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Dexter Jackson

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Dexter Jackson AKA The Blade is an IFBB professional bodybuilder and the winner of the 2008. Mr. Olympia.

Famous for his impressive conditioning which he took to the stage every year, Dexter dominated the sport for over 3 decades, winning 9 Arnold Classic titles, as well as being the bodybuilder who’s won the most titles in professional history.

Competitions

1992 NPC Southern States, Lightweight, 3rd
1995 NPC USA Championships, Light-Heavyweight, 1st
1996 NPC Nationals, Light-Heavyweight, 6th
1998 North American Championships, Light-HeavyWeight, 1st and Overall
1999 Arnold Classic, 7th
1999 Grand Prix England, 4th
1999 Night of Champions, 3rd
1999 Mr. Olympia, 9th
1999 World Pro Championships, 4th
2000 Arnold Classic, 5th
2000 Grand Prix Hungary, 2nd
2000 Ironman Pro Invitational, 3rd
2000 Night of Champions, 8th
2000 Mr. Olympia, 9th
2000 Toronto Pro Invitational, 2nd
2001 Arnold Classic, 5th
2001 Grand Prix Australia, 3rd
2001 Grand Prix England, 4th
2001 Grand Prix Hungary, 3rd
2001 Night of Champions, 2nd
2001 Mr. Olympia, 8th
2001 Toronto Pro Invitational, 2nd
2002 Arnold Classic, 3rd
2002 Grand Prix Australia, 2nd

Early Years

Dexter Jackson was born on November 25th, 1969, in Jacksonville, Florida. His enthusiasm for physical activity showed early on in his life, and would always take part in various sports, as he was the most energetic of 6 children in the family.

By the time Dexter entered high school, he started playing football, where he excelled as a running back. At one point, he managed to run a 4.20 in the forty meter dash, which was one of the fastest times in the country.

Jackson participated in other activities alongside football at the time, some of them being gymnastics and break dancing. Dexter was also a 4th-degree black belt in karate.

When he finished high school, Jackson planned on going to college, but his girlfriend became pregnant and he decided to take care of his family. According to Dexter, he then moved to an apartment with his girlfriend and started working as a cook.

Starting With Bodybuilding

Due to his sporting background and genetics, Dexter developed an impressive physique as he grew up, which some of his friends quickly noticed and suggested he should consider competing in a local show.

Jackson thought it over and agreed. He started dieting and going to the gym to prepare for the competition.

After only 3 weeks of preparations, at the age of 20, Dexter stepped on the stage for the first time in his life, and easily won the show.

It was at that point Dexter realized his potential in the industry, and also realized the amount of success he could achieve with more time spent training and dieting.

Becoming Professional

Dexter came back in 1995, and after 3 years of hard work and discipline, he stepped on the stage once again, taking home 1st place at the 1995 NPC USA Championships in the Light-Heavyweight category.

At that point he already set his sights on winning a Pro card, and becoming a part of the elite IFBB Pro league.

He started off by placing 6th at the 1996 NPC Nationals, Light-Heavyweight, and surprised everyone 2 years later by winning the 1998 North American Championships, both the Light-Heavyweight and overall category, where he eventually earned his Pro card.

Life as a Pro

Dexter said that everything became easier after winning the Pro card. He could finally enter the most prestigious competitions.

Over the course of several months after the 1998 competitions, he worked hard and dieted for his first professional show – the 1999 Arnold Classic, where he took home a respectable 7th place.

Jackson took part in 4 other competitions that same year, the first being the Grand Prix England, where he came in 4th place.

He continued his streak by placing 3rd, 9th, and 4th, at the 1999 Night of Champions, Mr. Olympia, and the World Pro Championships.

Mr. Olympia

For the next several years, Jackson dominated the bodybuilding scene by winning several editions of one of the most prestigious competitions, the Arnold Classic.

