[h=1]Olympia Q&A Session[/h][h=2]Dexter Jackson & Dallas McCarver Field Your Questions[/h]
DEXTER JACKSON
Should You Wear a Weight Belt?
Some people have criticized me for wearing a belt when I train. I feel a lot more secure with it on for many exercises, because I’ve hurt my back a few times over the years. But they tell me I’m weakening my core by using a belt. Do you think that’s true? And how important is core strength for a bodybuilder, anyway?
I tell you what, squat heavy without a belt and it won’t be long before you wish you’d worn one! Personally, I wear a belt all the time when I train, whether I need it or not. It doesn’t matter if I’m training legs, back, chest or even arms. I just feel more secure and protected with the belt on. As for core strength, you’re asking the wrong guy about that. I don’t even train my abs!
Getting Lean Primes Your System for Growth
For those of us who don’t compete, do you think it makes sense to even have off-season and cutting phases throughout the year? Or should we always just be striving to get bigger and stay in an off-season bulking mode?
I can’t answer that for anyone, because that’s an individual choice. I remember back in the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, Vic Richards never dieted down into contest condition even after he got his pro card. He just felt too small once he started getting really lean. Some guys love being big and full, even if it means they are carrying a good amount of body fat. Even if I didn’t compete, I would always want to stay in shape and look good. But that’s me. Regardless of whether or not you care about how you look, it’s still a good idea to lean out once a year. Otherwise, the body gets used to all the extra calories, and you will probably hit a serious plateau. Once you restrict calories and carbs for a while and kick up your cardio, it primes your system to grow again once you go back to eating more and doing less cardio. But like I said, it’s up to the individual. Some guys just love being as big and strong as possible all the time, and don’t really care one bit if they ever see their abs. Others like to lean out for the summer, or for a vacation, or whatever.
Train as Heavy as You Can, Safely
There seems to be two conflicting theories about how we should train in the last month or two before a contest. Some people say you need to lighten up the weights and increase the reps to avoid injury, because you’re leaner and have less fat and water to cushion the joints. Others say you still need to train as heavy as you possibly can or else you will lose size and more so, “muscle density.” Which one do you agree with?
You should train as heavy as you can, safely. That means respecting the fact that you’re down in weight, eating less, and all that. You also need to pay attention to how you feel, because your energy levels can go all over the place during a contest diet. On days when you feel fatigued and your carbs are really low, you have to go lighter or you’re asking for trouble. I always talk about the need to be smart about your training and listen to your body at all times. During prep, there are days I feel awesome and I hit some big weights, but still never go below a rep range of eight to 10. Other times, I know it’s not going to be a good day to go heavy, so I don’t. As far as losing size, you’re not going to shrink from going a little lighter every now and then. If you switch to light weights and high reps at 12 weeks out, yeah, you’re probably going to flatten out. Bottom line, again— train as heavy as you can, given the circumstances of that day.
DALLAS McCARVER
Getting Huge, Down on the Farm
Is it true you started working out on a farm, hefting bales of hay? How did you get from there to being a bodybuilder?
It is true. I grew up on a farm with about 10 horses and over 100 cattle. I spent a lot of time doing chores like hauling hay, feeding the cows, cleaning out the horse stalls, building and mending fences, etc. I played football in high school and in season, my routine was school, practice and then home for chores. I wanted to lift weights, but I didn’t have a car to get to a gym. So instead, I would lift and throw hay bales, tie bunches of them together and drag them, and lift buckets of water— anything I could think of to get bigger and stronger. I was a chunky kid until I hit a growth spurt and got taller and leaner, and then I filled out. I’ve seen timelines of Evan Centopani, and it’s crazy how closely I followed the way he looked at various ages growing up.
By the time I was 16 I could drive, and I would go to the high school weight room. That training was for football, so it was all very basic stuff: squats, bench presses, deadlifts and cleans. During that time, I started reading the bodybuilding magazines like MD and developed a passion for the sport. I never even dreamed I would ever be in MD, so a HUGE thanks to Steve Blechman for the opportunities he’s given me.
Jay and Ronnie were the first guys I ever saw who really inspired me. I couldn’t believe humans could look like that. I always said I would get into bodybuilding after football. Long story short, after a year of college ball it was clear the NFL wasn’t in my future, so I decided to see what I could do as a bodybuilder. I had a friend named Brian Lawson who had trained some local competitors, and he helped me get ready for my first show. I won, and kept on winning. It was obvious that this was the right sport for me.
Stretching, Massage and Supplements for Performance and Muscle Growth
What are your thoughts on stretching, foam rolling and deep tissue massage?
I’m a huge believer in all these things! I typically stretch pretty hard a few times a week (every muscle group). Of course, that’s in addition to stretching the trained muscle, post training. I love deep tissue work, and try to get in one or two sessions weekly. I have also recently fallen in love with cryotherapy, and will be getting in the chamber a few times weekly.
I believe that one of the greatest assets I have is my health. I take 20 or more supplements daily, just for health purposes (liver, kidneys, heart, cholesterol, adrenal support, digestion, etc.). I truly believe all of this adds up to a huge difference in performance, and thus translates into muscle growth. These are most of them, off the top of my head:
Multivitamin/mineral
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Curcumin
Zinc
Vitamin K2
CoQ10
TUDCA
NAC
Grape seed extract
DEXTER JACKSON
Should You Wear a Weight Belt?
