Tag: Dexter Jackson

Former Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson Shares a Girthy Arm Workout

Former Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson Shares a Girthy Arm Workout

Veteran bodybuilder Dexter Jackson has chosen longevity over the massive build and shed quite a few pounds over the past couple of years. However, he still belongs in the top 1 percent of the populace in terms of fitness. The former Mr. Olympia recently showed how he maintains his massive arms in retirement.
Jackson’s IFBB Pro career lasted nearly 22 years. He competed in the Men’s Open division and peaked in the 2000s. He is hailed among the greatest competitors in the history of the sport. The 53-year-old presented several hurdles to dominant champions like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler. His resume includes five Arnold Classic titles (2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015).
The biggest achievement of Jackson’s career is winning the 2008 Mr. Olympia title by defeating Cutler. Since retiring from the sport after a ninth-place finish at the 2020 Olympia, Jackson’s potential return has made several rounds in sports media. However, he is dedicated to health and family, having no interest whatsoever in wearing the posing trunks again.
Jackson has gotten fairly active on the internet in recent months and routinely posts his workouts to his YouTube channel. He acquainted the fans with his arms workout in the most recent video. So let’s check out how “The Blade” maintains his massive arms.

Dexter Jackson goes through an arm workout
Jackson originally intended to train his chest on the day of recording the video. However, he experiences recurring pain in the wrists. It usually lasts for a couple of weeks and restricts him from lifting heavy weights during this time.
“That’s been going on for like 10 years of my life. So we’re going to switch things up. We’re going to go ahead with arms instead of chest,” Jackson explained.
As a result, he chose to train his arms instead of his chest, as arms typically respond to moderate weights and higher volume, putting less stress on Jackson’s wrists.
Drag Curl
Jackson hails drag curls as one of his favorite arms exercises. Drag curls are a variation of the straight bar curls, and Jackson explained the correct technique to perform them.
“The reason I call them drag curls is because you wanna drag the bar up your stomach, okay? And you’re curling like this (with the bar really close to the front of the body)… Elbow is way back as far as it can go. You’re squeezing it up top… You want that good peak exercise? This is it right here…” He said.
He maintains an 8 to 12-rep range for each one of his sets and cranks out four sets of drag curls to work the biceps.
Seated Cable Overhead Curl
Jackson then takes up the cable machine variation of biceps curls. Cable machines keep the muscles under tension throughout the range of motion. This helps bring about hypertrophy more effectively. This is especially beneficial for bodybuilders as hypertrophy and muscle gain are the primary goals. Additionally, working the biceps in an overhead position puts more emphasis on the short head of the biceps, which results in epic guns. (1)
Once again, Jackson performs approximately four sets of this exercise and takes up the dumbbell hammer curls next.

Dumbbell Hammer Curl
Hammer curls are an excellent way to work on the overall girth of the biceps. A very simple variation of the standard dumbbell curls, this exercise works the elbow flexors — biceps brachii, brachialis, and the brachioradialis muscles in the arms. (2)
Jackson wraps up the biceps segment of his workout with four sets of dumbbell hammer curls as he shifts his focus on the triceps.
Quad Set: Cable Triceps Pushdown, Seated Dip Press, Pushdown on Assisted Dip Machine, and Rope Triceps Pushdown
Jackson has been following this triceps training method for nearly a decade to get a good pump, and by the looks of it, it has undoubtedly benefited him. Jackson performs one set of all four exercises in rapid succession. He repeats this circuit three or four times, depending on how he feels on a particular day.
He starts with cable triceps pushdowns and follows up with seated dip presses on a Matrix selectorized machine. After this, Jackson does triceps pushdowns on an assisted dips machine. He uses the knee pad of the dip press machine as a handle and pushes it down to stimulate the triceps. The final exercise in the quad set is the triceps rope pushdown.
Jackson suggests twisting the wrists outside while pushing the weight down to create the full elbow flexion necessary for triceps activation. He repeats this circuit three times to finish off the arms workout.

