YOU WON'T HEAR Simon and Garfunkel shredding the speakers of Dexter Jackson's Viper. Jay Z, yeah. DMX, definitely. But one S & G song he doubtless would approve, at least from a lyrical standpoint, is "The Sound of Silence." In Dexter's case, the sweetest sound of silence is that of critics shutting their collective mouths as he wins yet another show.
It's a sound Dex has been hearing, so to speak, with increasing regularity this year, which is shaping up to be his breakout year after he's become arguably the most consistent pro of recent vintage. The man nicknamed "The Blade" for his incredible conditioning has entered more than 30 contests since earning his pro card in '98, finishing lower than fifth only five times, and walking away the winner in four of his last five shows.
So why do some in the sport still bad-mouth him? Must be green-monster syndrome. Who else has the ungodly genetics to enter so many shows every year and come in ripped every time? "Doing a lot of shows is no problem for me, because my metabolism is unheard of," Dexter says. "Not to brag, that's just how it is. I can diet six weeks for a show and come in in shape. I don't think anyone else can do that. After I finished the 2004 Arnold, I came off my diet totally and still won the next two shows. I'm blessed with the genetics to be able to do that."
But all the noise slides off his well-proportioned back. In fact, it just motivates him to get better. An even bigger motivational factor is his pursuit of the Mr. Olympia title. He followed his fourth place in 2002 with a third in 2003, and he fully expects to finish at least one place higher this October. Ronnie may not be going anywhere soon, but Dexter is all up in his rearview mirror. His steady ascent is a testament to what many observers feel is a judging standard that has in recent years become less biased toward mass for mass' sake.
"If a smaller guy's in shape, it doesn't matter if another guy outweighs him by 50 pounds," says the 5'6 1/2", 225-pound Dexter. "I'm putting the big guys on notice--if you come in out of shape, you're not going to beat me. I think the Olympia is judged more fairly than before. And that's how it should be."
Aside from his symmetrical and diced physique, what also helps Dexter consistently achieve supreme condition is his mental approach. Lots of guys peak for the big shows but just go through the motions in lesser contests. Not Dexter. Having nearly been forced to quit the sport once due to financial reasons, he has paid too many dues to ever take it for granted, or to sell himself short with anything less than his best effort. And so he approaches every contest as if it were the last. As if it were the Mr. O.
Also unlike a lot of pros, Dexter doesn't try to get in the heads of his competitors. "I don't play games," he says. "Everybody knows I'm coming, knows I'm going to be 100% every show. The guys talking trash are the ones who are off. A guy in great shape doesn't need to talk. You don't see Ronnie running his mouth. You let your emotions out onstage, and that's that."
CHARACTER COUNTS
Such a mature perspective is rare in the dog-eat-dog world of competitive body-building. But when it comes to staying grounded, it all boils down to family. Dexter has remained in Jacksonville all his life to stay near his family--and because he's a self-confessed "mama's boy." He's also a devoted husband and father. His 9-year-old daughter, a champion gymnast, is currently on a winning streak that inspires Dexter to keep his own streak alive.
His role models also speak to his character. "Lee Haney was my first influence. He not only looked great but he was very business-oriented. He had a body and a mind to go with it. Then there was Flex Wheeler. Although he didn't win the Olympia, Flex to me probably had the greatest physique of all time. He inspired me not to sacrifice conditioning for size. Among today's bodybuilders, I have to say Chris Cormier is like a brother to me. He taught me the in's and out's of the sport, taught me how to pose. He and I look out for each other."
Another guy looking out for Dex, at least from a training perspective, was noted trainer Joe McNeil. Dexter was afraid to do cardio, thinking he would lose too much weight because of his metabolism. But McNeil taught him how to do cardio and keep his size. They've since gone their separate ways, but Dexter continues to do his cardio--a half-hour in the morning and another 30 minutes at night--as he works to bring an even tighter package to the 2004 Mr. O.
For the other men chasing Olympia glory, the thought of Dexter improving on an already near-perfect physique must be frightening. It's difficult to envision what else the muscle gods could bestow upon him, but Dexter is taking nothing for granted. "I need to bring up my calves; I'll be working on them this year. And my lower back. I brought it up a lot, but I want to make it even better."
When he's not training, competing or spending time with his family, The Blade keeps in touch with his expanding fan base through his cutting-edge website, where he customizes workouts for people who write in. He sheepishly admits that he's been behind on his electronic correspondence lately. "I get so many e-mails, it's hard to answer them all. But I just bought a laptop and I'm trying my best to reply to all of them."
In the interim, he offers these tips for those aspiring to follow in his footsteps: "First, you need to know if this is what you really want to do in life. There's money to be made, but you have to be honest with yourself and ask, 'Do I have the genetics to actually become one of the top guys in the world?' Because not every pro gets paid well. The second thing: Train smart, train heavy. Listen to your body. If you tweak something, lay off that particular area until it's fully healed, however long it takes. Muscle has memory, and it'll come right back."
