1982 Mr Olympia Chris Dickerson Workout Routine w/ PDF

Chris Dickerson Workout Routine

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

ExercisesSetsReps
Dumbbell Press (warm-up)215-20
Incline Bench Press56-10
Flat Dumbbell Fly56-10
Bar Dips (Weights optional)56-10
World’s Greatest Stretch35/side

Day 2 – Back

ExercisesSetsReps
Pull-ups (warm-up)46-12
Single-arm Dumbbell Row38/arm
Front Lat Pulldown46-10
Seated Cable Row46-10
Deadlifts44-8

Day 3 – Legs

ExercisesSetsReps
Leg Extension (warm-up)310-15
Back Squat66-10
Leg Press46-10
Seated Cable Curl46-10
Lying Leg Curl46-10
Standing Calf Raises46-10
Seated Calf Raises46-10

Day 4 – Shoulder

ExercisesSetsReps
Behind-the-Neck Barbell Press46-10
Dumbbell Overhead Press46-10
Incline DB Lateral Raises46-10
Bent-arm Lateral Raises46-10
Dumbbell Reverse Fly46-10

Day 5 – Arms

ExercisesSetsReps
Seated French Press46-10
Triceps Pushdown46-10
Straight Bar Dips46-10
Seated Dumbbell Curl46-10
Incline Dumbbell Curl46-10
Concentration Curl46-10

Day 6 – Abs and Calves

ExercisesSetsReps
Bicycling Crunches420-30
Lying Leg Raises420-30
Sit-up w/ Torso Twist420-30
Hanging Knee Raises420-30
Single-leg Calf Raises46-12

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

ExercisesSetsReps
Incline Bench Press66-10
Flat Dumbbell Fly66-10
Weighted Bar Dips68-10
Behind The Neck Press46-10
Seated Lateral Raises48-10
Hanging Knee Raises625-30
Bicycle Crunches420-30

Tuesday – Legs and Arms

ExercisesSetsReps
Back Squat66-10
Leg Extension48-10
Seated Leg Curl48-10
Good Morning48-10
Standing Calf Raises48-10
Concentration Curl + Skull Crusher38-10
Incline DB Curl + Triceps Pressdown38-10

Superset concentration curl with skull crusher and incline dumbbell curl with triceps press down.

Wednesday – Back, Shoulder, and Abs

ExercisesSetsReps
Pull-ups (warm-up)46-12
Front Lat Pulldown46-10
Close Grip Lat Pulldown46-10
Seated Cable Row46-10
Prone Incline Barbell Row46-10
Lying Rear-delt Circles46-10
Lying Rear Delt Raise46-10
Barbell Side Bends415/side
Incline Leg Raises615-20

Thursday – Chest, Shoulder, and Abs

ExercisesSetsReps
Incline Bench Press66-10
Flat Dumbbell Fly66-10
Cable Crossover68-10
Front Overhead Presses46-10
Bent-arm Lateral Raises48-10
Hanging Knee Raises625-30
Bicycle Crunches420-30

Friday – Legs and Arms

ExercisesSetsReps
Hack Squat46-10
Front Squats48-10
Leg Press46-10
Lying Leg Curl68-10
Standing Calf Raises68-10
E-Z Bar Curl + Overhead Cable Extension38-10
Seated DB Curl + Straight Body Bar Dips38-10

Superset E-Z Bar Curl with Triceps Overhead Cable Extension and alternating dumbbell curl with straight body bar dips.

Saturday – Back, Shoulder, and Abs

ExercisesSetsReps
Pull-ups (warm-up)46-12
Deadlift46-10
Lat Pulldown46-10
Single-arm Dumbbell Row46-10
Reverse Pec Deck Fly46-10
Rear Delt Dumbbell Row46-10
Dumbbell Side Bends415/side
Incline Leg Raises615-20

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:

Download The Chris Dickerson Workout Routine PDF


Before you go, keep the following tips in mind to achieve maximum results:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Eat Nutritious Meals: Consume a good amount of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to support muscle growth and recovery.

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Picture of Murshid Akram

Murshid Akram

I’m a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I help people achieve their best shape through my science-based and practical workout programs.
Picture of Murshid Akram

Murshid Akram

I’m a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I help people achieve their best shape through my science-based and practical workout programs.
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About Me

Murshid Akram, Author at The Fitness Phantom

I’m Murshid Akram, a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I primarily design workout plans and share science-based and practical information that can help you become stronger, functional, and healthier.

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