Overall Workout:
Biceps

Triceps

Jackson is happily living his retired life and has nearly abandoned pharmacological assistance to build and maintain his physique. He enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and focuses on staying healthy at this stage of life. During this workout, Jackson reiterated that he would not return to competition under any circumstances. 
“I would not be stepping on stage again. People think your body is back on sh*t again. And I am like, no TRT, no HRT, none of that crap. Just keeping my meals to about three meals a day. Anything more than that, and my a** gonna go up in weight. I am content with only two. But if I want to do it two (meals per day), my weight will drop. I am between 200 and 205. Perfect weight, feeling good, and looking good.”
A jacked physique constitutes a huge part of a bodybuilder’s identity and self-image. As a result, many retired bodybuilders find it difficult to let go of it and drop to average size, even if it means health and longevity. Jackson is one of the few men who made that transformation and set a positive example for other bodybuilders to follow after they hang up their posing trunks.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Dexter Jackson’s YouTube channel:

References:

Overhead Cable Curl – Variations, Benefits, Form and Techniques (Author – Dr. Malik, Tom Miller CSCS)
Hammer Curls: How-To and Variations (Author – Travis Edwards, PT, MPT, Medically reviewed by Jake Tipane CPT)

Published: 6 June, 2023 | 9:11 AM EDT

Dexter Jackson Maintains Herculean Chest With This Training Routine

Dexter Jackson Maintains Herculean Chest With This Training Routine

Veteran bodybuilder Dexter Jackson has transformed his physique into a lean and athletic one from the heavily muscled Mr. Olympia body in recent years. He is now sharing the training regimen that helps him stay in shape at 54. Recently, Blade posted a video of his chest training session on YouTube.
Jackson is a retired IFBB Pro bodybuilder from the USA that competed in the Men’s Open division of the IFBB Pro League. In a career spanning over two and a half decades, he has won several Pro shows including the prestigious Mr. Olympia competition. Jackson hovered around the top three space for a long stretch of his bodybuilding career and gave dominant Mr. Olympia champions like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler a run for their money.
Dexter’s sole Mr. Olympia win came in 2008 when he dethroned 4-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. Apart from that, he has secured the Arnold Classic title a whopping five times in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015.
Since retiring from the sport after a ninth place finish at the 2020 Olympia, Blade has been prioritizing health and shed a significant amount of muscle mass in favor of long term health. Arthritis of the back was keeping him from going hard in the gym for a while. However, the Jacksonville native is now able to lift heavy after receiving stem cell therapy in Columbia a few weeks ago.

The former Mr. Olympia is active on social media and gives insights into his training routine through workout videos. Recently, he familiarized the followers with his chest training routine. So let’s check out which exercises help Dexter Jackson look lean and mean at 54.
Dexter Jackson’s Chest Training Circuit
Jackson is slowly increasing the amount of weight in his exercises after the stem cell therapy. Additionally, he has inclined more towards machine exercises off late to take the stress off the joints. The 54-year-old’s chest workout is an efficient combination of pressing and flying movements for complete development. He likes to keep the rep range between eight to twelve but ends up doing ten reps on most of the exercises.
Hammer Strength Iso Flat Bench Press
Jackson’s chest training circuit starts with this compound exercise on the plate-loaded machine. The exercise primarily targets the pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, and triceps muscles. Both arms and weight stacks of an iso-lateral machine move independently, which helps eliminate strength imbalances.
Machine chest press activates only about 79 percent of muscles compared to the bench press, which is ranks at the absolute top. However, chest press machines provide a much more stable environment. Also, they reduce overall workout time as the setup does not require elaborate preparation.
Additionally, studies have found that machine and free-weight exercises are equally effective in increasing muscle thickness and strength over long periods of time.
Jackson performs 4 sets of iso flat bench press with incrementally heavier weights and takes up the second and final pressing exercise of the day.

Machine Incline Chest Press
Incline chest press targets the clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscles, commonly known as the upper pecs. As per popular belief, an incline in the bench angle helps emphasize the upper pecs more than the other parts of the pectoralis major muscles. However, there is conclusive evidence which shows that the upper pecs experience higher muscle activity when the bench is inclined at an angle of 30 degrees. Additionally, incline press also increases anterior deltoid engagement.
Dexter Jackson performs four sets of incline chest press maintaining a ten rep range. After finishing with the exercise for filming the video, he spoke about the effects of competitive bodybuilding training on his joint health and what he did to prevent further deterioration. Jackson said:
“All the free weight stuff with heavy weights that I used to do, really really tore my joints up. So if you guys got joint pain and you’re looking to ease the pain, make sure you try and do some more Machine work. That’ll take a lot of stress off the joints versus free weight.”
Following this, he took to flyes and performed two variations of machine flyes.
Arsenal Strength Incline Flyes
While chest press improves the pushing strength of the upper body muscles, flyes contribute significantly towards developing the adduction ability of the upper body. Although flyes come nowhere close to the chest press in terms of pectoral, triceps, and anterior deltoid muscle activation, they stimulate biceps brachii to a far greater degree. Jackson performs the arsenal strength incline flyes maintaining a similar rep range of ten for four reps and moves on to the final exercise of the day.

