At 56, bodybuilding champion Dexter Jackson is still proving to the world how smart training doesn’t go out of style. In a recent Instagram post, “The Blade” reveals his personal approach to back training, reminding fans of the worth of consistency and patience.

The Instagram video, posted on June 21, 2026, featured Jackson performing a series of intense back exercises at the gym. The exercises include close-grip lat pulldowns, plate-loaded seated row machine, and seated cable rows. These exercises target the lats and middle back while minimizing strain and chances of injury.

“Back day can be challenging at times, but the struggle is part of the process. Stay focused, stay consistent, and keep putting in the work, and the results will come,” stated the caption.

Jackson proves to the world that staying consistent and focusing on the goal helps him. Moreover, he provides a gentle reminder to fans that struggle is just a part of the journey, and it’s important to go through it to reach the end goal.

Jackson has trained methodically throughout his career, building his Olympia-winning physique with the help of a strict diet and year-round training.

How Dexter Jackson built his Olympia-winning physique

Jackson has always been vocal about his training strategy, focusing more on quality lifting compared to ego lifting. Instead of prioritizing lifting extremely heavy weights, his focus was on improving the quality of each lift.

During an interview with Muscle and Fitness, the Olympia legend reveals how he focused on workouts consisting of controlled, straight sets.

Moreover, he often opted for 8-10 reps of each exercise, repeating them in 4 sets. However, he trained his shoulders harder, going for 10-15 reps in order to maximize muscle contraction.

Jackson believed that every rep he performed should keep a consistent tension on the target muscle, right from the stretch to the contraction.

His workout splits generally consisted of typical exercises. This included EZ-bar preacher curls, one-arm machine curls, and seated alternate dumbbell curls for his biceps. Leg workouts consisted of one-leg presses, Smith machine front squats, slow hack squats, and leg extensions.

Under the training and guidance of renowned coach Charles Glass, Jackson slowly shifted toward machine and modified movements. The workouts were designed to reduce joint stress and maximize muscle activation.

His unique approach to food often turned heads in the community. Jackson admits to not being a big eater, often having to force himself to eat a large number of calories.

“I’m not naturally a big eater,” he said. “When I retire, I’ll eat like a normal person and weigh less than 200 pounds.” 

His off-season meals often included mashed potatoes, buttered lobster, turkey bacon, and sauce-covered steak. However, when prepping, he opts for tilapia and chicken or sauce-free steaks.

Do you also have a hard time with back workouts?

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi