Dorian Yates is a famous name in the world of bodybuilding. He is a legendary and one of the most respected figures among other big and prominent names in bodybuilding.
His accomplishments include being associated with the title of Mr. Olympia six consecutive times from 1992 to 1997.
Overall, he comes behind big names like Ronnie Coleman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Phil Heath, becoming the fifth biggest holder of the Mr.Olympia title in the history of bodybuilding.
Often referred to as “Mr. Shadow,” Dorian Yates still has maintained his body physique, for which he has to put in much effort.
Throughout his bodybuilding career, he looked after his stunning body physique and strength, which came after years of practice put together with determination and an intense training philosophy.
His workout and strict diet discipline have become a blueprint for the upcoming bodybuilders and aspirants looking up to him.
Dorian Yates has never been much too open about sharing his workout and diet regimen, but in this article, you’ll find everything from start to end about a Dorian Yates-inspired workout and diet routine that will help you kickstart your fitness journey in the right direction.
So, without any further ado, let’s dig right in to explore the intricacies of Dorian Yates’s workout and diet regimen.
Dorian Yates Current Biographical Details
| Full name | Dorian Andrew Mientjez Yates |
| Born | April 19, 1962 |
| Age | 61 years |
| Height | 1.78 m (5’10’’) |
| Weight | 260 pounds (contest time) 290 pounds (off-season) |
Dorian Yates Workout Regimen
It’s useless to follow Dorian Yates’s workout regimen without understanding and following the key principles on which his workout regimen is based.
His workout is unique, it’s inspired by Mike Mentzer’s HIT (High-Intensity Training) in which brief but intense workouts are carried out to boost muscle growth to its maximum potential.
There are different ways you can make HIT work, but Dorian’s approach was to perform fewer sets with heavier weights to stimulate maximum muscle growth.
He focuses on strength training for each area of his body so he won’t skip any part of his workout routine at any cost.
He would do what is called a “Training Split ” in which he would divide a week into four days to focus on each of his muscle groups at one time. This way, he would find a good time for recovery and don’t feel overwhelmed by the load of exercises.
Day 1: Chest and Biceps
- Incline Barbell Bench Press (2 warmup sets, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 8-10 reps)
- Machine Chest Press (2 warmup sets, 12 reps, 1 working set, and 8-10 reps)
- Decline Bench Press (2 warmup sets, 12 reps, 1 working set, and 8-10 reps)
- Incline Dumbell Flys (2 warmup sets, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 8-10 reps)
- Flat Bench Dumbell Flys (2 warmup sets, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 8-10 reps)
- Incline Dumbell Biceps Curl (2 warmup sets, 12 reps, 1 working set, and 8 reps)
- Standing EZ Biceps Curl (2 warmup sets, 12 reps, 1 working set, and 8 reps)
- Machine Preacher Curl (A warmup set, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 10 reps)
- Cable Crossover (2 warmup sets, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 8-10 reps)
Day 2: Shoulders and Triceps
- 5-10 warmup
- Seated Dumbell (1 warmup set, 10-12 sets, 1 working set, 6-8 reps)
- Lateral raises (1 warm-up set, 10 sets, 1 working set, 8 reps)
- Machine Rear Delt Flyes (1 warmup set, 10-12 sets, 1 working set, 6-8 reps)
- Dumbell Rear Delt Flyes (1 warmup set, 10-12 sets, 1 working set, 6-8 reps)
- Close-grip Bench Press (1 warmup set, 10-12 sets, 1 working set, 6-8 reps)
- Bar pushdowns ((1 warmup set, 10-12 sets, 1 working set, 6-8 reps)
Day 3: Back
- Dumbell Pullover (2 warmup sets, 10 reps, 1 working set and 10 reps)
- Hammer Pulldowns (2 warmup sets, 10 reps, 1 working set and 10 reps)
- One arm Dumbell Row (1 warmup set, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 10 reps)
- Barbell deadlift (1 warmup set, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 8-10 reps)
- Wide-grip Seated Cable Row (1 warmup set, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 8-10 reps)
- Barbell Deadlift (1 warmup set, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 8-10 reps)
- Hyperextension (1 working set, 8 reps)
Day 4: Legs
- Leg extensions (2 warmup sets, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 10 reps)
- Leg Press(2 warmup sets, 10 reps, 1 working set and 10 reps)
- Hack squat (2 warmup sets, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 10 reps)
- Seated Hamstring Curl (2 warmup sets, 12-15 reps, 1 working set and 10 reps)
- A five-minute break…
- Stiff-legged Deadlift (1 warmup set, 10 reps, 1 working set and 10 reps)
- Barbell Lunges(1 warm-up set, 10 reps, 1 working set and reps)
- Barbell squats (1 warm-up set, 10 reps, 1 working set, and 8 reps)
- Cool down
Dorian Yates Diet Regime
As a bodybuilder, Yates has to be specific and strict with the food he consumes.
He would avoid taking in an unbalanced proportion of food groups to maintain his physique for a longer period. He understands prolonged workout sessions are useless if your diet is trash.
Following the peak of his career, Yates has admitted that his diet has changed for good.
Now, he won’t only consciously consume muscle-building supplements and shakes but also look upon consuming necessary fats and carbohydrates.
Therefore, his diet regime mainly focuses on adapting to an increased eating frequency, consuming over 6 meals per day.
Meal 1:
- Whole-grain toast
- Omelet with egg whites
- One scoop of protein powder
Meal 2:
- Nuts
- Protein shake
Meal 3:
- Lean protein in the forms of chicken, fish
- Brown rice
- Green veggies
Meal 4:
- A protein shake post-workout
Meal 5:
- Carbs from sweet potatoes or brown rice
- Avocados
- A serving of lean protein from chicken, fish, beef
Meal 6:
- Greek yogurt
- Porridge
This way, he ensured that he was not cutting off on any important food group, which led to following a well-maintained balanced diet for his body.
He ensures equalizing the proportions of each food class in the best way possible, and while in his recovery period, he consumes a healthy amount of carbs for healing and repair.
His dietary plan was devised based on calorie consumption and burning calculations, along with the macronutrient requirements for his body. Therefore, you can change your diet plan, specifically tailored to your body and health.
Conclusion
- Dorian Yates, better known as “The Shadow,” has gained a name in the bodybuilding Hall Of Fame in which he has earned the title of Mr.Olympia six consecutive times, making him one of the most successful bodybuilders of all time. Today, Dorian Yates is living a healthy lifestyle, advocating for other forms of physical well-being such as meditation, yoga, etc.
- Dorian’s workout is unique, it’s inspired by Mike Mentzer’s HIT (High-Intensity Training) in which brief but intense workouts are carried out to boost muscle growth to its maximum potential.
- Dorian’s approach was to perform fewer sets with heavier weights to stimulate maximum muscle growth. He would divide a week into four days to focus on each of his muscle groups at one time.
- Yates’s diet regime mainly focuses on adapting to an increased eating frequency, consuming over 6 meals per day. He eats a balanced and nutritious diet.