Decline Cable Flyes
The 54-year-old performs four more sets of standing decline cable flyes. This exercise adds the final bit of stimulus to the chest muscles. It is an isolation movement that distributes the load evenly throughout the range of motion. Decline cable flyes serve as the fisher to Dexter Jackson’s training routine. He wraps up the training session after pushing through this exercise.
The chest training circuit follows this exercises sequence and rep range:

Hammer strength Iso Flat Bench Press (4 sets of 10 reps)
Machine Incline Chest Press (4 sets of 10 reps)
Arsenal Strength Incline Flyes (4 sets of 10 reps)
Decline Cable Flyes (4 sets of 10 reps)

Dexter Jackson has set a positive example for the young bodybuilders to follow when they eventually walk away from the sport. His admission about transitioning to machines to preserve joints, downsizing to a more normal human size and revelations about PED use will certainly help others realize the need to make changes in time.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Dexter Jackson’s personal YouTube channel:

References

Rodríguez-Ridao D, Antequera-Vique JA, Martín-Fuentes I, Muyor JM. Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 8;17(19):7339. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197339. PMID: 33049982; PMCID: PMC7579505.
Schwanbeck, Shane R.1; Cornish, Stephen M.2; Barss, Trevor3,4,5; Chilibeck, Philip D.1. Effects of Training With Free Weights Versus Machines on Muscle Mass, Strength, Free Testosterone, and Free Cortisol Levels. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 34(7):p 1851-1859, July 2020. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003349
Top 3 Most Effective Chest Exercises (Solely funded by a grant from American Council of Exercise) (Authors – Whitnee Schankee, John P. Porcari, Emmanuel Felix, Charles Hendrix and Carl Foster)

Published: 17 May, 2023 | 10:48 AM EDT

Dexter Jackson Talks Recent Stem Cell Therapy, TRT Cycles & Protein Demands During Prime

Dexter Jackson Talks Recent Stem Cell Therapy, TRT Cycles & Protein Demands During Prime

Despite stepping away from the stage in 2020, Dexter Jackson still holds himself accountable in terms of fitness and nutrition. In a YouTube video, Jackson detailed his recent stem cell therapy session, his nutritional plan, and how he’s used testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to preserve his health. 
During his illustrious career lasting over two decades, Dexter Jackson was constantly pushing himself at shows and breaking records as an IFBB Pro. While competing actively, Jackson became a five-time Arnold Classic winner, a feat he made possible with conditioning, symmetry, and most importantly, consistency. His tenure saw him face a number of icons such as seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath, Kai Greene, and four-time winner Jay Cutler. 

In 2008, Jackson would reach the pinnacle of his career by defeating Cutler at Mr. Olympia. He wasn’t able to regain the prestigious title but competed for several years en route to his final contest, which came at the 2020 Mr. Olympia where he finished ninth. Jackson also holds the honor of having won the 2012 Masters Olympia competition. 
While fans hoped for his eventual comeback, Jackson appeared in an Olympia TV interview and made it clear he’s not returning nor does he miss the sport. When asked why, Jackson explained that his long career was fueled by the idea that he would have no regrets when he finally stopped competing. 
Dexter Jackson Says Neck Mobility Has Improved Since Stem Cell Therapy 
After seeing doctors, Jackson discovered that he had four discs in his neck that displayed considerable arthritis. However, he had positive findings to report after receiving the stem cell treatment. 

“Well, they say it takes anywhere from six weeks to three months before you start really benefitting from the stem cell. But when I went over there, got an MRI, they did an MRI on me to check everything, right, found that I had a couple of – four of the discs in my neck that need – that has some arthritis in it as well. I thought I slept on the pillow wrong two months ago and my neck has been bothering me, I mean, I could turn like probably about three-quarters of the way without feeling some pain.

Now I can turn it all away, I’m not saying it’s from the stem cells, it could have just been from rest or maybe it could be, who knows. Stem cells affect people differently, right? Just like anything else. So, it could have been from maybe a little stem cell treatment and rest.” 

“All I know is I can turn [my neck] all the way now, I don’t feel nothing,” said Jackson. “Hopefully that I got treated, hopefully, it’s now going to prevent me – it’s supposed to, prevent me from getting that way, hopefully, I’ve caught it early. I got stem cell treatments in my neck and back. In my spine, I had arthritis there.” 

Jackson Details Diet and Current/Past TRT Use: ‘I Like to be Cautious and Safe’ 
According to Jackson, he now consumes four or five ounces of protein daily. Conversely, at the height of his career, he ate six-to-eight ounces. Moreover, he reduced his meals from seven to three in retirement. 

