Written by Team MD
18 August 2017

17bbadvice-dex-justin

Bodybuilding Advice from the Experts

Dexter Jackson & Justin Compton Q&A

 

Dexter Jackson

Train Smart and Save Your Joints

Dexter, which is better, pyramiding up or down? I like to warm up and then get right to my heaviest set, which lets me use the most possible weight. So far, my gains have been great and my joints feel fine except for a little soreness in my elbows and knees. I’m 23 years old, and this older guy (probably around your age) keeps trying to warn me that I’m going to get hurt eventually, using so much weight. But I don’t know if he’s really trying to help, or if he’s jealous and wants to sabotage me because I already look bigger and better than he does! That’s why I am asking you.

I always pyramid up, and I am one of the few guys my age who has been training and competing at my level as long as I have who has never torn a muscle. I do have a little joint pain, but there’s no way to avoid that. It’s just wear and tear from heavy weights over many years. Pyramiding up makes the most sense to me because it makes you warm up more, and that’s never a bad thing. Another thing to consider is that nobody is always equally strong all the time. So your “heaviest set” might be with more or less weight, from workout to workout. If you’re only warming up enough to start off with what you think is going to be your heavy set, you might end up with a weight you thought you would get eight to 10 reps with, but this time you only get four to five.

 

As far as using the heaviest weights you possibly can all the time, that’s something that seems great now— but over time, your joints might tell another story. At 23, you feel invincible and indestructible— get back to me when you’re 43!

The bottom line is, train smart and you’ll be in this game a long time. Otherwise, you might be that guy telling the young kids in the gym how big and strong you used to be, before you wrecked your joints and tore a bunch of muscles.

 1bbadvice-dex1

Smoking Weed, Drinking Alcohol and Bodybuilding

I know that to be the best bodybuilder you can be, staying sober is the best idea. But for those of us who don’t take bodybuilding quite as seriously and aren’t trying to be a pro, which would you say is worse for a bodybuilder and why: smoking weed or drinking alcohol?

I can’t say I have a lot of experience with either, but I would have to guess that alcohol is worse. Both will raise your estrogen levels, but alcohol will also do a number on your liver. Some bodybuilders do other things to get big, and use certain items that can also be tough on the liver. So that’s double the damage if you drink, too. The problem I seem to see more often with guys who smoke regularly is that they aren’t always the most highly motivated types. In the end, it’s all about moderation. Too much of anything can be bad for you. Whatever you do, try to keep it limited to “occasional” use. Otherwise, even though you might not take bodybuilding as seriously as some of us, I guarantee you that you won’t see much in the way of results from your training.

1bbadvice-dex2 

JUSTIN COMPTON

Scheduling Your Meals With Training

Do you set a minimum intake of meals before you train, like three to four meals before you lift plus a pre-workout shake? Do you always use pre-workout shakes or does that bloat you? I have bloating issues and I prefer to train on a light stomach. At your peak during your off-season or prep, what supplements do you take pre-, intra- and post-workout?

Good question. Sometimes, life hits you with circumstances that force you to alter the way you prefer to do things, but in a perfect world, I like to train after meal two or meal three. If I train after only meal one, I don’t feel like I have enough energy to hit it as hard as I would like. If I train after meal five or so late in the day, I do feel a little bloated when I put some heavy weight on the bar. Not enough food in the system is bad, and so is too much food! So meal two or three is my sweet spot. The shakes can be bloating, too. I just prefer to use as little water as possible when making them.

 

For supplements, I use 10 grams of creatine year-round. BCAAs stay in year-round as well. The carbs vary. I’ve done as much as 120 grams in a sitting for a post-workout shake, but that’s about all my stomach will handle before it rebels!

 1bbadvice-just1

Training Every Body Part Twice a Week

What would a week look like for you when you are hitting everything twice?

I like to change it every now and then so I don’t get bored, but right now it looks like this:

Mon: Chest/Tri’s
Tues: Back/Bi’s
Weds: Shoulders/Calves
Thurs: Legs
Frid: Chest/Tri’s
Sat: Back/Biceps/Calves
Sun: Off

For the most part, it’s two to three sets per exercise and several different exercises, so it works out to anywhere from 10-18 sets depending on the particular muscle. I do it to hit it from all angles, but sometimes I will do five or six sets of just a couple of exercises. Usually, my heaviest set on each exercise is to failure, while the other sets are just shy.

1bbadvice-just2 

Bodybuilding Cooking Made Simple

Justin, what’s your main go-to meal that you make in large quantities? I like to keep things simple, and don’t care if I eat the same shit every day.

I usually try to cook each day and eat fresh, unless I am traveling somewhere. But if you are looking to save time and cook in bulk, some basics would be beef and chicken, preferably baked. I can’t eat grilled food after it’s like a day old because it gets very, very dry. I can’t eat cold pasta either, but yams seem to stay good for several days, along with red potatoes. You could also cook up a massive pot of rice that would last several days.

 

 

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