Some people have criticized me for wearing a belt when I train. I feel a lot more secure with it on for many exercises, because I’ve hurt my back a few times over the years. But they tell me I’m weakening my core by using a belt. Do you think that’s true? And how important is core strength for a bodybuilder, anyway?
I tell you what, squat heavy without a belt and it won’t be long before you wish you’d worn one! Personally, I wear a belt all the time when I train, whether I need it or not. It doesn’t matter if I’m training legs, back, chest or even arms. I just feel more secure and protected with the belt on. As for core strength, you’re asking the wrong guy about that. I don’t even train my abs!
Getting Lean Primes Your System for Growth
For those of us who don’t compete, do you think it makes sense to even have off-season and cutting phases throughout the year? Or should we always just be striving to get bigger and stay in an off-season bulking mode?
I can’t answer that for anyone, because that’s an individual choice. I remember back in the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, Vic Richards never dieted down into contest condition even after he got his pro card. He just felt too small once he started getting really lean. Some guys love being big and full, even if it means they are carrying a good amount of body fat. Even if I didn’t compete, I would always want to stay in shape and look good. But that’s me. Regardless of whether or not you care about how you look, it’s still a good idea to lean out once a year. Otherwise, the body gets used to all the extra calories, and you will probably hit a serious plateau. Once you restrict calories and carbs for a while and kick up your cardio, it primes your system to grow again once you go back to eating more and doing less cardio. But like I said, it’s up to the individual. Some guys just love being as big and strong as possible all the time, and don’t really care one bit if they ever see their abs. Others like to lean out for the summer, or for a vacation, or whatever.
Train as Heavy as You Can, Safely
There seems to be two conflicting theories about how we should train in the last month or two before a contest. Some people say you need to lighten up the weights and increase the reps to avoid injury, because you’re leaner and have less fat and water to cushion the joints. Others say you still need to train as heavy as you possibly can or else you will lose size and more so, “muscle density.” Which one do you agree with?
You should train as heavy as you can, safely. That means respecting the fact that you’re down in weight, eating less, and all that. You also need to pay attention to how you feel, because your energy levels can go all over the place during a contest diet. On days when you feel fatigued and your carbs are really low, you have to go lighter or you’re asking for trouble. I always talk about the need to be smart about your training and listen to your body at all times. During prep, there are days I feel awesome and I hit some big weights, but still never go below a rep range of eight to 10. Other times, I know it’s not going to be a good day to go heavy, so I don’t. As far as losing size, you’re not going to shrink from going a little lighter every now and then. If you switch to light weights and high reps at 12 weeks out, yeah, you’re probably going to flatten out. Bottom line, again— train as heavy as you can, given the circumstances of that day.
DALLAS McCARVER
Getting Huge, Down on the Farm
Is it true you started working out on a farm, hefting bales of hay? How did you get from there to being a bodybuilder?
It is true. I grew up on a farm with about 10 horses and over 100 cattle. I spent a lot of time doing chores like hauling hay, feeding the cows, cleaning out the horse stalls, building and mending fences, etc. I played football in high school and in season, my routine was school, practice and then home for chores. I wanted to lift weights, but I didn’t have a car to get to a gym. So instead, I would lift and throw hay bales, tie bunches of them together and drag them, and lift buckets of water— anything I could think of to get bigger and stronger. I was a chunky kid until I hit a growth spurt and got taller and leaner, and then I filled out. I’ve seen timelines of Evan Centopani, and it’s crazy how closely I followed the way he looked at various ages growing up.
By the time I was 16 I could drive, and I would go to the high school weight room. That training was for football, so it was all very basic stuff: squats, bench presses, deadlifts and cleans. During that time, I started reading the bodybuilding magazines like MD and developed a passion for the sport. I never even dreamed I would ever be in MD, so a HUGE thanks to Steve Blechman for the opportunities he’s given me.
Jay and Ronnie were the first guys I ever saw who really inspired me. I couldn’t believe humans could look like that. I always said I would get into bodybuilding after football. Long story short, after a year of college ball it was clear the NFL wasn’t in my future, so I decided to see what I could do as a bodybuilder. I had a friend named Brian Lawson who had trained some local competitors, and he helped me get ready for my first show. I won, and kept on winning. It was obvious that this was the right sport for me.
What are your thoughts on stretching, foam rolling and deep tissue massage?
I’m a huge believer in all these things! I typically stretch pretty hard a few times a week (every muscle group). Of course, that’s in addition to stretching the trained muscle, post training. I love deep tissue work, and try to get in one or two sessions weekly. I have also recently fallen in love with cryotherapy, and will be getting in the chamber a few times weekly.
I believe that one of the greatest assets I have is my health. I take 20 or more supplements daily, just for health purposes (liver, kidneys, heart, cholesterol, adrenal support, digestion, etc.). I truly believe all of this adds up to a huge difference in performance, and thus translates into muscle growth. These are most of them, off the top of my head:
Multivitamin/mineral
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Curcumin
Zinc
Vitamin K2
CoQ10
TUDCA
NAC
Grape seed extract