“Let’s show you how I’m living and eating nowadays,” said Jackson. Shrimp, sometimes steak, I don’t eat like I use to no more. Instead of eating eight ounces or six-to-eight ounces of beef or protein, you know, with my meals, I probably do now, about four to five ounces. Not six or seven meals a day no more, so probably about three meals a day with one of my shakes. And like I said, I don’t do two cups or rice or none of that stuff no more.” 

During his tenure, ‘The Blade’ said it was common to consume approximately 50 grams of protein per meal. 

“For 30 years, about 50 grams per meal [of protein] six or seven meals a day. 300 grams or maybe more. Protein has always been around that. I manipulated the carbs depending on off-season versus prep, contest prep right? You have to manipulate the carbs during contest preps so they would go down as low as 150 grams. But on my high days, I was probably eating 100 grams per meal, so 6, 7, 800 grams of carbs a day.” 

He said he ate grits almost every morning while competing. He added that he switched to baked potatoes as a breakfast option because it helped avoid midsection bloat later in his tenure.

“I used to eat grits every day for breakfast. Even you get turned off of grits too much because of the mountain I had to eat and how long I had to eat it for. Now, I probably have a baked potato/grits for breakfast depending on how I feel that day. I started doing backed potatoes during the end of my career because it kept my stomach from getting bloated.” 

Jackson shared that he started TRT two years ago and took an on/off approach. Generally, he preferred to use TRT for 12 weeks and then take a 12-week break. 

“I started doing TRT about two years ago. I did it off and on for a little bit. I was even coming off. A lot of people think you stay on TRT or HRT or whatever, low test is what that means. You can stay on that forever and you don’t have to come off, but of course, me, I like to be cautious and safe and I would even come off of TRT and just be on it for like 12 weeks… come off that, be off for 12 more weeks. I did that for probably about a week but now I don’t even do that anymore.” 

Jackson isn’t the only high-profile 2000s bodybuilder open about his TRT regimen. Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler shared that he’s using TRT to transform his physique as part of a fit-for-50 challenge. He mentioned he plans to steer clear of more powerful compounds like trenbolone. In a separate interview, Cutler underlined that TRT is still a steroid despite some in the industry suggesting it’s not. 

Given that Jackson has won every major title in the sport, he has nothing left to prove in bodybuilding. In retirement, he continues to give back to the community by sharing the wisdom he’s accrued following a long and successful career. 
Watch the full video below on Dexter Jackson’s YouTube channel: 

Published: 8 May, 2023 | 3:32 PM EDT

Dexter Jackson Demolishes A Back Workout, Addresses A Health Problem

Dexter Jackson Demolishes A Back Workout, Addresses A Health Problem

Veteran bodybuilder Dexter Jackson has created a lasting legacy in the sport with some spectacular performances throughout his competitive career. A few years into retirement, Jackson is still pushing himself in the gym to an extent where he has to remind himself it is not as serious anymore!
One of the most prominent names in the 2000s and 2010s bodybuilding era, “The Blade” has five Arnold Classic titles to his name, winning this second-most prestigious bodybuilding competition in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015. He was also a perennial Mr. Olympia contender that pushed dominant champions like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler the way only a handful of other competitors could. In 2008, Jackson even managed to push Cutler off the pedestal and take home the sole Mr. Olympia title of his bodybuilding career.
The 53-year-old is one of the rare athletes that have enjoyed performance longevity and competed well into his late forties before deciding to call it quits. A ninth-place finish at the 2020 Mr. Olympia marked the end of his 22-year-long pro career. Although there was speculation about him competing in the returning Masters Olympia competition, Jackson has made it clear that he has no intentions of wearing the posing trunks again.
Staying in shape and maintaining overall health is the primary goal of his training. However, he is a passionate bodybuilder all the way down to his core, and that nature was on full display in Jackson’s recent back training session. So let’s check out how he trained in this workout.

Dexter Jackson goes through a back workout
Hammer Strength Machine Low Row
Jackson admitted to not having trained his back seriously in quite some time. He started the training session with low rows on the Hammer Strength plate-loaded low-rows machine to get a good warm-up. After packing a few serious sets of the movement using incrementally heavier weights, Jackson went on to take on the heavier lifts of the session.
Seated Row
The five-time Arnold Classic champion next worked the back muscles on a plate-loaded machine with a swivel handle which enables a more natural movement of the arms during the exercise.