He took home 1st place at the 2005, 2006, and 2008 edition of the Arnold Classic, but also won a number of other shows such as the 2004 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 2007 IFBB Australian Pro Grand Prix, 2008 IFBB Australian Pro Grand Prix VIII, and the 2008 IFBB Russian Grand Prix.

It wasn’t long before competition time came around to take part in the Olympia, and after 8 attempts, Dexter defeated the defending champion, Jay Cutler, and won his first ever Mr. Olympia title in 2008.

Needless to say, this was the highlight of Dexter’s career. This gave him additional motivation to push harder and defend the title in the following year.

Daily Workout

Day 1: Quads
Leg Extensions: 4 sets of 20-30 reps

Squats: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Hack Squats: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Leg Extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps

Day 2: Chest & Calves
Barbell Bench Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Dumbbell Flyes: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Standing Calf Raises: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Seated Calf Raises: 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 3: Back
Lat Pull-downs: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

T-Bar Rows: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Barbell Dead-lifts: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Seated Cable Rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Day 4: Shoulders & Hams
Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Incline Lying Side Laterals: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Rear Delt Raises: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Seated Leg Curls: 5 sets of 10 reps

Super-set: Lying Leg Curls: 4 sets of 10 reps

Stiff-Legged Dead lift: 4 sets of 10 reps

Day 5: Biceps & Triceps
EZ-Bar Curls: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Hammer Curls: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Preacher Curls: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Tri-Set: Triceps Push-downs: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Dips: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Rope Push-downs: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Day 6: Ab & Cardio Routine:
Crunches: 3 sets of 50 reps

Knee-ups: 3 sets of 40 reps

Cable Crunches: 3 sets of 30 reps

Day 7: Off (Rest)

Diet

Having a balanced, yet calorie-filled diet is something Dexter has whenever he’s in the off-season, or during competition phases. He also allows himself cheat meals as a way to replenish the body of vital nutrients and lost calories.

However, when he’s preparing for a competition, Jackson rarely cheats, as he believes that there is no substitution to a strict, clean diet.

He usually eats lean meats such as steak and chicken as a source of protein, and white or brown rice, and sweet potatoes as a source of carbohydrates, and nuts for healthy fats.

Daily Meals

During his prime, Dexter’s diet looked like this:

Meal 1 – 7 ounces steak or chicken, 2 whole eggs, 4 one-ounce packets of grits
Meal 2 – 8 ounces chicken or cod, two cups white rice
Post-workout – BCAA powder in Gatorade
Meal 3 – 8 ounces chicken or cod, two cups white rice
Meal 4 – 8 ounces chicken or cod, two cups white rice
Meal 5 – 10 ounces chicken, large green salad
In between meals, Jackson would often consume a whey protein shake.

MAMDOUH ELSSBIAY

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Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay is a IFBB professional bodybuilder from Alexandria, Egypt. He’s astounded professional bodybuilders with his rapid rise to fame – becoming a pro in under three years of training.

Growing up in a poor area of Egypt, Mamdouh was trained as a fisherman. He spent many years working in Kuwaiti waters for a living – deciding to attend the ‘Oxygen Gym’ in Kuwait on a whim. He took to bodybuilding immediately and, as it happened, he also had the perfect genetics for the sport.

As he began to attend the gym more and improve his physique, his friends encouraged him to compete in competitions. He accepted their challenge, competing in the 2012 Amateur Olympia in Kuwait City and winning easily. This title gave him his Pro Card, and from then on, there was no stopping him.

In 2014, Elssbiay made his IFBB Pro debut at the New York Pro and won. Following this, he won several major competitions and came 4th at Mr Olympia. He’s also made a name for himself in the competition circuit, as well as on social media . Mamdouh is a name to look out for at future Mr Olympia weekends.

