Uncover the principles of the Dorian Yates Workout, an approach that revolutionized bodybuilding in the 1990s.
Bodybuilding has become a sport of conformity. There is little uniqueness among today’s top ranks. Everyone lifts, eats, and looks the same, making articles like this pretty dull.
Let’s face it, no one wants to read about a guy who trains with moderate volume and intensity, even though it’s a sensible way to do things.
No, we like extremes. Bodybuilding is a wild sport, and breakthroughs don’t happen by following the crowd. And as much as the collective knows or thinks it knows about exercise science, we don’t have everything figured out. The sooner you realize that the better off you will be. There is still room to question the status quo. It’s what Dorian did.
While legends like Arnold and Lee Haney embraced high-volume training, The Shadow took a different route. The Dorian Yates workout built upon the ideas of Mike Mentzer and Arthur Jones, creating the legendary “Blood and Guts” program—a low-volume, high-intensity approach that proved there is more than one path to the top.
If you’re ready to give everything—physically and mentally—into each workout, this might be for you. In this article, we’ll uncover the principles that Dorian Yates used to win six Sandow trophies and how to apply them to your training. It won’t be easy, but the most effective methods never are.
The Dorian Yates Workout Split
Pinpointing a pro bodybuilder’s training split can be tricky, as most athletes change their routines every few months. However, the training split outlined below is the one Dorian followed throughout his entire pro career.
- Monday: Shoulders and Triceps
- Tuesday: Back and Rear Delts
- Wednesday: Rest Day
- Thursday: Chest and Biceps
- Friday: Rest Day
- Saturday: Legs and Calves
- Sunday: Rest Day
Two things stand out when looking at Dorian’s training split. First, he only trained each muscle group once every seven days, allowing ample time for recovery between sessions. While there was a time when “bro splits” like this were seen as less effective than higher-frequency training, recent research has challenged that view. Second, with his chest and biceps lagging behind other muscle groups, he strategically added rest days before and after that workout to optimize performance and recovery.
The Dorian Yates Workout Routine
Picture this: It’s a cold, dreary day in Birmingham, England, but you’re on cloud nine. You have the rare opportunity to train with six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates for the week.
As you arrive at Temple Gym, you make your way down the steps into what feels like a basement dungeon. The clatter of weights and the roar of focused lifters reverberate through the walls. Dorian greets you at the door, not with a handshake or a smile, but with a subtle wave that signals it’s about to get real. Here is the training week ahead.
Monday: Shoulders and Triceps
The first workout of the week begins with shoulders and triceps, and Dorian wastes no time getting straight into it. He starts with the Smith machine overhead press. “The Smith machine locks you in,” he explains. “It restricts lateral and horizontal movement, giving you more stability when lifting heavy. Perfect for forced reps.”
Next, the focus shifts to seated dumbbell side raises. “Doing this seated limits momentum,” Dorian points out, “keeping the tension on the lateral delt.” He watches closely as you push through 8-10 full-range reps, then orders, “Give me those extra partials,” when near failure. You oblige and pump out a couple of more.
From there, you guys move on to one-arm cable lateral raises. “The cable keeps constant tension on the delts throughout the range of motion,” he notes. After 10 tough reps, he steps in to help with a couple of forced reps, making sure to slow down the eccentric part of the lift. “Control the descent,” Dorian commands.
For traps, it’s dumbbell shrugs. “Full squeeze at the top,” he instructs, ensuring you’re not cutting the movement short.
Next, the triceps portion of the workout begins with cable pressdowns. After two warm-up sets, Dorian loads up the stack for an all-out set to failure. You’ve never seen anyone go so hard on triceps pressdowns.
The focus then shifts to skull crushers with the EZ-curl bar. “Elbows up—this hits the long head of the triceps,” Dorian explains as you work through the reps, focusing on form and control.
