Who is Lance Dreher?
Lance Dreher, a former Mr. America and two-time Mr. Universe from Chicago, is an American. One of the best and most underappreciated bodybuilding champions of the 1980s, he is well-known.
Short Career of Lance Dreher
Growing up, Lance Dreher was motivated to start working out by his bodybuilding father. Lance was already hooked and began lifting weights as soon as he was able to, despite his advice to stay away from the bodybuilder lifestyle.
Lance was a standout football player in high school and college, but he’d always wanted to be a bodybuilder. He got to know some key figures in the Chicago bodybuilding community, and soon he was competing.
Lance worked as a professional for approximately two decades. He participated in the NABBA and the IFBB (despite contesting its legitimacy) and won six significant events. Many people today still consider him to be one of the greatest bodybuilders ever.
He also created bicep curl grips that are still extensively used today, leaving him a significant legacy. Lance’s tale goes as follows:
Body Measurements of Lance Dreher
| Full Name: | Lance Dreher |
| YEAR OF BIRTH: | 1955 |
| ERA: | 1970, 1990, 1980 |
| PROFESSION: | IFBB Professional Bodybuilder |
| NATIONALITY: | American |
| HEIGHT: | 5’8″ (172.5 cm) |
Accomplishments
Competitions
- 1974 AU Teen Mr. America, 4th
- 1976 AAU Collegiate Mr. America, 1st
- 1977 AAU Mr. America, Medium, 9th
- 1980 AAU Mr. America, Heavyweight, 3rd
- 1981 World Championships Cairo, 1st
- 1981 IFBB Mr. Universe, 1st
- 1981 NPC Gold’s Classic, Heavyweight, 3rd
- 1981 IFBB World Amateur Amateur Championships, Heavyweight, 1st
- 1982 IFBB Olympia, 15th
- 1983 IFBB Olympia, 15th
- 1984 NABBA Mr. Universe (Pro), 3rd
- 1984 NABBA World Championships – Professional, 3rd
- 1985 NABBA World Championships – Professional, 5th
- 1986 Mr. Universe (Pro), 1st
- 1988 IFBB Chicago Pro Invitational, 6th
- 1989 IFBB Arnold Classic, 9th
- 1991 IFBB Musclefest Grand Prix, 15th
- 1992 IFBB Chicago Pro, 19th
Biography
Sports Starting Points
Lance was inspired to pursue bodybuilding while growing up in Chicago by watching his father do weights. The seed was planted when his father showed him how to use his weight set in the garage.
Although Dreher Sr. didn’t push Lance to lead a bodybuilding lifestyle, he claims that Lance had no choice. He cherished the manly aspect of putting his physical prowess to the test with the weights.
Entering The Sport
Lance claims that during his first week of high school, he “gained 1.5 inches of muscle.” He also claims that in just two weeks, he put on 15 pounds, and by the time he was 17, he had 20-inch biceps.
He claims that in addition to being an avid weightlifter, he was a brilliant fullback for his high school football team, outshining all of his teammates in terms of strength and stature.
His weightlifting impressed his football coaches, but they advised him against devoting too much time to the gym to the detriment of playing football.
In contrast, for Lance, the football practice was a waste of time that could have been spent in the gym.
Lance was fortunate enough to meet Bob Gajda when he was 17 years old. Bob, a well-known Mr. Universe, and professional bodybuilding winner urged Lance to start working out at his facility.
His Initial Contests
Bob taught Lance everything. After each workout session, he would spend hours in his office listening to him discuss bodybuilding methods.
Additionally, they collaborated to help Lance get ready for the demands of the sport by discussing the significance of proportions frequently.
When he was just 17 years old, he participated in his first competition, “Mr. Chicagoland.” He worked as hard as he could during the preparation stages in his friend Frank’s bedroom, knowing very little about how to lift safely.
Lance’s lack of expertise prevented him from placing in the competition. But as soon as he got back from the contest, Bob started working with him to prepare for the championship.
Lance started playing in his first junior tournaments after putting in some serious training. At the junior “Mr. Rockford,” he finished in the top 8, and he also took home prizes for “best back” and “best arms.”
He then succeeded in winning the title of Junior Mr. Chicago. After the show, he claims that his competitors started to phone him and threaten to humiliate him in the following performance.
Combining bodybuilding with college football
Lance had to once more mix his bodybuilding and football because he was given the scholarship to play football at North Central College in Chicago.
He claims that he was the only collegiate team member with a “training table,” allowing him to enter the cafeteria whenever he pleased and eat whatever he pleased.
Lance’s road toward becoming a bodybuilder would ultimately begin during this time. The Collegiate Mr. America, where he finished third only behind Tom Platz (the future “Quadzilla” of bodybuilding), was his first significant competition victory.
According to Lance, steroids were a clear component of the sport at this time. He placed fourth behind the champion Steve Borodinsky in the 1973 AAU “Teen America” competition.
Lance complained to the judges that it was clear the other contestants were using performance-enhancing drugs, but they only gave him the advice to “carry on.”
His Professional Career is Just Starting
The 1981 Mr. America competition served as Lance’s first significant professional test.
When his adversary won the first round of the championship in America, there was some controversy, but Lance went on to win the Cairo World Championship tournament that followed.
The ‘International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB), run by Ben and Joe Weider, started getting in touch with Lance the following year. The group pushed Lance to relocate to California so he could start racing under their sponsorship, but he wasn’t sold on the notion.