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
After putting up with the two horizontal pulling movements, the legendary bodybuilder trained his lats with this compound movement. After performing the first set of the exercise with furious intensity, Jackson made a conscious decision to tone it down a notch as he sometimes has to remind himself that it’s not competition anymore.
“Sometimes, I still find myself training too hard. I have to tell myself to back off a little bit homie – it ain’t that serious no more! But I’ve been doing it for so many years… over 30 years of training like this. So I get why some people can’t let certain things go, you know. I can let it go. That’s why I can tell myself to back off, and I listen to myself. Some people don’t listen to themselves,” Jackson said.
After getting a few sets of lat pulldowns under his belt, Jackson jumped into the next exercise.
Seated Cable Row
Another variation of rows followed next, and the 53-year-old bodybuilder performed the movement on the cable machine with swivel handles. This movement added the last bit of stimulus to the back, as Jackson called it a day in the gym after a few sets of the exercise.

In totality, Dexter Jackson’s back workout consisted of:

Jackson revealed that he has been suffering from arthritis of the back for a while now. However, he will head to Columbia soon to get stem cell therapy to address the problem.
“I’m gonna be 100 percent 20 again…!” Jackson stated.
Jackson has set a positive example for younger bodybuilders in his retirement. A huge and muscular physique is an integral part of a bodybuilder’s identity. Many of them carry the colossal muscle mass into the later years of life despite being aware of its health risks. However, The Blade has let go of the heavy physique and significantly downsized in favor of longevity and quality of life at this stage of his life. Fitness Volt wishes Jacson luck with his upcoming stem cell treatment.
You can watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Dexter Jackson’s YouTube channel:

Published: 28 April, 2023 | 10:22 AM EDT

Comparing Bodybuilding’s Winningest Athletes – Dexter Jackson & Ashley Kaltwasser by Olympia Judge & Chris Cormier

Comparing Bodybuilding’s Winningest Athletes – Dexter Jackson & Ashley Kaltwasser by Olympia Judge & Chris Cormier

Bodybuilding icon Ashley Kaltwasser trumped over fellow legend Dexter Jackson as the most winningest athlete in the history of the sport. In a recent Prime Time Muscle episode, Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy and bodybuilding Hall of Famer Chris Cormier shared their analysis and comparison of Jackson and Kaltwasser’s careers.
Dexter Jackson first gained attention for his insane muscle mass, detail, and conditioning levels in the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division. He made a splash in his debut at the 1999 Arnold Classic and placed seventh. He proved to be one of the most consistent and disciplined athletes in the game with regular competitive appearances.
In 2005, Jackson took home the top prize at the Arnold Classic. He successfully defended the title the following year in 2006. Besides the Arnold Classic, he was a mainstay of the Open class at the Olympia contests from 1999 to 2020. Jackson was at the height of his powers between 2002 and 2010, always placing in the top four at Olympias. After placing third at the 2007 event, many counted out Jackson’s chances at the win. However, Jackson came back stronger and dethroned former four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler in 2008 to win the coveted Sandow trophy.
‘The Blade’s final appearance came at the 2020 Mr. Olympia, where he placed ninth. He hung up his posing trunks with a record five Arnold Classic titles under his belt.
Dexter Jackson continues to work out regularly. He gave fans a look into a brutal back workout in April 2022. Then, he followed up with a jacked physique update showing off his biceps in an intense training session.
The 53-year-old left the fans in awe of his lean physique in another update last October. Last month, Jackson ignited rumors of a potential return for the Masters Olympia with a ripped workout update.
Olympia judge & Chris Cormier share analysis of Dexter Jackson’s insane career
Dexter Jackson
In a recent YouTube video, Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy, Tim Wilkins, and Chris Cormier lauded Dexter Jackson for his insanely successful career in a comparison with Ashley Kaltwasser.
“Ashley has just surpassed Dexter on the wins,” said Wilkins.
El Guindy: “She currently has 37 pro victories.”
“Now, Dexter was the winningest bodybuilder of all time with the male,” El Guindy said, “Obviously, we can look at it and say possibly male bodybuilding is a little bit of a harder enterprise than Bikini. You gotta come in with striated glutes like Dexter did. You gotta add a lot of muscle and Dexter has done that. But Ashley Kaltwasser has done something that… 37 pro victories.”
Cormier argued Jackson’s run was more impressive due to the nature of the competition he was in combined with a lack of as many shows as now.
Cormier: “If you’re talking Bikini, you’re talking more like the beauty, the aesthetic of the body. It’s not like you’re trying to force a lot of mass, forcing a lot of food down your throat, going through the grueling workouts, the posing rounds, all this stuff. But if you look at Dexter Jackson’s whole cabinet of wins is probably filled with eight Arnold Classics, he’s got Mr. Olympia title under his belt, competing all around the world from Australia to the Iron Man. I don’t know all his wins off the top of my head but I guarantee you he won the shows.”
“It’s a higher degree of difficulty and then even in the later part of his career, he was still beating some of the guys that’s actually competing at high level right now,” said Cormier. “He was beating those guys. I know he thinks he was looking the best but that wasn’t the same Dexter Jackson I was going against. That guy was etched out, that’s when we gave him the name ‘Blade.’ These guys then were still getting beat by Dexter and it wasn’t even the Dexter I went up against. I call him the Jordan of bodybuilding.”
El Guindy: “Dexter Jackson’s first bodybuilding show was in 1992. His last one was in 2020. That’s 28 years of bodybuilding.”
Cormier: “Just depending on how it’s going to play out but I don’t think anyone in this lifetime that we know of is going to be [breaking Dexter’s record].”
Last month, Dexter Jackson confirmed he had no intentions of making a comeback to competition. He reflected on his career and stressed the importance of recovery and machine training for longevity. Then, he crushed a brutal arm workout while teasing a mystery project.