Finally, the workout finishes with single-arm reverse grip pressdowns. “Last set, make it count,” Dorian says, bringing the first workout of the week to a close. Your muscles are fried, but Dorian’s just smirking. “Good job. Now get ready for tomorrow.”
The Workout:
- Smith Machine Overhead Press: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- One-Arm Cable Lateral Raise: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug: 1 set x 10-12 reps
- Cable Triceps Pressdown: 1 set x 10-12 reps
- EZ Bar Skull Crusher: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- One Arm Reverse Grip Cable Triceps Pressdown: 1 set x 10-12 reps
Tuesday: Back and Rear Delts
When bodybuilding fans think of Dorian Yates, the first thing that often comes to mind is his legendary back—a combination of width, thickness, and detail that set a new standard for the sport.
It all starts with the Nautilus pullover machine. Dorian loves this machine because it’s one of the few back exercises that minimizes bicep involvement, letting you focus purely on driving through your elbows to maximize lat contraction.
After one all-out set of pullovers, Dorian moves on to the underhand Hammer Strength pulldown. “Control the movement,” he insists. One of his key back training principles is eliminating momentum. Most people pull with their biceps or use momentum to get the weight up, but Dorian holds each rep at the peak contraction for a full second. “If you can’t hold it for at least a second, you didn’t get it there from muscular effort,” he says. “You used momentum.”
Next is the Yates Row, a variation of the barbell row named after him. Unlike the typical barbell row, Dorian stays more upright, allowing him to handle heavier weights. The row hits the upper back hard, and the intensity doesn’t drop as he finishes the back workout with a set of single-arm chest-supported rows to failure.
Rear delts are also trained on back day, as they’re involved in many rowing movements. Dorian hits them with a unique prone reverse pec deck and then finishes with bent-over dumbbell rear raises—simple but effective.
It’s unconventional to save deadlifts for the end, but Dorian isn’t training for powerlifting; he’s focused on muscle growth, so the weight doesn’t matter. In fact, saving deadlifts for the end allows him to get more out of less weight.
The Workout:
- Nautilus Pullover Machine: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Underhand Hammer Strength Pulldown: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Barbell “Yates Row”: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Single Arm Chest Supported Row: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Prone Reverse Pec Deck: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Bent Over Dumbbell Raise: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Weighted Back Extension: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Deadlift: 1 set x 6-8 reps
Thursday: Chest and Biceps
After a well-earned rest day, it’s time to hit the gym for a chest and biceps workout. The session will kick off with the incline barbell press, the cornerstone of Dorian’s chest training.
Yates has never been a fan of the flat barbell bench press—it put too much strain on his front delts and pec tendons. So, the incline press is his go-to. He’s under the bar with over 400 lbs, face red, veins popping, and it looks like he’s about to collapse after each rep. Meanwhile, you’re watching, wondering if you’ll ever be able to move your upper body again.
Next up is the machine chest press. Dorian’s quick to dismiss any doubts about machines. “Machines get a bad rap, but they’re effective,” he says between labored breaths. The stability they provide allows for a controlled range of motion and targeted isolation of muscles. But Dorian isn’t using the machine for a light set; he’s pushing through it like it’s the final rep of his life. You can almost hear the metal groaning under the weight.
The chest workout finishes with two fly variations: the dumbbell incline fly and cable crossovers.
Now, it’s time for biceps, starting with incline dumbbell curls. “You stop when the muscle gives out, not when it gets hard,” Dorian mutters in his British accent, sweat dripping down his face as he grinds out rep after rep. Next, it’s barbell curls with an EZ curl bar. Dorian doesn’t ease up; each curl is a battle, his face contorted in agony. Finally, it’s machine curls to finish the workout strong.
“Good work, but I need you to dig deep on Saturday,” Dorian says as if the workout had not nearly killed you both. “Rest up. We got legs next.”