Competitions

2012 Kuwait Golden Cup – 1st
2012 Amateur Olympia – 1st
2013 New York Pro Championship – 1st
2013 Mr. Olympia – 8th
2014 New York Pro Championship – 1st
2014 Mr. Olympia – 7th
2015 Arnold Classic Brazil – 1st
2015 Mr. Olympia – 5th
2015 Arnold Classic Europe – 4th
2015 EVLS Prague Pro – 2nd
2016 Mr. Olympia – 4th
2016 Arnold Classic Europe – 2nd
2016 IFBB Kuwait Pro – 1st
2016 EVLS Prague Pro – 2nd

Training

Pushing His Back Hard

Mamdouh likes to alternate between free-weights and machines. He completes 4–5 sets of each back exercise for 8–15 reps, then ‘pyramids’ up in weight for each set – decreasing his repetitions as he sees fit.

He also places a lot of importance on resting between sets. As he pushes extremely hard, he’s usually out of breath after each set, so he waits until his breathing and heart rate is back to normal before starting again.

Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown

One of his favorite exercises is the reverse grip lat pulldown. When he completes this movement, he likes to stretch his lats at the top, and contract his back muscles at the bottom. He also chooses a weight which he can control, so he can actually feel the muscles working – rather that going too heavy.

Seated Cable Row

Mamdouh chooses to complete the seated cable row at different angles. He does this by putting a box, or some 45 pound plates on the seat so he can pull the cables in at different heights. He also briefly pauses when the cables are near his stomach, so he can feel the full force of the movement.

Barbell Or T Bar Row

For the barbell row, Mamdouh positions his body between 45 and 60 degrees, and uses an overhand and underhand grip. He uses a relatively light weight (for him) at 40 kilos, and sees that doing so allows him to feel every rep – creating a mind-muscle connection.

A Punishing Arm Workout

As well as working his back to its limits, Mamdouh also aims to work his arms ‘very hard‘ to maintain their size and definition. He completes 12 sets for his triceps and biceps, using heavy weights to make the most of each set.

Mamdouh also focuses closely on his form in each set. He likes to make sure each rep is completed correctly, breaking down the muscle, while avoiding injuries causes through bad form. His arm routine is below:

Triceps

Bar Pushdown, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
One-Arm-Dumbbell Extension, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Rope Pushdown, 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Biceps
Hammer Curl, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Preacher Curl, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Rope Curl, 4 sets, 12-15 reps

Building His Legs

Mamdouh spent a lot of time building his quadriceps to a professional standard. While he admits that his legs are his weak point, he’s developed a routine which has increased their overall proportion massively.

His genetic potential also comes into play here. He completes standard leg exercises, but his results have been extraordinary.

Leg Extensions

He always begins his leg workouts with leg extensions. He completes two sets of 5o reps, and sees this as a warm-up to make sure his knee joints are as warm as possible. The leg extension is the only isolation exercise of this workout.

Squat

Before he competed at the 2015 Mr Olympia, Mamdouh was squatting 224 kilos 6 weeks out. He angles his feet slightly outward for his squat – creating a steady base which he can drop deeply into.

Through these heavy squats, Mamdouh has managed to build his vastus lateralis to a professional standard. His advice to other bodybuilders is, “you need to maintain form, stay upright, be safe and work consistently at getting stronger.”

Leg Press

Mamdouh’s leg presses are completed on a 45 degree machine to hit his glutes hard. He places his feet on the footplate, which allows him to go as deep as possible. He focuses on lifting 100 pounds for as many reps as possible before failure.

Diet


Big Ramy eats a very healthy diet, and consumes a massive amount of calories per day to ensure that he doesn’t lose any of his hard earned muscle gains. He tries to 3858 calories per day, sourcing them all from quality lean meats, carbohydrates and fats. A detailed meal plan is below:

Meal 1

12 egg whites
3 whole eggs
8 oz sweet potato
Meal 2

5 oz of rice
8 oz chicken breast
Meal 3

Protein shake
Meal 4

4 whole eggs
8 oz sweet potato
Meal 5

8 oz chicken breast
1 cup brown rice
1 cup sliced pineapple
Meal 6

10 oz salmon
1/2 cup cooked white rice
Meal 7

10 oz steak
Green salad
Meal 8

Protein shake
2 tbsp peanut butter

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger

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Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger German born July 30, 1947 is an Austrian-American actor, filmmaker, businessman, author, philanthropist, activist, politician, and former professional bodybuilder and powerlifter.[He served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 to 2011.