Ashley Kaltwasser has been a force to reckon with in the Women’s Bikini division since conquering the Olympia title in her 2013 debut. She went on a dominant run over the next three years that saw her win the 2014 Arnold Sports Festival, and the 2014 Toronto Supershow, and extend her Olympia reign with two successful title defenses. In 2016, Kaltwasser lost the Olympia title and dropped down to the fourth place.
Having maintained a packed competitive schedule, Kaltwasser took to the sidelines for the 2017 season and returned in 2018. From 2018 to 2020, she slipped down the ranks in Olympia contests but continued to rack up trophies in other shows such as the 2018 Vancouver Pro and 2019 Mile High Pro.
In 2021, Kaltwasser put her foot to the gas as she competed in 14 shows throughout the year, winning eight and never placing out of the top four. Her impressive streak continued last season with another 12 contest participation. She scored gold in seven, including the 2022 Arnold Classic UK.

Kaltwasser opened up about her reasons for staying busy as a competitor last month. While many enjoy taking a longer off-season, she likes to be active to stay motivated for prep and not miss out on any opportunities.
The 34-year-old offered her expertise on improving contest preps a few weeks ago. She went over the common pain points of combating bloating, managing water and sodium intake, and hunger cravings.
Wilkins & Olympia judge says Ashley Kaltwasser can win another 15-20 shows
Wilkins and El Guindy heaped praises on Kaltwasser for her extraordinary track record and believe she could cement her status as the greatest with another dozen or more titles in the next few years.
“This competitor, Ashley Kaltwasser, she’s a track and field star in the state of Ohio,” El Guindy said. “Her ability to maintain the great conditioning weekend after weekend, display incredible physique, and continue to win shows is impressive. She is the winningest bodybuilder of all time. She’s got 37 titles.”
“Ashley Kaltwasser had the ability to do possibly 10 or 15 shows a year and win a lot of them. Dexter had to do it for a long period of time.”
Wilkins: “If she’s got five more years doing 3-4 shows a year plus the O, she’s a lock to win 3 or 4 of those shows. She could end up with another 15 to 20 wins and cement that untouchable.”
Guindy: “I think that’s the goal. I talked to her coach Adam Bonilla and he’s got great athletes but Ashley is the main horse there. His intention with her is to win as many as possible. She’s not slowing down guys. If she won 10 shows last year, she wants to win 15 this year.”
Ashley Kaltwasser offered some of her best tips on maintaining proper nutrition on show days earlier this month. She recommended eating light foods and not consuming too much protein to ensure an empty stomach.
You can watch the full video below.

Published: 24 April, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT

Dexter Jackson Looks Impressive in Retirement, Shares Epic Back Training

Dexter Jackson Looks Impressive in Retirement, Shares Epic Back Training

Dexter Jackson is looking impressive in recent back training.
Dexter Jackson is looking impressive in retirement as he shared an epic back training video. Jackson still appears in top form despite not actively competing.
Dexter Jackson is a certifiable beast. Not only was he a top bodybuilder for multiple decades, Jackson is the winningest competitor in history. Winning multiple titles including the Arnold Classic and Olympia, Jackson has set himself apart from other bodybuilders with his many accomplishments in the game.
Then he retired from competition.
Of course retirement is an inevitability for us all, but the where Dexter Jackson is concerned it just didn’t seem real. Time and again Jackson turned back the clock throughout his career beating out top flight competitors well into his forties. He proved that age is indeed just a number. Whether it was genetics or from making all the right moves, Jackson was able to remain a top flight competitor into his fifties, a feat no one could have ever imagined.

