It was not long before Jackson was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Arnold Classic. And now he is getting ready to add another award to his decades-long bodybuilding career.

“The International Sports Hall of Fame is inducting 2008 Mr. Olympia winner Dexter Jackson," according to Generation Iron. "As part of its Class of 2026, during Joe Weider’s Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend in Las Vegas.”

This will be the 15th-anniversary induction ceremony, taking place on September 26.

According to the same Generation Iron article, Jackson is chosen for the prestigious award because he has not only earned 29 bodybuilding titles but also, at age 38, demonstrated immense power and dedication by winning Mr. Olympia in 2008. He also earned 1st place at the prestigious Arnold Classic 5 times, in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015.

Jackson, known as The Blade for his conditioned, sharply defined physique, began training at a young age and quickly developed the symmetry and aesthetic that would define his career.

What is interesting is that he qualified for Mr. Olympia 20 consecutive times in his career.

Apart from his competitive achievements, Jackson has been active in the bodybuilding and fitness community, making many appearances at events and seminars to share his knowledge.

Jackson's influence extends beyond bodybuilding stages, and his name represents dedication, excellence, and consistency. His legendary influence in bodybuilding can be better understood through Arnold Schwarzenegger's statement.

“You’ve heard everything about Dexter- his great accomplishments- but you can see, with the footage you saw, this man wasn’t the most muscular man in the world; he had a beautiful body. That’s what made him a Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic champion," said Schwarzenegger during the lifetime achievement award at the 2026 Arnold Classic.

Other celebrities who will receive the award alongside Jackson include chess legend Garry Kasparov, UFC legend Forrest Griffin, freediving champion Vitomir Maričić, Eric Dickerson, and the Harlem Globetrotters.

So, if you are new to bodybuilding or want to develop a physique like Jackson's, he has shared some suggestions to help you build muscle and achieve the perfect symmetry he has.

Dexter Jackson’s suggestions for bodybuilders

According to Muscle and Fitness, Jackson's suggestions for building muscle include:

Find a trainer: he suggests training under professional guidance. Even over the years, as Jackson felt his physique begin to decline, he began taking suggestions from Charles Glass.

Know when to cut back: Jackson once said people need to know when to stop.

“I don’t do all those crazy, heavy, compound movements that I did when I was younger. As I got older, I changed my training," said Jackson. "Guys like Ronnie [Coleman] and Dorian [Yates] kind of fell apart at the end because they didn’t change their training. I do more isolation and machine exercises now. It works for me, as long as I train hard with good form”.

Jackson is saying that shifting one's workout approach with age can prevent physical trauma, like Coleman's, who had to go through 13 surgeries.

Feel it: Jackson once said, “The key to arm training is the same key to training anything. You need to feel your muscles working throughout every rep. Forget about the weight. Focus on your muscles. And focus on those areas of your muscles—like the peaks of your biceps or the outer heads of your triceps— that you want to hit with a particular exercise”.

Posing is important: Jackson said, “One of those things that really bring out the extra qualities in your muscles is posing”.

Jackson is known for posing specifically for the Side Chest Pose. It also helped him earn the Mr. Olympia title in 2008 by defeating Jay Cutler.

What are your thoughts on Jackson's induction?

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi