Most bodybuilders spend their careers chasing heavier weights. Dexter ‘The Blade’ Jackson spent decades doing exactly that, building one of the most decorated physiques in bodybuilding history and becoming the oldest man ever to win the Mr Olympia title. Now, at 56, Jackson’s priorities have changed.
In a recent YouTube video, the bodybuilding legend shared one of his favourite chest workouts. But there wasn’t a barbell bench press in sight. Instead, the session focused on low-impact machine exercises designed to build muscle without beating up the joints.
Reflecting on his bench press strength, Jackson recalled lifting as much as 455lbs during his competitive career.
‘I was getting it back then,’ he said. ‘I can’t do that now.’
His modified training approach still delivers results – just with far less wear and tear.
The Workout
A. Hammer Strength Iso Flat Bench: 4 sets x 10 reps
B. Incline Chest Press Machine: 4 sets x 10 reps
C. Incline Fly Machine: 4 sets x 10 reps
D. Decline Cable Fly: 4 sets x 10 reps
‘I used to keep my reps with all my sets anywhere from 8 to 12,’ Jackson explained. ‘I usually end up with about 10 reps.’
Why it works
Hammer Strength Iso Flat Bench
Jackson opens the workout with the Hammer Strength Iso Flat Bench.
The machine provides stability throughout the lift, allowing him to train the chest hard without placing the same demands on the shoulders and stabilising muscles required during a traditional barbell bench press.
‘If you guys have joint pain and you’re looking to ease it, make sure you try doing more machine work,’ he said. ‘That’ll take a lot of stress off the joints compared with free weights.’
Incline Chest Press Machine
The second exercise shifts the emphasis towards the upper chest.
The incline angle increases activation of the clavicular fibres of the pecs while also recruiting the front deltoids and triceps. As with the previous movement, the fixed path of the machine allows for greater control throughout the lift.
Incline Fly Machine
Unlike pressing exercises, flyes place the chest under a greater stretch.
The machine’s guided path also aligns with Jackson’s current training philosophy of maximising muscle stimulus while minimising joint stress.
Decline Cable Fly
Jackson finishes the session with decline cable flyes, performed from a high-to-low angle to place greater emphasis on the lower chest.
Using cables keeps tension on the muscle throughout the entire range of motion, making the exercise an effective finisher after the heavier pressing movements.
By ending the workout with isolation work rather than another press, Jackson can continue accumulating training volume without subjecting his joints to additional heavy loading.
How Dexter Jackson Trains at 56
During the session, the former Mr Olympia revealed he currently weighs between 200 and 205lbs and is aiming to get down to around 190.
‘It’s so crazy because I still have people telling me, “God damn, you’re big as hell”,’ Jackson joked.
Even years after retiring from competition, Jackson remains considerably more muscular than the average person. But he also acknowledges that he can no longer train the way he did in his prime.
Machines, cables and moderate rep ranges now form the foundation of his workouts, allowing him to continue building and maintaining muscle while protecting the joints that have endured more than three decades of bodybuilding.
The result? He remains strong, muscular and functional well into his fifties.
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