But like every other athlete Dexter Jackson eventually had to see the light and hang things up. After all you can’t compete at the highest levels of the sport forever. Or can you? Once again Jackson is proving that with enough motivation one can stay in some incredible shape.
Dexter Jackson is still pushing himself hard even in retirement. The veteran bodybuilder is still training hard and his recent back training proves that he could still compete with some of the best in bodybuilding.

Back Day baby!! Happy Monday People!!! ?

Dexter Jackson is an absolute legend there’s no doubting that. Jackson has pushed his body to the max and has embraced the lifestyle of a bodybuilder even in retirement.
Do you think Dexter Jackson could still compete now?
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News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.

Dexter Jackson is Still Training Hard in Retirement at 210 Lbs, Hints at Big News

Dexter Jackson is Still Training Hard in Retirement at 210 Lbs, Hints at Big News

Dexter Jackson is hints at big news as he trains hard in the gym.
The legend Dexter Jackson may be retired from competition but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still pushing hard in the gym. Jackson is definitely downsized since we last saw him, but he definitely has plenty of muscle on his frame. The 2008 Olympia champion is looking strong and is even hinting at big news to come.
Jackson has always been sharp as a blade. Whether in season or off season, Jackson has always been in great shape. The one-time Olympia champion is looking incredible even in retirement. Jackson is the winningest bodybuilder of all-time. With every triumphant victory Jackson further cemented his legacy as an all-time great bodybuilder.
After retiring from competition, the bodybuilding community saw firsthand how Dexter Jackson downsized. Jackson was once over 220lbs. Now the bodybuilding legend has downsized to 210lbs. But that by no means suggests he’s lost a step. On the contrary. Jackson is still training hard and looking strong in the gym.
Still in Top Form
Recently Dexter Jackson posted a video of himself training chest with some hefty dumbbells. In the video Jackson looked as strong as ever as he pushed the weight with ease.

Jackson also made another post recently. In this post of Jackson performing bicep training he hinted at big news coming.

Oh yeah we working!! Still sitting at 210 baby!!! Got something big coming up so follow my journey!! ???????

With “something big” on the horizon it’s clear that Dexter Jackson is still a man to watch in the bodybuilding community.
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News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.

Dexter Jackson Looks Lean, Downsized in Recent Post Alongside Kevin Levrone

Dexter Jackson Looks Lean, Downsized in Recent Post Alongside Kevin Levrone

Dexter Jackson and Kevin Levrone look downsized in recent photo.
Dexter Jackson looks lean and downsized in recent post alongside fellow bodybuilding legend Kevin Levrone. The photo of the two was taken at the 2021 Olympia and both men looked fit and slimmed down.
The time comes for every professional athlete when they have to ask themselves a fundamental question. Can they still compete at the highest levels of their sport? Is it time to hang things up and move on to something else? It can be a truly daunting task for someone who has spent years honing their craft in order to showcase their skill, ability, and in terms of bodybuilding, a competitor’s training physique.
Dexter Jackson likely had the very same internal dialogue. Having stood atop the bodybuilding world, becoming winningest bodybuilder of all time, Jackson had nothing else to prove when he decided to hang it up. The 2020 Olympia was his final show where he got a standing ovation from the crowd.
Since last December Dexter Jackson has been enjoying his retirement. But while for some that means stopping training and enjoying all manner of delicious delights, bodybuilding has proven to be a way of life for Jackson.
Dexter Jackson and Kevin Levrone Looking Lean

Recently Dexter Jackson took to Instagram offering up a photo of himself with fellow bodybuilding legend Kevin Levrone. In the photo Jackson is looking far smaller than he did when he was still competitively active.

#tbt #throwbackthursday to the Olympia. Chillin with one of my biggest inspiration big bro @kevinlevrone We looking good retired big bro! ??????

But despite being downsized, Dexter Jackson is still looking pretty lean. His recent training with Hide Yamagishi and Iris Kyle that Jackson is still in great condition.

I’ve known @hideyamagishi and @iriskyle 20 plus years and it’s crazy we’ve never trained together. Well @hideyamagishi and I got a quick session in while Iris sat around talking shit and bragging how many Olympia titles she won. ??? All good that’s family and talking trash is what we do when we are together. ?? Y’all be sure to check out one of the dopest gyms in Vegas.. Iris & Hide’s @powerhousegymlasvegas is ????. Love you guys!!