Dexter practices patience as well as he preaches it, having worked at a slow, steady pace to become one of the few credible threats to Ronnie's Olympia dominance. Many refer to him as the sport's new giant-killer, a throwback to the likes of Lee Labrada and Shawn Ray. Dexter acknowledges the similarities but insists on being portrayed in his own light.
"To be mentioned with Lee and Shawn is, of course, an honor. Those guys were top dogs. But no one has competed as many times as I have and been in shape for every show. Moreover, I feel as if I haven't yet accomplished everything I've set out to do."
Sounds like Dex will enjoy that sweet silence for some time to come.
RELATED ARTICLE: SNAPSHOT
BIRTHDATE: Nov. 25, 1969
HEIGHT: 5'6 1/2"
WEIGHT: 235 pounds off-season; 225 contest
BIRTHPLACE & CURRENT RESIDENCE: Jacksonville, Florida
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2004: Ironman Pro, 1st; Arnold Classic, 3rd. 2003: Mr. Olympia, 3rd; Arnold Classic, 4th. 2002: Mr. Olympia, 4th.
TO CONTACT: dexter@dexterjacksonshredded.com
RELATED ARTICLE: JACKSON'S 5 FOR BIG TRICEPS
BY DEXTER JACKSON
1 You can easily overtrain triceps since you also use them when working chest and shoulders. Consider training tri's at the end of one of these bodypart sessions when they'll already be warmed up and ready to go. Keep your triceps workout to about 30 minutes, and don't train them more than twice a week.
2 For every rep of each set, make sure you squeeze at the bottom of the movement, consciously contracting your tri's. Otherwise, you're just getting a partial benefit.
3 Pace is important. Move at a moderate speed, under control at all times. If you choose the right amount of resistance, think of exploding the weight and moving it forcefully, but because of the resistance, it'll actually move at a moderate speed.
4 It pays to be negative. Always control the weight on the eccentric or negative portion of a rep to stimulate maximum muscle growth. If you're just lowering the weight in a hurry to build up momentum for the next rep, you're really shortchanging your growth.
5 Always include an arms-overhead movement in your workout to work the long head of the triceps. Overhead extensions, close-grip benches and skull-crushers--movements in which you don't hold your arms by your sides--stretch the long head to a greater degree, allowing it to contract more strongly.
RELATED ARTICLE: PARALLEL-BAR DIP
OBJECTIVE: To build overall triceps mass.
EXECUTION: "To start, I grasp the bars and raise myself off the floor to a point where my hips are slightly above the bars, my torso is upright and my elbows are as close to my body as possible," says Dexter. "I keep my knees bent slightly and my feet crossed for added stability. I slowly lower myself until my elbow joints reach 90 degrees, then I pause and contract my triceps to press back up to just short of lockout. Don't lean too far forward, which shifts the emphasis from your triceps to your chest."
TIP: For extra resistance, use a weighted hip belt or hold a dumbbell between your feet.
RELATED ARTICLE: PRESSDOWN
OBJECTIVE: To emphasize the outer (lateral) head of the triceps.
EXECUTION: "First, I assume the classic position--squared up to the cable machine, back straight, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, elbows pressed tight to my sides," Dexter explains.
"Using an overhand grip, I press the bar toward the floor, lock out at the bottom and squeeze forcefully, contracting my triceps hard. On the negative, I resist the pull of the cable as I bring the bar up to the midpoint of my chest, pause, then press it back down."
TIP: When using significant poundage, leaning forward slightly gives you added stability.
RELATED ARTICLE: ROPE PRESSDOWN
OBJECTIVE: To emphasize the triceps' outer head; also hits the inner head.
EXECUTION: "Using the same stance as with the straight-bar pressdown, I grasp the rope handles with a neutral grip and press down to full extension, holding just long enough to get a good muscle contraction. Then slowly, always under control, I bring the handles back up, again going no higher than mid-chest," says Dexter. "Keep your wrists firm throughout the exercise."
TIP: To shift the emphasis slightly to work the inner head more strongly, rotate your wrists out slightly and spread the handles apart at the bottom of the movement.
RELATED ARTICLE: SKULL-CRUSHER
OBJECTIVE: To increase the workload on the long head of the triceps while also working the lateral and medial heads.
EXECUTION: "To start, I lie down on a flat bench, keeping my feet flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart," says Dexter. "I grasp an EZ-bar with a medium-close grip, a little less than shoulder width. Keeping my shoulders on the bench, my elbows in and my upper arms perpendicular to my body, I slowly lower the bar, controlling it all the way down to my forehead. Then I explode up to the top and lock out, getting a good squeeze."
TIP: Always have someone spot you so you don't lose control of the bar over your face.
Dean Brierly is a regular contributor to M & F and FLEX. He's also written for publications outside the health and fitness industry.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
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