Bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates reached the highest heights of the sport with his insane training methods and jacked package. He has carried his passion for fitness even after moving on from professional competition. In a recent post made on Instagram, Yates revealed his approach to contest prep and how many calories he would drop to get stage-ready.
Dorian Yates dominated the Men’s Open division with his freakish muscle mass, size, and conditioning during the 90s. He presented a tough challenge to eight-time champion Lee Haney in his first-ever Mr. Olympia appearance and eventually took silver. He returned with a sharper package the next year and won his maiden Sandow trophy at the 1992 Mr. Olympia. He proved to be a commanding victor as he added five consecutive title defenses and came out on top of every contest he participated in during his run at the top. He took to the sidelines after a final win at the 1997 Mr. Olympia.
Besides his impressive package, Yates stood out from the pack with his intense mindset and training methods. He would focus solely on training in the off-season and used high-intensity training where he’d reach near failure in every training session.
Yates offered fans a demonstration of the lat pulldowns to optimize back gains three months ago. He recommended pulling with your elbows in order to take the load off the biceps and keep the stress on the lats. Then, Yates detailed how to perform hamstring curls for building muscle. He stressed the importance of using a full range of motion with a slow negative for the best results.
‘The Shadow’ opened up about the protocols he would utilize while in prep for competitions months ago. He revealed his training didn’t differ too much from the off-season except for increased cardio and laid out the food sources he consumed. He also credited TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) for helping improve his mental and physical health since he quit steroids after retirement.
Two months ago, Yates encouraged fans to high-intensity training sessions to 45 minutes as he believes it’s not possible to train with intensity for longer. He followed up by sharing his unconventional four days-a-week workout routine and claimed squats were not essential for building muscle weeks later.
Dorian Yates gave fans a look into the two-exercise ab workout routine he followed in his prime last month. The routine was made up of bodyweight crunches and reverse crunches, which he’d perform once a week and pair with shoulders and triceps workouts. He offered some of the essential exercises he’d utilize to enhance chest muscle development two weeks ago.
Dorian Yates Reveals His Approach to Contest Prep: ‘Scaled Down Caloric Intake & Increased Cardio’
In a recent Instagram post, Dorian Yates shared his approach to contest prep. He revealed he’d cut down from 6,500 calories in the off-season to 3,500-4,000 calories in prep and even went as low as 2,500 calories for his debut.
“Contest prep! So following on from my post about my off season, my approach for my prep was mainly the same,” said Yates. “ The only real difference for my preparation was that I scaled down my caloric intake and increased my cardio. My training pretty much stayed the same as did my food choices, but I consumed less. At my heaviest, going from 6,500 calories in the off season down to 3,500 – 4,000 calories was quite the deficit and although 4000 calories may seem quite a lot to some people… I was absolutely starving!
“For my first contest I dieted down to 2,500 but as I got bigger over the years, I was able to burn more. I remember waking up in the middle of the night because I had a dream that was so real… I dreamt that I had ate a big plate of sausages! Of course this wasn’t possible as I didn’t have them in the house, but the mind plays tricks. I guess my body was crying out for extra calories and fats.
He’d target getting stage-ready about six weeks out from a show.
“ You have to be in control of both your mind and body, you need to be in command and tell your body when it’s time to eat. Everything was weighed to the gram for my food, I knew the exact macros I’d be consuming per meal and ate according to my schedule, on the dot. I didn’t really ever do any cardio in the gym, I did it at home on my stationary bike in my garage where I’d also practice my posing routine. I did take my dog for a walk everyday and used this as a form of cardio too where I’d power walk my way down the canals of Sutton Coldfield (just outside Birmingham town).
“I’d typically be contest ready 6 weeks out. This would allow me to cruise into the competition and make any minor adjustments needed. Usually it’d be a few pounds that I’d need to drop in the two weeks leading up to the show. Planning ahead was crucial, I never needed to drastically cut weight a couple of weeks out. I always ensured I followed my plan and kept a constant reminder as to why I was doing this. The end goal was always in my mind.”
Dorian Yates showed off his ripped midsection with a 40-year physique progression snap about two weeks ago. He boasted his impressive abs which he maintained throughout from age 22 to 61. He followed up by listing some of his favorite exercises for longevity earlier this month.
Yates’ latest update offered a look into the insane discipline one needs to have to contend with the most elite bodybuilders in the world.