In a series of Mr. Olympia workout routines, I’ll share a detailed training program of 1982 Mr. Olympia, Chris Dickerson.
Chris Dickerson was one of the old-school bodybuilders who won the Mr. Olympia championship in 1982, beating the rivals Frank Zane, Casey Viator, and Samir Bannout.
Chris won several other titles in his 30 years of professional bodybuilding career, making him one of the greatest bodybuilders who stepped into the world of professional bodybuilding.
Because of all his accomplishments in his bodybuilding journey, he was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2000.
In this article, I’ll share Chris Dickerson’s training philosophies, his muscle-building workout plan, and his evergreen tips that helped him stay on top in his entire bodybuilding career.
Chris Dickerson Training Program Features
Number of sets per body part: 8-15 sets during the off-season and 18-25 sets before content (more sets for weak areas and less for already developed muscle groups)
Rep Ranges: 6-10 reps per set with as heavy weight as possible while maintaining aa strict and control form.
Training sessions per week: Chris followed high-volume training, involving six sessions weekly.
Rest between sets: Chris Dickerson did not take much rest between sets. His rest duration is 20-30 seconds between sets during the pre-content training, versus 45-60 seconds in the off-season.
High-intensity Resistance Training: Chris’s training plan had one major similarity to Dorian Yates and Mike Mentzer who used to follow high-intensity strength training. All these three Mr. Olympias used to take shorter rest between sets, such as 30-60 seconds, and push themselves to work hard.
Combination of Compound and Isolation Exercises: You’ll see a blend of compound and isolation exercises in Chris’s training plan. Compound exercises, such as squats, bench, deadlifts, overhead presses, pull-ups, and dips, activate multiple muscle groups simultaneously, helping you build strength and mass together; while isolation exercises help address small and weaker body parts effectively, bring out the best shape, and improve muscle definition.
6-Day Chris Dickerson Split for Muscle Growth
I’ve designed an ultimate 6-day workout plan inspired by Chris Dickerson’s training philosophies.
This program will help you build muscle and strength, and develop your overall physique.
Off-Season Workout Plan
- Day 1: Chest
- Day 2: Back
- Day 3: Legs
- Day 4: Shoulder
- Day 5: Arms
- Day 6: Abs and Calves
- Day 7: OFF
You can train your weak areas twice a week. Put your weak muscle groups wherever they can fit.
Day 1 – Chest
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Dumbbell Press (warm-up) | 2 | 15-20 |
Incline Bench Press | 5 | 6-10 |
Flat Dumbbell Fly | 5 | 6-10 |
Bar Dips (Weights optional) | 5 | 6-10 |
World’s Greatest Stretch | 3 | 5/side |
Day 2 – Back
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Pull-ups (warm-up) | 4 | 6-12 |
Single-arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8/arm |
Front Lat Pulldown | 4 | 6-10 |
Seated Cable Row | 4 | 6-10 |
Deadlifts | 4 | 4-8 |
Day 3 – Legs
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Leg Extension (warm-up) | 3 | 10-15 |
Back Squat | 6 | 6-10 |
Leg Press | 4 | 6-10 |
Seated Cable Curl | 4 | 6-10 |
Lying Leg Curl | 4 | 6-10 |
Standing Calf Raises | 4 | 6-10 |
Seated Calf Raises | 4 | 6-10 |
Day 4 – Shoulder
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Behind-the-Neck Barbell Press | 4 | 6-10 |
Dumbbell Overhead Press | 4 | 6-10 |
Incline DB Lateral Raises | 4 | 6-10 |
Bent-arm Lateral Raises | 4 | 6-10 |
Dumbbell Reverse Fly | 4 | 6-10 |
Day 5 – Arms
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Seated French Press | 4 | 6-10 |
Triceps Pushdown | 4 | 6-10 |
Straight Bar Dips | 4 | 6-10 |
Seated Dumbbell Curl | 4 | 6-10 |
Incline Dumbbell Curl | 4 | 6-10 |
Concentration Curl | 4 | 6-10 |
Day 6 – Abs and Calves
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Bicycling Crunches | 4 | 20-30 |
Lying Leg Raises | 4 | 20-30 |
Sit-up w/ Torso Twist | 4 | 20-30 |
Hanging Knee Raises | 4 | 20-30 |
Single-leg Calf Raises | 4 | 6-12 |
Pre-Contest Bodybuilding Program
- Monday: Chest, Shoulder, and Abs
- Tuesday: Legs and Arms
- Wednesday: Back, Shoulder, and Abs
- Thursday: Chest, Shoulder, and Abs
- Friday: Legs and Arms
- Saturday: Back, Shoulder, and Abs
- Sunday: OFF
Monday – Chest, Shoulder, and Abs
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Incline Bench Press | 6 | 6-10 |
Flat Dumbbell Fly | 6 | 6-10 |
Weighted Bar Dips | 6 | 8-10 |
Behind The Neck Press | 4 | 6-10 |
Seated Lateral Raises | 4 | 8-10 |
Hanging Knee Raises | 6 | 25-30 |
Bicycle Crunches | 4 | 20-30 |
Tuesday – Legs and Arms
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Back Squat | 6 | 6-10 |
Leg Extension | 4 | 8-10 |
Seated Leg Curl | 4 | 8-10 |
Good Morning | 4 | 8-10 |
Standing Calf Raises | 4 | 8-10 |
Concentration Curl + Skull Crusher | 3 | 8-10 |
Incline DB Curl + Triceps Pressdown | 3 | 8-10 |
Superset concentration curl with skull crusher and incline dumbbell curl with triceps press down.
