Dorian Yates Workout Routine And Diet Plan

Known as The Shadow, the first mass monster built with blood and guts, Dorain Yates is regarded as one of the all-time greats of bodybuilding.

Yates displayed a physique that blew away the competition in the 90s, winning six consecutive Mr. Olympia titles. Dorian’s sheer size and conditioning transformed the bodybuilding landscape.

How did Dorian Yates really achieve this industry-changing physique?

Today, let’s discuss the Dorian Yates workout routine and diet plan. We’ll cover his high-intensity training workout and the principles that helped him become the original mass monster.

Let’s dive in.  

Dorian Yates Bio and Stats

Dorian Andrew Mientjez Yates was born on April 19th, 1962 in Solihull, Warwickshire, England.

Yate began his bodybuilding journey at Martin’s Gym in 1983 when he was 21.

The following years saw Dorian secure the title of Mr. Birmingham (1984) as a novice. He became the Heavyweight British Champion in 1986.

In 1990, Dorian turned pro, flying to New York to compete in the Night of Champions, where he would place second.

In 1991, Dorian would meet Mike Mentzer at Gold’s Gym. The duo would go on to form a legendary partnership. 

Mike was known in the bodybuilding world for his high-intensity, and low volume training. 

Dorain would adopt Mike’s training principles and use him as a sounding board for different ideas about his workouts.

During this time, Dorian would still plan all of his own routines and track his nutrition.

Still, this relationship would prove to be the driving force behind Yates’ success in becoming the first mass monster of bodybuilding.

He would win an incredible six Mr. Olympia titles, earning the second-most victories behind the great Arnold Schwarzenegger at the time.

During this time he was also dubbed “The Shadow” by Peter McGough for his ability to avoid the public eye. Yates would only appear when it mattered most during competitions and steal incredible victories.

• Age: 57 Years Old
• Height: 5’ 10” (178 cm)
• Weight: 256-282 lbs (290-309 lbs offseason)
• Birthday: 19th April, 1962
• Occupation: Bodybuilder, Business Man
• Retired/Active: Retired

Accolades: 

• 6x Mr. Olympia (1992-1997)
• Heavyweight British Champion (1986)
• Mr. Birmingham Novice (1984)

Dorian Yates Workout Fundamentals

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Dorian Yates’ approach to training was far different from the greats before him. His sessions were about training at a high intensity in a short amount of time to maximize results.

Known as HIIT, Dorian first picked up this style of training from bodybuilding legend Mike Mentzer. He was training an average of 45 minutes per day, four days per week, and power walking 20-30 minutes for cardio on his off days.

Over the years, Yates would make subtle adjustments and changes that he noted to be beneficial for his body.

Also known as the Blood and Guts approach, Dorian would perform a lower volume, often training with a single working set to failure.

What this meant was that he was warming up with one to two sets, and then performing a single set to failure, with the upper end of his sets reaching between 15-30 reps with a heavy weight.

Dorian believed that you can train hard, or you can train long, but not both. He would opt for the short, high-intensity sessions, pushing his body to the limit with each exercise and the assistance of a spotter.

He would also focus on the quality of his contraction, carefully performing eccentric and concentric contractions to maximize his time under tension.

This makes those single sets feel like an eternity, increasing the stimulus, allowing him to become the first-ever mass monster.

Dorian Yates Workout Routine

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Now that we have covered Dorian’s training fundamentals, it’s time to check out his high-intensity training program.

Below, we have Dorian Yates’ Blood and Guts workout routine, a four-day per week low-volume, high-repetition training program designed to push you to your limit for maximum muscle growth.

Here you will find exercises, sets, reps, and rest times, plus Dorian’s exact weekly schedule.

Dorian Yates Blood and Guts Workout Routine

Weekly Schedule

Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
Delts, Traps, Triceps, Abs	Back, Rear Delts	Rest	Chest, Biceps, Abs	Quads Hamstrings Calves	Rest	Repeat

Shoulders, Triceps & Abs

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Smith Machine Shoulder Press	2	15-30	45-60 secs
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise	2	8-20	45-60 secs
Cable Single-Arm Lateral Raise	2	10-30	30-45 secs
Dumbbell Shrugs	1	10-20	30-45 secs
Tricep Pushdown	1	8-12	30-45 secs
EZ Bar Skull Crushers	1	8-20	30-45 secs
Cable Crunches	2	15-30	30-45 secs
Weighted Sit-Ups	2	15-30	30-45 secs

Back & Rear Delts

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Nautilus Pullovers	2	15-30	30-45 secs
Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown	2	12-15	30-45 secs
Barbell Yates Row	2	8-20	30-45 secs
Hammer Strength Single-Arm Row	1	10-12	30-45 secs
Seated Cable Row	1	10-12	30-45 secs
Machine Rear Delt Fly	1	10-12	30-45 secs
Bent Over Rear Delt Flys	1	10-12	30-45 secs
Hyperextensions	1	10-12	30-45 secs
Deadlifts	2	8-12	45-60 secs

