Dorian Yates’ Opposite Approach to Falling Apart at 61 – Generation Iron Fitness & Strength Sports Network

How does the former Mr. Olympia keep fit?

6x Mr. Olympia champion and legend in the sport of bodybuilding, Dorian Yates, set a new standard for competitors in the Mens Open division when he first took to the stage. Dorian Yates was the original mass monsterbringing a dimension and level never seen before conditioning which no one has approached. He has now been retired from bodybuilding for decades, but he hasn’t let go. Yates maintains a high level of personal fitness which keeps him in great shape. He recently released an Instagram post in which he revealed his one and only opposite approach to dieting and claims it has helped him maintain a ripped physique at the age of 61.

Who is Dorian Yates?

Full name: Dorian Yates (bodybuilder)
Weight	Height	Date of birth
240-290 lbs	5’10”	04/19/1962
Division	Era	Nationality
Bodybuilder	1980, 1990	British

If you haven’t heard of Dorian Yates, he made a name for himself in the 90’s bodybuilding scene with his impressive muscle mass, definition and his tendency to disappear between shows, earning him the nickname The Shadow. Yates would compete, so no one would see or hear him until it was time to take the stage again, and each time he would bring a ridiculous physique, boasting one of the best back developments of all time in the Mens Open division .

Our Generation Iron team was lucky enough to be able to profile Yates for the film, Dorian Yates: The Original Mass Monster. Watch the trailer below!

He pioneered the sport of bodybuilding in the UK and emerged as the biggest bodybuilding superstar outside the region. He won his first Sandow trophy at the 1992 Mr. Olympia, then became the Mr. Olympia 6 times in total.

Despite having been retired for years now, the 61-year-old has carried his passion for fitness into his later years. He provided numerous training tips that he used both during and after his Mr. Olympia reign. Yates listed barbell rowers with a sneaky Jack as the exercise of his choice of build the back.

Just a few months ago, Yates opened up about his training frequency that he used during his reign as Mr. Olympia. He revealed that he would only train four days a week before Olympia, recovery prioritywhich is where the growth really takes place.

Dorian Yates’ Training Methods

Dorian Yates’ training was something of a phenomenon, it was called blood and guts because he put everything into it. Yates used the high intensity original heavy hitter training techniques, Mike Mentzer, as well as Arthur Jones. This is what he used to create his physique. The high-intensity training meant Yates would come close failure in each training session and the exercises usually consisted of 1-2 top sets. This training method was used instead of following a higher volume of sets and repetitions traditionally adopted by bodybuilders, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger.

His education can be found in an e-book he published, the Dorian Yates’ training diary. This diary details his time on stage and how he trained to win all of those titles when he was at his peak, particularly in the years 1983-1997.

Unfortunately, Yates has collected several injuries over the years, and these ultimately forced him into retirement. He also had one hip injury which forced him to stop crouched down, which is why he also argued that squats are an essential part of any muscle-building workout program. He also had one triceps injury that he competed with and won, but ultimately ended his career.

Yates now focuses his training more on functionality and has even started using stem cell therapy just a few months ago, reporting that his inflammation went down and had improvements in his shoulders immediately after 30 days of treatment. Regarding progress in his other joints which consist of his elbow AND kneeindicated that it would take a little longer before any significant changes were noticed.

A physique in pieces at 61 years old

Now, at 61, Dorian Yates still boasts a string of six pack abs, So how does it do? While most bodybuilders keep fit with intense and severe workouts diet which consists of huge amounts of foods and meal timing, Yates attributes his tattered physique to intermittent fasting. That’s right, Dorian Yates eats less food to stay shredded and maintain a good amount of muscle mass.

Here’s what he had to say:

Intermittent fasting, the opposite approach to eating from what I was used to 30 years ago when I ate every two hours!

But for the past few years I have been practicing intermittent fasting.

I have experienced numerous benefits and studied virtually every approach to dieting. Intermittent fasting works really well for me.

I am now pursuing my health goals and optimizing longevity over bodybuilding.

Read my latest blog where I explain why I adopted intermittent fasting, the benefits, how you can potentially use it when trying to build muscle, and more.

But the best diet for health goals may not be the same as the best diet for trying to build maximum muscle.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting It’s an increasingly popular and fairly well-supported dietary approach to fat loss. It involves periods of prolonged fasting, meaning people abstain from consuming food. Intermittent fasting has gained recognition for its potential benefits which include:

• Weight loss
• Muscle gain
• Blood sugar regulation
• Activation of anti-aging genes

Now, this doesn’t mean starve yourself for a set amount of time, then binge at will junk food and anything else you want. Intermittent fasting on the other hand means that you don’t eat for a certain amount of time, then when you do you eat a set amount of calories and just the right amount of proteinfat and carbohydrates to help your body recover.

Wrap

Overall, Dorian Yates has brought a whole new standard of competitor to the sport of bodybuilding, and now, even at 61, he’s still shattered. Yates credits his impressive physique to intermittent fasting, which is something you might not expect since most bodybuilders eat non-stop and swear by it. However, he was never one to go with the masses, and this one is no different.

What do you think of Dorian Yates using intermittent fasting?

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