Chris Dickerson – Complete Profile: Height, Workout And Diet

Chris Dickerson was an American professional bodybuilder who primarily competed in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s era of bodybuilding. He climbed to the top of the bodybuilding world by winning the 1982 IFBB Mr. Olympia trophy. This is his biography, competition history, diet, workout routine as well as statistics.

Chris Dickerson (Bodybuilder)

Date of Birth – August 25, 1939

Died – December 23, 2021 (aged 82 years)

Height – 5’6” (168 kg)

Weight – 195 lbs (88 kg)

Nationality – American

Era – 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Chris Dickerson (born Henri Christopher Dickerson on August 25, 1939, in Montgomery, Alabama), was born to Mahala Ashley Dickerson as the youngest of triplets. His family moved from Alabama to Indianapolis, Indiana when his mother re-married a lawyer named Frank Beckwith. Chris traveled widely and lived in Los Angeles, Palm Springs California, and New York City and retired in Florida.

A special mention to his father Henry Dickerson. “It was I who was named after him, given the French equivalent Henri Dickerson,” says Chris. “He was a good, kind, and relatively accomplished man during these days when Black men were held back and so often the last to be hired, and the first to be fired. My father moved to Cleveland, Ohio after he and my mother divorced, and there became the Head of the Transportation Department for the Cleveland Trust Bank”.

Chris Dickerson’s career spanned 30 years and included approximately 50 contests. Over the decades, he built a dense and symmetrical physique augmented by a dramatic posing style.

Dickerson earned third place at the 1965 Mr. Long Beach (California), his first contest; he placed fourth at the 1994 IFBB Masters Olympia, his last contest.

Two particular achievements stand out in Dickerson’s long career: in 1970, he became the first black AAU Mr. America, and by winning the IFBB Mr. Olympia in 1982, at age 43, he became the most senior winner of the sports most prestigious contest.

Chris was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2000. Aiding Dickerson throughout his career was 1999 Hall of Famer Bill Pearl. In addition to the 1982 IFBB Mr. Olympia, Dickerson won nine other IFBB pro shows in the late 70s and early 80s, making him one of the most successful competitors ever.

Something of a Renaissance man, Dickerson studied music and was an accomplished opera singer no wonder, then, that his posing routines were always pure theater. In his final days, Dickerson lived in a section of Fort Lauderdale, called Wilton Manors where he continued to train at the Gold’s Gym about 4 days per week, conduct seminars, and correspond with current athletes. Chris Dickerson passed away on December 23, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale at 82 years of age.

Competition History

1966

• AAU Mr. North America – 2nd place
• AAU Mr. New York State – Overall winner
• AAU Mr. Eastern America – Overall winner
• AAU Mr. Atlantic Coast – Overall winner
• AAU Junior Mr. USA, Most Muscular – 1st place
• AAU Junior Mr. USA – 1st place

1967

• AAU Mr. California – 1st place
• AAU Mr. America, Most Muscular – 4th place
• AAU Mr. America – 6th place
• AAU Junior Mr. America, Most Muscular – 5th place
• AAU Junior Mr. America – 4th place

1968

• AAU Mr. USA, Most Muscular – 2nd place
• AAU Mr. USA – 1st place
• AAU Mr. America, Most Muscular – 3rd place
• AAU Mr. America – 3rd place
• AAU Junior Mr. America – 3rd place

1969

• AAU Mr. America – 2nd place
• AAU Junior Mr. America – 2nd place

1970

• NABBA Mr. Universe, Short – 1st place
• AAU Mr. America, Most Muscular – 1st place
• AAU Mr. America – 1st place
• AAU Junior Mr. America, Most Muscular – 1st place
• AAU Junior Mr. America – 1st place

1971

• NABBA Mr. Universe, Short – 1st place

1973

• NABBA Mr. Universe, Short – 1st place
• NABBA Mr. Universe – Overall winner
• WBBG Mr. America Pro – 1st place

1974

• NABBA Mr. Universe Pro, Short – 1st place
• NABBA Mr. Universe Pro – Overall winner

1975

• WBBG World Championships – 2nd place
• PBBA Mr. Universe Pro – 2nd place

1976

• NABBA Mr. Universe Pro, Short – 2nd place
• NABBA Mr. Universe Pro – 3rd place
• WBBG Olympus – 4th place

1979

• IFBB Mr. Olympia, Lightweight – 4th place
• IFBB Grand Prix Vancouver – 2nd place
• IFBB Canada Pro Cup – 1st place
• IFBB Canada Diamond Pro Cup – 2nd place

