Dorian Yates

We've all started bodybuilding for different reasons, whether as a complement to another sport, to transform our physique or to strengthen ourselves for medical reasons.

We've also defined our goals according to these different reasons, and sometimes it happens that the goals are modified and that what pushed us to start is no longer what pushes us to continue.

That's what happened to me when, in 1995, I pushed open the doors of a weight room for the first time. My aim was to gain strength so I could perform better in Judo. Then, for lack of advice, I bought my first FLEX Magazine, and it was a revelation. I came across a photo of the then Mr Olympia: Dorian Yates.

He was so massive, so cut, and looked so dense, I wanted to be like him. He inspired me throughout my years as a bodybuilder, and so I became interested in his career.

Dorian Yates biography

Dorian Andrew Mientjez Yates was born on April 19, 1962 in Sutton, England. He and his family moved to Birmingham when he was still young. His troubled adolescence led to a 6-month stay in a juvenile detention center. It was here that he realized that not only was he very strong, but that he had to give his life a purpose if he was not to return to prison. He wanted to become a bodybuilder.

In 1981, he began training with a classic Full Body program. Three sets of 10 reps for an exercise from each muscle group without going to failure, every other day.

Between 1982 and 1985, Dorian changed his program to one day of training, one day of rest, training his body on two days before resuming the cycle. This meant: pectorals, back, shoulders on day 1, reps on day 2, then quads, ischios, calves, biceps and triceps on day 3, then rest and restart the cycle. He worked on three sets of 8 reps on average for two exercises per group. The first failed sets also came at this time.

In 1986, to prepare for the English Nationals, Dorian Yates began split training with 3 days of training and one day of rest, but it didn't work. His recovery was not good, so he decided to switch to 2 days on and one day off.

Here's how it went: day 1 pectorals, biceps and triceps day 2 quadriceps, ischios and calves day 3 rest day 4 back and shoulders abs are worked at the end of the session day 5 rest then the cycle resumes. During this period, he switches to two sets of 3 exercises per group, moving closer to his single-set method.

For the first time, he includes cardio in his training, which he will continue to practice both in preparation and out of season.

He goes on to win the British Championship and become PRO.

Dorian Yates weight training

Before Mr Olympia

Between 1986 and 1992, Dorian Yates changed very little in his training, apart from dropping the neck press, which traumatized his shoulders too much, and the free squats, which were responsible for a hip injury in 1987 that crippled him for a long time.

He replaced these two movements with dumbbell neck presses and free squats with the smith machine and press.

In 1991 he won the Night of Champions.

It was after his first Olympia in 1991 that Dorian Yates really switched to the principle of the effective single set. He starts the first movement with one or two warm-up series, followed by a set to failure. The second and third movements are performed without warm-up sets.

The training rhythm is two days on, one day off and two days on and one day off.

Only the abdominals are trained over three effective sets.

After Mr Olympia

As the years went by and injuries occurred, Dorian Yates adapted his technique and the movements he used. He switched from the free squat to the hack squat and leg press, from the neck press to the military bench press with a guide frame, and from the supinated barbell rowing to the same movement but pronated.

Dorian Yates' diet

yates' diet consisted mainly of porridge and egg whites in the morning, mixed with protein.

The majority of his meals consisted of chicken breast or lean red meat, potatoes and green vegetables. He also alternated with rice for carbohydrates. Dorian Yates usually ate six meals a day, a third of which were protein shakes.

Before training, Dorian consumed a shake (a mixture of proteins and carbohydrates) and a carbohydrate drink.

The last meal, before bed, consisted of oatmeal, egg whites and protein powder.

I don't give quantities, as her diet remained the same out of season and in preparation, only the quantities varied.

Here's Dorian YATES' track record, which has made him one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time.

1984 Mr. Birmingham novice 1st

1985 Novice West Coast (England) 1st

1985 World Games 7th (London)

1986 EFBB British HW 1st (in London)

1988 British Championships 1st

1990 Night of Champions 2nd

1991 Night of Championships 1st

1991 Mr. Olympia 2nd

1991 English Grand Prix 1st

1992 Mr. Olympia 1st

1993 Mr. Olympia 1st

1994 Grand Prix Germany 1st

1994 Grand Prix Spain 1st

1994 Grand Prix England 1st

1994 Mr. Olympia 1st

1995 Mr. Olympia 1st

1996 Mr. Olympia 1st

1997 Mr. Olympia 1st

Since retiring from competition following a serious injury to his left triceps, on the back of a 6th Mr. Olympia victory in a row, Dorian Yates has remained active in the world of bodybuilding, launching his own brand of nutritional supplements as well as his "TEMPLE GYM" gym franchise. These various gyms are opening around the world under the supervision of "Shadow", the nickname given to Dorian Yates during his competitive years.

I hope this article will appeal to as many people as possible, and be as inspirational as it has been for me throughout my "career" in bodybuilding.