Wednesday – Back, Shoulder, and Abs
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Pull-ups (warm-up) | 4 | 6-12 |
Front Lat Pulldown | 4 | 6-10 |
Close Grip Lat Pulldown | 4 | 6-10 |
Seated Cable Row | 4 | 6-10 |
Prone Incline Barbell Row | 4 | 6-10 |
Lying Rear-delt Circles | 4 | 6-10 |
Lying Rear Delt Raise | 4 | 6-10 |
Barbell Side Bends | 4 | 15/side |
Incline Leg Raises | 6 | 15-20 |
Thursday – Chest, Shoulder, and Abs
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Incline Bench Press | 6 | 6-10 |
Flat Dumbbell Fly | 6 | 6-10 |
Cable Crossover | 6 | 8-10 |
Front Overhead Presses | 4 | 6-10 |
Bent-arm Lateral Raises | 4 | 8-10 |
Hanging Knee Raises | 6 | 25-30 |
Bicycle Crunches | 4 | 20-30 |
Friday – Legs and Arms
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Hack Squat | 4 | 6-10 |
Front Squats | 4 | 8-10 |
Leg Press | 4 | 6-10 |
Lying Leg Curl | 6 | 8-10 |
Standing Calf Raises | 6 | 8-10 |
E-Z Bar Curl + Overhead Cable Extension | 3 | 8-10 |
Seated DB Curl + Straight Body Bar Dips | 3 | 8-10 |
Superset E-Z Bar Curl with Triceps Overhead Cable Extension and alternating dumbbell curl with straight body bar dips.
Saturday – Back, Shoulder, and Abs
Exercises | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Pull-ups (warm-up) | 4 | 6-12 |
Deadlift | 4 | 6-10 |
Lat Pulldown | 4 | 6-10 |
Single-arm Dumbbell Row | 4 | 6-10 |
Reverse Pec Deck Fly | 4 | 6-10 |
Rear Delt Dumbbell Row | 4 | 6-10 |
Dumbbell Side Bends | 4 | 15/side |
Incline Leg Raises | 6 | 15-20 |
Who Can Follow Chris Dickerson’s Routine?
Chris Dickerson’s off-season training plan can be followed by intermediate but if you want to follow his pre-contest exercise routine, you must have years of lifting experience, consume a high-protein diet plan, and take proper rest.
You should not attempt this program if you are a beginner or don’t have enough resources to fulfill your nutritional needs.
Chris Dickerson Nutrition
Nutrition is a more personalized thing. Chris Dickerson constantly changes his diet plan depending on his needs. So, it’s not possible to outline his actual meal plan. However, I’ve got a list of some of his usual food names that he consumed all year round.
- White meat
- Red meat
- Eggs
- Broiled fish
- Whole grains
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Salads
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Black Coffee
He recommended eating foods that are as lightly cooked as possible.
He also took some supplement with his diet for extra vitamins and minerals to fulfills his nutritional needs.
You can check out these detailed guides (published on the National Institute of Health website) on how to create a meal plan for muscle gain:
- Dietary Protein and Muscle Mass: Translating Science to Application and Health Benefit
- Macronutrient Considerations for the Sport of Bodybuilding
- Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season
Download The Chris Dickerson Workout Routine PDF
Before you go, keep the following tips in mind to achieve maximum results:
- Allow your muscles to recover through rest: Give your muscles time to repair and rebuild after intense workouts to grow stronger and larger. Take a day off or two between weeks and get an adequate amount of sleep to allow the body to repair and regenerate from the demands of intense training.
- Progressive Overload: Progressive overload is a great technique to stimulate strength and hypertrophy. It involves increasing the load you lift from time to time, so your muscles work harder than the last time.
- Eat Nutritious Meals: Consume a good amount of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to support muscle growth and recovery.