1980

• IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Invitational – 2nd place
• IFBB Mr. Olympia – 2nd place
• IFBB Night of Champions – 1st place
• IFBB Grand Prix New York – 1st place
• IFBB Grand Prix Miami – 1st place
• IFBB Grand Prix Louisiana – 2nd place
• IFBB Grand Prix California – 1st place
• IFBB Florida Pro Invitational – 1st place
• IFBB Canada Pro Cup – 1st place

1981

• IFBB Professional World Cup – 2nd place
• IFBB Mr. Olympia – 2nd place
• IFBB Night of Champions – 1st place
• IFBB Grand Prix World Cup – 2nd place
• IFBB Grand Prix Washington – 1st place
• IFBB Grand Prix New York – 1st place
• IFBB Grand Prix New England – 2nd place
• IFBB Grand Prix Louisiana – 1st place
• IFBB Grand Prix California – 1st place

1982

• IFBB Mr. Olympia – 1st place

1984

• IFBB Mr. Olympia – 11th place

1990

• IFBB Arnold Classic – 8th place

1994

• IFBB Masters Olympia – 4th place

Chris Dickerson Workout

Dickerson cycled his training over a calendar year. He used the off-season to bring the weak areas at par with the rest of his body and also focused on adding more muscle mass to his body, in general. Meanwhile, the contest preps focused on refining the physique so that he could bring improved muscle definition, conditioning, and aesthetic appeal every time he returned to compete on a stage.

‘Every show I try to get better and better, and if I didn’t constantly improve, I don’t think I’d stay in the sport.”

During the off-season, Dickerson typically did eight to 15 sets per body part every week. He sometimes did more sets for a muscle group that might be lagging. Before contests, the veteran bodybuilder gradually increased the training volume to 18 to 25 sets per muscle group and focused more on doing isolation exercises to emphasize individual muscles.

Additionally, he trained a lot faster during competition prep, reducing the rest periods between the sets to 20 to 30 seconds versus the 45 to 60 seconds rest period during the off-season.

He trained six days per week and maintained a six to ten rep range for a majority of exercises. Like most yesteryear bodybuilders, the 1982 Mr. Olympia lifted heavy weights and made sure that the training intensity was always high. But heavier weights were never an excuse for losing technique and form.

Dickerson used strict form despite the heavy poundages, Dickerson adhered to correct technique and strict form barring the exception of a couple of cheat reps towards the end of the set. However, the weights used during the competition prep were significantly lighter than those employed in off-season workouts.

Bodybuilding Philosophy

Bodybuilding and Chris Dickerson’s life were so seamlessly merged that it was difficult for him to differentiate between the two. Chris Dickerson believed that it is impossible to achieve remarkable results in any field of work without putting in disproportionately more effort. He once wrote:

“To be a truly great champion in any sport — and particularly in one as all-consuming as bodybuilding — you must be so dedicated that the sport becomes completely woven into the warp and woof of your life.”

Dickerson trained intensely, he trained heavily and not many people around him could match his workouts in terms of poundages, rep range, number of sets, etc. But he rose to that level after decades of consistent efforts and hard work, taking one step at a time to climb to the absolute top of the bodybuilding mountain. As a result, he always advised against blindly copying elite competitors like him:

“I caution novice bodybuilders to remember that my methods are appropriate only for high-level competitive bodybuilders. You’ll have to pay your dues with less-severe workouts for several years before embarking on one of my routines. The biggest mistake that younger, inexperienced bodybuilders make is they overtrain. Don’t make this mistake, because it’ll only slow your progress.”

Bodybuilding is as tough on the mind as it is on the person’s body. Chris Dickerson maintained a super-positive attitude going into the competitions. He always rehearsed the situation in his mind and ingrained it in his mind that the actual competitions were just the same scenario playing out once again on stage.

Thoughts on rest and recuperation

Dickerson firmly believed that rest and recuperation were as important as training and nutrition. He cautioned against overtraining and preached that the body will not respond efficiently to training and nutritional stimuli if it is not well rested. Decades of experience had taught Dickerson that you can lose muscle mass instead of gaining it if you don’t allow the body to rest between workouts.

“I’ve found that I need a minimum of 7 1/2 to 8 hours of sound sleep every night. I also have to keep my mind as tranquil as possible, even though this is difficult before a major event like the Mr. Olympia. For full recuperation, you have to plug every energy leak, including mental and emotional leaks.”

