marveled over that poem, you’ll get a good idea of the beauty and insight of Draper’s work. As John says in the Foreword to this book, Dave’s written work "soars from the mundane to the tremendous (and back again)”.
That’s exactly what I see in all of his work. Dave used to jokingly ask the question, “How many different ways can you write about this stuff, and still make it interesting and entertaining?”
Well, he always found a way, as illustrated by his keen insights and humor soaring like a B-52 in this collection of essays.
There’s a little something for everyone here--Inspiration and knowledge for a woman eager to lose a few pounds and get in shape, to the seasoned and rusty iron-head seeking advice as he battles his aging body for just the right workout groove. Dave keeps it all simple and understandable.
“The immediate message: See iron, lift iron.”

Look around. This world we live in is a mess.
“Who can fix it? We’ve been trying forever, here we are today and it’s still a beautiful mess. Still, our individual participation is vital. Don't do anything to make it worse, and maintain a positive and productive atmosphere around you. Contribute where you can with your talents, knowledge, awareness and energy, and recognize in your head and heart that you’re doing just that. You count. You influence your surroundings far more than you realize. Your smile can light up a room; your glare can darken it. Imagine what your laughter can accomplish right about now. Earthshaking.”

Control what you can control. The gym is a fantastic place to put this into practice.
“Even when the weights are virtually bolted to the floor, you have control. You can practice exhilarating isometrics, exertion with no apparent purpose other than pure exertion. Deeply rewarding and downright fun…”
Or better yet, “Let’s move light weights, since the heavy weights won’t go. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We are in the grips of a slump and the only thing standing in the way is the towering, unquenchable ego--a hairy monster with a big stomach and a little brain. The intellect tells us muscle in motion under resistance stimulates tissue growth and adds to the entire system’s health and well-being. Common sense and experience tell us not every day is triumphant. And the Good Book tells us there is a season for everything, reaping and sowing, pumping and burning.”

“We’re learning, day by day. Thank heaven for weightlifting and muscle building. We’re able to make every day a special day. Once past the front counter and along the dumbbell rack, we can finesse our training into a fulfilling challenge or an engaging game: a skillful sport, an uplifting activity or a delightful diversion.”

“Where you have control, take control: exercise and eat right! Training rules, and you’re the law. It’s the stabilizer when your foothold slips, the fortifier when plans are laid to waste, the friend you know amid strangers, the oxygen and fruit of life in a barren place.”

Get the picture? Draper loves this stuff--the lifting of iron; the rugged hard work of muscles doing their thing under resistance. His passion and enthusiasm is contagious.
Not all muscle heads are, er, muscle heads. A lot of us figured out early on that weight training is for the health of the mind, too.
In this fantastic collection, there are so many gems of wisdom, anyone interested in getting fit and mentally healthy can find inspiration aplenty.
There are 73 essays here, written over a few years. They can be read one right after another in a few hours, or one or two as you need them, like those inevitable times you need that little extra motivation to pry yourself from the sofa and boobtube. Whether the activity that’s calling you is just a walk around the block, or a little yoga, or a session of pilates, or some good, old-fashioned iron pumping, this book will put you in the right frame of mind to get moving.
Although there are some suggestions for workout routines to try, this is not a training manual. For training specifics, check out Draper’s “Brother Iron, Sister Steel”. It contains all the training information you’ll ever need, along with the fabulous Bomber wit thrown in. For those folks interested in getting fit, but haven’t got a plan or a clue of where to start, Draper has a great book for you, too. “Your Body Revival”. It’s worth a lot more than its weight in gold.

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Dave Draper is a treasure. This is a book of essays Dave wrote over a period of years. There's a little something here for everyone. If you're an old iron-head like me, you can still learn a few things about lifting AND LIVING. If you're a youngster, male or female, there's inspiration and knowledge aplenty. This man has lived a long, interesting life, took plenty of hits, and came out as a fine human being. He shares his wisdom here humbly with an energetic prose, spiced with humor. I come back to this book again and again to give me strength and courage to curl my arthritic fingers around a cold bar in the early morning, thankful that I'm still alive and able to do it. As Dave wrote in front of my book, "We press on..."… (más)