Schwarzenegger began lifting weights at the age of 15. He won the Mr. Universe title at age 20 and went on to win the Mr. Olympia contest seven times, remaining a prominent presence in bodybuilding and writing many books and articles on the sport. The Arnold Sports Festival, considered the second most important professional bodybuilding event in recent years, is named after him. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of all-time, as well as the sport’s most charismatic ambassador

Mr. Olympia

Schwarzenegger’s goal was to become the greatest bodybuilder in the world, which meant becoming Mr. Olympia.[ His first attempt was in 1969, when he lost to three-time champion Sergio Oliva. However, Schwarzenegger came back in 1970 and won the competition, making him the youngest ever Mr. Olympia at the age of 23, a record he still holds to this day.[

He continued his winning streak in the 1971–74 competitions. In 1975, Schwarzenegger was once again in top form, and won the title for the sixth consecutive time, beating Franco Columbu. After the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest, Schwarzenegger announced his retirement from professional bodybuilding.[

Months before the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest, filmmakers George Butler and Robert Fiore persuaded Schwarzenegger to compete, in order to film his training in the bodybuilding documentary called Pumping Iron. Schwarzenegger had only three months to prepare for the competition, after losing significant weight to appear in the film Stay Hungry with Jeff Bridges. Although significantly taller and heavier, Lou Ferrigno proved not to be a threat, and a lighter-than-usual Schwarzenegger convincingly won the 1975 Mr. Olympia.

Steroid use

Schwarzenegger has admitted to using performance-enhancing anabolic steroids while they were legal, writing in 1977 that “steroids were helpful to me in maintaining muscle size while on a strict diet in preparation for a contest. I did not use them for muscle growth, but rather for muscle maintenance when cutting up.”] He has called the drugs “tissue building”.[

In 1999, Schwarzenegger sued Dr. Willi Heepe, a German doctor who publicly predicted his early death on the basis of a link between his steroid use and his later heart problems. As the doctor had never examined him personally, Schwarzenegger collected a US$10,000 libel judgment against him in a German court. In 1999, Schwarzenegger also sued and settled with Globe, a U.S. tabloid which had made similar predictions about the bodybuilder’s future health.

List of competitions[

YearCompetitionLocationResult and notes
1965Junior Mr. EuropeGermany1st
1966Best Built Man of EuropeGermany1st
1966Mr. EuropeGermany1st
1966International Powerlifting ChampionshipGermany1st
1966NABBA Mr. Universe amateurLondon2nd to Chet Yorton
1967NABBA Mr. Universe amateurLondon1st
1968NABBA Mr. Universe professionalLondon1st
1968German Powerlifting ChampionshipGermany1st
1968IFBB Mr. InternationalMexico1st
1968IFBB Mr. UniverseFlorida2nd to Frank Zane
1969IFBB Mr. Universe amateurNew York1st
1969NABBA Mr. Universe professionalLondon1st
1969Mr. OlympiaNew York2nd to Sergio Oliva
1970NABBA Mr. Universe professionalLondon1st (defeated his idol Reg Park)
1970AAU Mr. WorldColumbus, Ohio1st (defeated Sergio Oliva for the first time)
1970Mr. OlympiaNew York1st
1971Mr. OlympiaParis1st
1972Mr. OlympiaEssen, Germany1st
1973Mr. OlympiaNew York1st
1974Mr. OlympiaNew York1st
1975Mr. OlympiaPretoria, South Africa1st (subject of the documentary P
1980Mr. OlympiaSydney, Australia1st (subject of the documentary