Training Split

Day 1 – Deltoids and Abs

• Incline Sit-Ups – 1 set of 20 reps
• Incline Leg Raises – 1 set of 50 reps
• Seated Twists with a Light Stick – 1 set of 100 reps
• Side Bends from the Waist – 1 set of 50 reps
• Front Leg Kicks – 1 set of 25 reps
• Standing Olympia Bar Presses Off Rack – 1 set of 1 rep (weight – 155 lbs)
• Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raises – (Weight – 50 lbs each arm)
• Seated Barbell Press Behind-the-Neck – 1 set of 1 rep (weight – 135 lbs)
• Bent Over Dumbbell Lateral Raises – 8 sets of 8 reps (weight – 40 lbs)

Day 2 – Biceps and Abs

• Leg Raises off a Flat Bench – 1 set of 100 reps
• Standing Dumbbell Curls off Scott Bench – 10 sets of 6 reps (weight – 50 lbs)
• Seated Barbell Curls – 12 sets of 8 reps (weight – 100 lbs)
• Standing Barbell Curls – 10 sets of 8 reps (weight – 125 lbs)

Day 3 – Back

• Wide Grip Pull-Ups – 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps
• One Arm Dumbbell Rows – 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
• Behind the Neck Lat Pulldowns – 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
• One Arm Cable Rows – 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
• Seated Pulley Rows – 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
• Deadlifts – 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps

Day 4 – Triceps

• Bent Arm Pullovers Using Olympic Bar – 1 set of 6 to 8 reps (weight – 135 lbs)

Day 5 – Legs and Abs

• Leg Raises off the Flat Bench – 1 set of 100 reps
• Barbell Squats – 8 sets of 8 reps
• Leg Press – 8 sets of 8 reps
• Hack Squats – 8 sets of 8 reps
• Leg Extensions – 8 sets of 10 reps
• Leg Curls – 10 sets of 12 reps

Day 6 – Chest

• Incline Dumbbell Flyes – 8 sets of 8 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Press – 8 sets of 6 reps
• Parallel Bar Chest Dips – 6 sets of 8 reps

Chris Dickerson Diet

The veteran bodybuilder had a positive relationship with food and his physique. Dicekrsoon underwood his body so well that he adapted well to the changes it underwent with growing age as well as wear and tear. As a result, Dickerson could enjoy performance longevity and compete for decades on end.

During the off-season, Chris Dickerson ate a balanced diet that included milk products, white meat, red meat, eggs, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, salads, seeds, nuts, and other healthy and natural whole foods. Some cooking methods like frying and cooking at high temperatures can destroy the vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients in the food. To avoid this loss of nutrients, Chris Dickerson preferred eating lightly cooked foods.

Meanwhile, Dickerson’s competition prep diet is focused on getting him cut. He slowly started to eliminate the foods that kept him from getting shredded before the competition and got down to his strictest diet approximately six to eight weeks before the competition date. This diet usually included broiled fish, broiled chicken breast, salads, fruits (twice a week), water, and coffee.

Although it was difficult to stay on this diet and it tested Dickerson’s willpower, he was a consummate professional and stayed the course to bring a shredded physique to the stage.

But as he grew older, Chris Dickerson grew more strict about his diet even during the off-season. Once the metabolism started to slow down after crossing over to the wrong side of 30, it was difficult to maintain the necessary body composition by following the same kind of diet he used to follow earlier.

Dickerson had to get rid of milk products and restrict junk meals to a maximum of once or twice in the off-season.

Full day of eating

Typically, Chris Dickerson’s off-season diet looked like this:

Meal 1

• 10 Egg Whites
• 2 Scoops of Whey Protein
• 4 packets of Oatmeal

Meal 2

• Shake with 2 to 4 Scoops of Mass Gainer Supplement
• 2 Scoops of Whey Protein with Oatmeal or Bananas or Peanut Butter depending on the goal

Meal 3

• Post-Workout Shake – 3 to 4 scoops of Mass Gainer Supplement
• 2 Scoops of Whey Protein
• 1 or 2 Bananas

Meal 4

• Steak or Fish or Lean Cuts of Pork or Ground Turkey
• 2 Cups of Brown Rice

Meal 5

• Go to a Restaurant for Mexican Food or Thai Food or Burgers

Supplementation

Chris Dickerson supplemented his diet with vitamins and minerals throughout the year. Although he appreciated the benefits of supplements in meeting the nutritional requirements, the veteran bodybuilder did not abuse the concept of supplementation and used it for meal replacement.

“Without the supplements, nutritional deficiencies can occur, and they keep you from reaching the highest possible peak.”

During the competition prep, Dickerson used supplements in larger quantities to provide necessary nutrients that were not included in the restrictive pre-contest diet.

To Conclude…

In simple words, Chris Dickerson was great genetics and hard work personified. He built a great physique and made bodybuilding his life. The veteran bodybuilder inspired several generations of bodybuilders and made a huge impact with his unparalleled work ethic.

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