The Workout:
- Incline Barbell Press: 1 set x 8 reps
- Hammer Strength Seated Chest Press: 1 set x 6-8 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Fly: 1 set x 8 reps
- High Pulley Cable Crossover: 1 set x 10-12 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Curl: 1 set x 6-8 reps
- EZ Bar Curl: 1 set x 6-8 reps
- Single Arm Nautilus Curl: 1 set x 6-8 reps
Saturday: Legs and Calves
The final workout of the week is leg day, and like everything Dorian does, it’s brutal.
One thing you won’t see? Back squats. “They never suited my structure,” Dorian says. Instead, he built his massive quads with leg extensions, hack squats, and leg presses. It’s simple, but there’s nothing easy about it. The hack squat is particularly savage—Dorian grinds through his set, face twisted in agony. “Every rep counts—no cutting corners,” he growls, forcing out one more brutal rep.
Hamstrings come next, and Dorian attacks them from two angles. Stiff-leg deadlifts for hip extension and leg curls for knee flexion. “Most people half-ass their hamstring training,” he says between deep breaths. “That’s why their legs don’t look like this.” His set of stiff-leg deadlifts is a war, and his hamstrings are already screaming by the time he hits leg curls, but that’s the point.
Then it’s on to calves. “Two muscles, two movements,” he explains. Straight-leg raises for the gastrocnemius, bent-leg raises for the soleus. Calf training sounds easy, but Dorian’s intensity makes it a different beast. He’s grinding through every rep, calves shaking, refusing to quit.
Dorian looks wrecked but satisfied. “That’s how you grow,” he mutters, wiping the sweat from his face. You, on the other hand, might not be walking tomorrow.
At the end of the week with Dorian, one thing is clear—you were not training nearly as hard as you thought.
The Workout:
- Leg Extensions: 1 set x 10-12 reps
- Leg Press: 1 set x 10-12 reps
- Hack Squat: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Stiff Leg Deadlift: 1 set x 10 reps
- Leg Curl: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Standing Calf Raise Machine: 1 set x 8-10 reps
- Seated Calf Raise: 1 set x 8-10 reps
Dorian Yates Diet Plan
Packing 290 lbs of muscle on your body doesn’t happen accidentally—it takes a crazy amount of calories and protein. Dorian targeted a minimum of 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight and consumed over 400 grams daily.
Here’s what a typical day of eating looked like.
Breakfast
- 12 egg whites
- 4 whole eggs
- 200g of oatmeal
- 2 bananas
- 2 pieces of toast
Pre Workout
- 2 scoops of whey protein
- Piece of fruit
Post Workout
- 2 scoops of whey protein
- Carbohydrate supplement
Lunch
- 300g of chicken or turkey breast
- 150g of brown rice
- Mixed veggies
Snack
- 2 scoops of whey protein
- Rice cakes or Sweet Potatoes
Dinner
- 12oz steak
- Large baked potato
- Mixed veggies
Snack
- 12 egg whites
- 2 whole eggs
- 150g of oats
Dorian Yates Supplement Stack
Supplement options were limited in the 1990s, but Dorian made the most of what was available. Here is what he took.
- Protein Powder: Hitting 400+ grams of protein daily isn’t easy with whole food alone. To bridge the gap, Dorian relied on multiple protein shakes throughout the day, especially around workouts and between meals. Protein powder is just a convenient way to add extra high-quality protein to your diet.
- Creatine: In the ’90s, creatine was the hottest new muscle-building supplement—now, it’s one of the most researched. Everyone should take 5g of creatine monohydrate every day.
- Caffeine: Pre-workout formulas were nonexistent, so bodybuilders like Dorian turned to the classic alternative—coffee or espresso…maybe a little ephedrine, too. A caffeine hit before training improves alertness and performance, giving him an extra edge in the gym. Today, he’d likely be mixing up a pre-workout instead.
- Carbohydrates: Fast-acting carbs post-workout were a staple in Dorian’s day. While research has since debunked the post-workout anabolic window, Dorian used the extra carbs to replenish energy and, more importantly, to help fulfill his daily calorie intake needed to maintain a massive physique.
