Jackson Spidell spent most of his childhood on a farm in Hamilton, Michigan, watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers. His parents, who have a history in martial arts, saw his passion for the sport and enrolled him in Shorin-ryu Karate. He was soon placed in an accelerated program and on the school's competition team. From then on, his martial arts career soared.

In 1998, his family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he continued training under Terry Creamer in Isshin-ryu Karate. Voted the Best All-Around athlete in his high school, Jackson continued to excel in his martial arts training. Soon after, he was invited to move to Los Angeles to pursue acting. While in Los Angeles, he began to train with several martial artists in the area, most notably Matt Mullins. He was asked to perform with Sideswipe and from then on, these great martial artists became great teammates who became great friends.