Interview with IFBB Pro & Mr. Olympia competitor Johnnie Jackson:
This week i got a chance to speak with fellow MuscleTech athlete; IFBB Pro Johnnie Jackson. I wanted to speak to Johnnie because he has a very similar bodybuilding philosophy as myself it terms of training for maximal strength & LBM. He’s commonly called “The strongest bodybuilder in the world” due to his powerlifting feats while also bodybuilding. Anyway here’s some of the questions I asked:
Q) You seem to consistently come in looking hard, dry & full. What are some of the techniques you apply during your final 7 days prior to stepping on stage for peak week?
Those last 7 days consist of: slow but consistent water depletion – I never totally deplete but take in very low sodium, and depending upon my appearance, a 3-4 day carb depletion, in turn balancing the remaining of the 7 days with carbing up every 2 hours with sweet potatoes.
Q) Considering all your incredible personal record lifts, do you still have any specific goals today with certain lifts or exercises?
Definitely My personal goals in weight training is to pull 1000lbs on deadlift.
Q) You use a very similar high intensity training style as myself, with much focus on strength similar to a hybrid powerlifting/bodybuilding routine. Do you feel there is an advantage to this style of training for the sport of bodybuilding compared to an opposing style such as high volume training doing in excess of 35-45+ sets for a single muscle group, applying less intensity?
Yes, I think there is an advantage in my style of training because of the amount of lean muscle tissue that is broken down, along with the volume of training making a bigger / denser and more conditioned body.
Q) What are some of the exercises you avoid not so much because of the intensity/difficulty, but rather exercises you just don’t “feel” or get a good pump from?
Decline Bench, Clean & Jerks, Good Mornings. I think they pose a risk that is not necessary to take, excluding decline bench.
Q) What are some of your other hobbies during down time?
Q) Were there any turning points during your journey as an athlete where you picked up something new towards your daily routine that stuck with you for life after?
I’ve worked with so many great trainers ex: Charles Glass, Milos in those experiences I had with these trainers, that I can definitely use over 50% of what I learned from them on a daily basis.
Q) Have you made any mistakes related to dieting, training, peaking, & bodybuilding that have helped you become a better athlete?
Yes, that is where I’ve gotten to where I am today, through learning from the mistakes that I’ve made during this journey. My favorite quote is “without struggle there is no progress”.
Q) When it comes to peak week, are you still open to experimenting with new techniques? Or do you have a pretty solid game plan you try to stick with each show with little variation to it?
It’s best to have a solid game plan, but in this sport you have to be able to adjust depending upon your appearance.
Q) Your traps are extremely developed for your frame and for an IFBB bodybuilder period. Would you credit the mass to your powerlifting back ground from movements such as heavy deadlifts consistently, or do you have a specific style of training focused around traps focused towards mass?
I think it is more to my style of training but more importantly it is contributed to what I did the most when I was starting out lifting and that was barbell shoulder shrugs.
Q) Where can someone find out more about what’s going on with you these days?
Thanks Johnie for your time!
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