How You Can Train and Eat Like Dorian Yates
Adhering to Dorian’s blueprints requires unwavering, round-the-clock dedication. However, we can all extract valuable lessons from The Shadow to elevate our own training and nutrition.
Only Do One Set For Each Exercise
The beauty of low-volume training is that there’s no pacing yourself—you go all out, every set. And, with just one working set per exercise, you can get in and out of the gym faster without sacrificing results. But for this approach to work, that single set must be pushed to the absolute limit. After a couple of warm-up sets, take your final set to all-out failure—or beyond.
Use Intensity Techniques
Any discussion of Dorian Yates’s training principles starts with one core philosophy—high-intensity training. His Blood and Guts routine was built on brief but brutal sessions, where effort and intensity mattered more than volume. Every working set was pushed to absolute failure, leaving no reps in the tank.
However, once you’ve mastered training to failure, the next step is extending it. Dorian used intensity techniques like drop sets, rest-pause reps, negatives, forced reps, and partials in the stretched position—all designed to push the muscles beyond their limits and maximize growth.
Always Aim to Beat The Logbook
One of the most valuable habits you can develop is keeping a training journal—just like Dorian Yates did. He meticulously logged every workout, not just for organization but to ensure he was constantly improving. Before each session, he’d review his notes, knowing precisely what he needed to do to beat his previous performance.
A common misconception about HIT is that it’s all about intensity without emphasizing progression. In reality, Dorian was obsessed with progressive overload, which is the key to long-term muscle growth.
You won’t always beat the logbook, but the intent should always be there. That’s why tracking your progress is essential—it keeps you accountable, focused, and constantly striving for more weight or another rep.
Prioritize Recovery
Dorian’s training approach radically differed from most top bodybuilders of his era. While other Mr. Olympia competitors were grinding away in the gym for 2-3 hours a day, six days a week, Dorian kept his sessions short and brutal—just 45 to 60 minutes, four days a week.
His philosophy was simple: muscle grows during recovery, not during the workout. He believed in hitting each muscle group hard once a week and never training more than two days in a row. To prevent burnout and maximize long-term progress, he also incorporated a deload week every 5-6 weeks, where he backed off failure training to allow his body to recover and come back stronger.
Eat Mostly “Clean” Foods
While the occasional treat isn’t off-limits, if you’re serious about your goals, your diet should focus on the essentials: eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, steak, protein powder, oats, potatoes, rice, fruit, and vegetables.
Key Takeaways From
Blood and Guts and Beyond
As someone who enjoys studying the greats of the past, my goal is to play a small role in helping introduce the next generation of lifters to guys like Dorian. I get it, the Blood and Guts style is extreme. Single-set training isn’t for everyone.
But, over the years, the pendulum has swung too far in favor of high-volume training. Make no mistake—high volume works. But so does intensity. And somewhere along the way, people forgot what it means to train with all-out effort. Instead of pushing to the absolute limit, lifters today rely on more sets, more reps, and more time in the gym, often without ever reaching anything close to failure. The result? Plenty of work, but not nearly enough effort. It’s time to bring back the brutality of old-school training.
But be warned—if you’re just chasing a pump and socializing between sets, this isn’t for you. But if you’re willing to push beyond failure, leave nothing in the tank, and embrace the intensity, the Yates-inspired workout might be exactly what you need to take your physique to the next level.
For more articles like this, check out:
- The Mike Mentzer Heavy Duty Training Program
- The Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout and Diet Program
- The Chris Bumstead Workout and Diet Program for 2024
- The Alan Ritchson Workout and Diet Plan For Reacher Season 3
Author: Kyle Hunt
Email: KyleHuntFitness@gmail.com
Hire Kyle as your coach: http://www.kylehuntfitness.com/services/
If you want a complete step-by-step bodybuilding program, check out my ebook, Absolute Muscle.
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