What do you think of Dexter Jackson and his current physique?
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News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.

Charles Glass Reveals His 4 Best Muscle Building Techniques

Charles Glass Reveals His 4 Best Muscle Building Techniques

Charles Glass reveals his 4 best muscle building methods.
Charles Glass offered up his 4 best muscle building techniques in a recent Instagram post. The legendary bodybuilder and trainer gives some detailed wisdom on how these techniques can completely change your physique.
There are few legends that know the game quite as well as Charles Glass. An accomplished bodybuilder turned trainer, Glass has helped to build some of the most talented bodybuilders of all time. One such competitor is the great Dexter Jackson who was able to secure the 2008 Olympia title with the help of Glass.

Always looking to impart knowledge on the masses, Charles Glass recently made a post detailing the methods he used to get his clients in great shape. Not only is he able to help top bodybuilders, but he also can help the average Joe get into top condition.
Two Step Rep
Like a pause rep the two step rep allows you to recruit even more muscle fiber to that much more out of each rep. You pause at the bottom of the movement, push halfway through the rep then complete it. This makes your muscles work even harder.
Forced Rep

Forced reps are performed with a trainer or training partner’s assistance. While performing the movement your partner helps pushes you through when fatigue begins to set in. This can be done with lighter weight to prevent any injury. The assistance helps a lifter to recruit extra muscle fibers that aids in overall development of the entire muscle group.
Superset
By performing two exercises back to back with little to no rest, this doubles the work on the muscles. The more the muscles are put to work the more demand there is on the muscle fibers. This allows for accelerated growth with proper recovery.
21’s Method
The 21’s Method requires the lifter to do partial reps for half the set then lift the weight with a full range of motion for the second half. It’s a pretty brutal method and can be done with 40 percent or less of your max lift. The method is demonstrated by none other than 2008 Olympia champion Dexter Jackson.
Charles Glass Training
To see all the techniques put into action take a look at this workout below featuring the legend Charles Glass himself.

MY FAVORITE 4 INTENSIFYING MUSCLE BUILDING TECHNIQUES!
Here are 4 of my favorite intensifying muscle building techniques, that I use to help my clients add muscle tissue faster and get the most out of their training session.
Give them a try and send this video to your friends and gym buddies! Help me spread the word.

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News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.

Dexter Jackson Is Still Killing It In The Gym, Vows to Stay Shredded Forever

Dexter Jackson Is Still Killing It In The Gym, Vows to Stay Shredded Forever

Dexter Jackson is in incredible shape in retirement.
Dexter Jackson has vowed to stay shredded until he kicks the bucket. The bodybuilding legend hasn’t slowed down one bit in retirement. In fact, Jackson is looking just as jacked and lean as ever. His recent training videos show a man still dedicated to high level bodybuilding.

The winningest bodybuilder in the history of the game, Dexter Jackson is an absolute legend. Competing since 1992, it seemed like Jackson would never retire from competition. That changed however when the veteran finally decided to call it quits in 2020. The 2020 Olympia would be the final show for Jackson and he was given a champion’s send off.
So now that he’s accomplished everything you could wish for as a bodybuilder, Dexter Jackson is now enjoying his retirement. After competing for so many years you would think that would mean taking some time off from the gym. After all, Jackson as a competitor was always known for staying in shape which meant staying in the gym. But apparently old habits die hard.
Not only has Dexter Jackson not stopped training, the veteran is looking just as jacked as ever. His recent training doesn’t show a man who is completely finished with the sport of bodybuilding but rather a man who is still passionate about his fitness. Rather than sit on the couch all day, Jackson is hefting heavy weight and still looking in top form.

Is he as massive as ever? Clearly not. But Dexter Jackson still possesses a champion level physique at an advanced age and could still give some young guns a run for their money.
It’s pretty clear that Dexter Jackson not only loved competing, but training as well. It shows in the all the hard work he’s putting in currently. And he doesn’t even have to lift a finger. Right now he could never lift again and be proud of what he’s accomplished. But bodybuilding is more than just competing for Jackson. It’s a way of life on and off the stage.
A Vow to Stay Shredded
A recent Instagram post captures the mindset of Dexter Jackson perfectly. The veteran bodybuilder isn’t slowing down any time soon. He’ll be lifting for the rest of his life that much is clear from this post.
I maybe retired from the stage but never from the gym.. Your boy gone die shredded! Lol.

Dexter Jackson is an absolute legend and should be saluted for maintaining such a impressive physique where others would just let themselves go. A true professional through and through.
What do you think of Dexter Jackson and his recent declaration of staying shredded?
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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.

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