He claims that all of the top bodybuilders of the time called him and urged him to go. They thought that his “blonde hair and blue eyes” appearance would help the organization appeal to the general population.
Lance knew folks who had worked for the organization before going without a place to live at the time and had mortgage payments to make. He declined to relocate to California as a result, but he did sign up to take part in the IFBB shows.
IFBB Tournaments
The 1981 IFBB World Amateur Championships was the first event Lance won with the IFBB. As a result, he was able to qualify for the 1982 Mr. Olympia competition, where he finished in the 15th position.
He felt that he should have placed higher and wasn’t satisfied with his current standing.
At this point, Lance’s problems with the IFBB started. When he asked if he could run for a handicap charity, the organization warned him he couldn’t and would be suspended if he did so because of his past unwillingness to move to California.
Lance claims that as soon as he heard this, he immediately resigned. He understood he now needed to find a different route because it was 1984.
Choosing the Direct Route
As the National Amateur Body-Builders’ Association (NABBA) grew in popularity, Lance started competing to establish himself as a natural bodybuilder.
Lance won 1986, Mr. Universe, easily after putting in a lot of effort to come third at the 1984 NABBA Mr. Universe contest. He was incredibly proud of everything he had accomplished since his physique was the greatest it had ever been.
In 1986, he attempted to compete in the IFBB events once more, but he claims that the IFBB disapproved of his second-place finish at the Chicago Pro.
They cornered the judge who gave him the plaque and questioned why he wasn’t given a worse ranking, according to Lance.
Instructing Others
After this competitive career, Lance decided to leave the (sometimes dishonest) world of bodybuilding behind and seek a career in nutrition.
He pursued a master’s and a Ph.D. in physical therapy and nutrition, after which he started giving seminars on a variety of subjects. Dealing with those who had eating issues was something he truly enjoyed doing.
Appearances in Magazines
Lance claims that Mike Mentzer, Tim Belknap, and Lance were described as “real naturals” by Muscle Mag International founder Bob Kennedy in his book “Beef It.”
The three individuals, according to him, had the best genetic make-up and skeletal structure for being the best in their sport.
Lance was praised by the bodybuilding media for his unwavering commitment to the sport during the 1980s, even though he didn’t win the Olympia and had a running dispute with the IFBB.
During this time, he was featured in several well-known magazines, some of which are included below.
- 1982 February Num 97 Muscle Training Illustrated
- 1982 May Num 29 Muscle Mag International
- 1983 January Num 104 Muscle Training Illustrated
- 1983 July Vol 5, Num 17 Muscle and Bodybuilder
- 1983 September Health and Strength
- 1983 September Vol 42, Num 6 IronMan
- 1984 June Vol 21, Num 3 Muscular Development
Training
An Enduring Legacy
Lance Dreher has left a lasting legacy that will ensure his memory is never lost. He formerly possessed enormous 23.5-inch arms, which served as an example to young people all across the world.
Bodybuilders have studied the arm exercises he used for decades and have written about them in several periodicals.
He used an “asymmetric” grip known as the “Dreher Curl,” which is still employed by many sportsmen to engage the outer biceps (long head.)
The Dreher Curl
- Place the thumb side of your hand on the inner side of the dumbbell plate
- Your pinkie should then contact the inner side of the dumbbell
- Start the curl in a hammer fashion and then move the palm upward (“supinate”) as you complete the movement.
Brachialis Development
Lance also contributed to the brachialis muscle’s growth, which has had a long-lasting impact on bodybuilding. Heavy bicep curls require a strong brachialis muscle on the forearm, especially when done with Lance’s grip.
He would always use short reps and very heavy weights in his workouts. He occasionally performed only 4 reps. He used incline dumbbell curls, concentration curls, and Nautilus curls to target his biceps.
Advice on Biceps Exercise
Professional bodybuilders still use the bicep routine that Lance invented, which involves hammer curls interspersed throughout the workout. He thinks that over time, this had significantly altered how the bicep looked.
Exercise Program for a 60-year-old
Lance Dreher was still working out hard five days a week at the age of 60. He still managed to push 100-pound dumbbells with a muscular and chiseled figure.
As his knees were replaced, he had to alter his routine, but he continued to train.
Nutrition
Heavy Eating in College
Growing up, Lance made an effort to eat as healthily as possible. Because his football coach gave him free rein over the campus canteen and let him eat whatever he wanted, he loved working out there. He enjoyed stocking up on fruits, vegetables, and meat.
In the 1960s, he also tried some terrible early protein powders. Lance thought Bob Hoffman’s “Protein From The Sea” powder blend had an especially unpleasant flavor. It “tasted worse than rotten tuna,” he claims.
Food Today
In his 60s, Lance received a diagnosis of Valley Fever, a dangerous fungal infection. He had to start eating an extremely low-carb diet as a result. He still enjoys eating a lot of protein, and he especially likes fish, lean meat, and steak.
What can Lance Dreher Teach us?
Modern bodybuilding has been shaped in part by Lance Dreher. Many people think of him as an underappreciated weightlifting champion of his day who revolutionized the sport.
Lance’s continued fitness regimen from his high school years into his 60s is evidence that he considered bodybuilding to be a way of life.
His decision to assist others to achieve their fitness objectives led him to become a doctor of nutrition and physical therapy. He also became a professional champion.
Who knows where you could get on your fitness quest if you demonstrate the same level of commitment and enthusiasm that Lance has displayed?