Chest, Biceps & Abs

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Incline Bench Press	2	8-12	45-60 secs
Hammer Strength Seated Bench Press	2	6-10	45-60 secs
Incline Dumbbell Fly	1	8-10	30-45 secs
Cable Crossover	1	10-12	30-45 secs
Incline Dumbbell Curl	2	8-10	30-45 secs
EZ Dumbbell Curl	2	6-10	30-45 secs
Nautilus Bicep Curl	2	6-10	30-45 secs
Cable Crunch	2	15-30	30-45 secs
Captain’s Chair Leg Raises	2	15-30	30-45 secs

Quadriceps, Hamstrings & Calves

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Leg Extensions	2	10-15	30-45 secs
Leg Press	2	10-12	30-45 secs
Hack Squats	2	10-12	30-45 secs
Lying Leg Curl	1	10-12	30-45 secs
Stiff Leg Deadlift	1	8-10	30-45 secs
Single-Leg Curl	1	10-12	30-45 secs
Standing Calf Raise	1	8-10	30-45 secs
Seated Calf Raise	1	8-10	30-45 secs

Dorian Yates Dieting and Food Preferences

In the offseason, Yates’ diet would balloon to a mammoth 6,000-7,000 calorie surplus to help him build muscle.

This would be reduced to around 4,000 calories as he was leaning down towards his comp weight. Dorian’s goal was to lose two to three pounds per week over a 12-week period.

He did all this by eating protein-rich foods such as lean meat, vegetables, and complex carbs.

During this time, Dorian describes how he would crave foods that he would not normally eat, his mind wandering to a variety of unhealthy foods.

Post-competition, Dorian would look forward to a good steak, fries, and ice cream to break his diet and relax before heading into another year of rigorous training.

Meal	Food
Meal 1	1x Oatmeal, 10 Egg Whites, 1x Scoop Protein
Meal 2	Protein Shake
Meal 3	2x Chicken Breast, Vegetables, Rice or Potato
Meal 4	Protein Shake
Meal 5	12 oz Filet Mignon, Vegetables, Rice or Potato
Meal 6	½ Cup Oatmeal, 6 Egg Whites

Dorian Yates Diet Plan

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Dorian Yates’ dieting and food preferences are the staples of the traditional bodybuilding diet, rich in protein and complex carbs. 

While this is effective for building muscle, eating these meals day in and day out for months on end will likely have you clamoring for flavor. Worse, you’ll end up dropping the diet altogether.

To remedy this, we have put together a Dorian Yates-inspired diet plan. You can add variety to your eating to help you stick to it long-term and maximize results. 

We have used many of the foods Dorian eats with additional high-calorie protein shakes to help you hit your hefty daily intake goals. 

Meal 1

• Oatmeal (Banana, Blueberries, Honey)
• 10 Egg White Omelet (Avocado, Cheese, Spinach)
• 1x Scoop Protein Shake 

Meal 2

• Protein Shake (2x Scoop Protein, Banana, Mixed Berries, ½ Cup Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Water)

Meal 3

• 12 oz Smoked Paprika and Cumin Baked Chicken Breast
• Green Salad (Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado, Corn, Green Peppers, Red Onion)
• Air Fried Sweet Potato Fries

Meal 4

• 1x Protein Shake
• Protein Yogurt

Meal 5

• 12 oz Filet Mignon (Garlic, Rosemary, Black Pepper)
• 1 Cup Mixed Vegetables
• 2 Cups Jasmine Rice

Meal 6

• 6 Egg White Omelet
• Protein Shake (1 Scoop Protein, ½ Cup Oatmeal, Banana, Yogurt, Mixed Berries)

If you are considering trying the Dorian Yates workout and diet plan, you have to track your calorie and macronutrient intake. 

This will ensure that you are getting enough calories and protein to build lean muscle, carbs for fuel, and fats to absorb essential nutrients.

To calculate your daily calorie and macronutrient intake, use our advanced calorie and macronutrient calculator. 

Just punch in your age, height, weight, gender, and activity level. You’ll receive your precise calorie and macronutrient breakdown to help you fuel your body for maximum results.

Dorian Yates Supplement Preferences

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Dorian Yates’ understanding of his nutrition was vital to getting his body in peak condition.

However, he understood that to push himself to the next level, he would need a range of supplements to increase mass and improve recovery. Today, he has his own supplement brand.

Below is a list of Dorian Yates’ supplement preferences. While he would not have taken these during his career, these are the products he claims give you amazing results.

Supplement	Purpose
DY Shadowhey Isolate	Builds lean muscle and improves recovery
DY Blood & Guts PreWorkout	Increase energy and improves performance
DY The Creatine	Improves performance and training adaptations

Final Thoughts

Without a doubt, there will never be another bodybuilder quite like Dorian Yates.

His era-defining physique and alternative training style transformed the bodybuilding world into what it is today. 

If you are considering trying Dorian Yates workout and diet plan be sure to record your lifts, track your nutrition, and head into each session with grit, blood, and guts.

So, are you thinking of performing a Dorian Yates workout? Does his high-intensity training routine suit your training style?

Let us know in the comments.

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