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He is described by many as "The Beast of Brittany", "The Shadow" and the bodybuilder who started a new trend in massive muscularity while revolutionizing training. Dorian Yates could be considered the most original bodybuilder in the history of this sport.

From humble origins, thanks to the discipline and training systems based on courage and effort, he managed to become the best bodybuilder in the world in his time (winning the Mr. Olympia between 1992 and 1997) and change the trend of bodybuilding towards more physical massive.

Dorian presented on stage a set so huge and in good shape that throughout his career as Mr. Olympina no one could approach him in size and toughness.

As a practitioner of high-intensity training, and a fan of Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty training philosophy , Dorian formulated his own system for gaining size: the "Blood and guts method" and became a testament walking of its effectiveness. This unique training system focused on a variety of exercises to work the muscle from all angles, while being short (no more than 45 minutes per session) and very intense. Today it is widely used and with good effect by many in this sport.

After retiring from bodybuilding after the 1997 Olympia (due to injuries that produced an early departure), Dorian established himself to deliver his "hardcore" philosophy of training to the masses through various media and his Temple Gym. Today he runs a Temple Gym franchise business, judges and promotes bodybuilding encounters, trains selected clients and gives advice in the world of fitness and bodybuilding. His heart goes on with bodybuilding and his legacy can be seen in gyms and stages around the world.

Question: At what level are you still involved in bodybuilding now that you've retired?

Answer:

I have been co-promoting at some shows in England and the Netherlands. I still do appearances, seminars, talks and personally train some clients. I've also been a professional juror for the past year, at the Pro Show in New York, and I'll probably be at Olympia too.

Question: Regarding judging physicists, what do you think of the new voting criteria that encourages competitors to present themselves in more delineated ways?

Answer:

Well, I don't think it will be a big change, since in general the best team will continue to win. But I think it is a good idea to maintain a certain aesthetic level, especially when people are coming out on stage with lumps and bumps all over the place, because they are injecting oils. I don't think that is the most positive way to go, so I think that the new criterion is good if these things can be eliminated.

Question: In your opinion, is bodybuilding heading in the right direction? Do you think it is necessary to make some changes at the top?

Answer:

It is difficult to say. I think that in the 90s more people came out of the amateur ranks, it may be necessary to start looking at beginner or junior level. It is difficult for me to say it because I am in Europe most of the time and not in the United States, but I think that bodybuilding shows are still very popular in the USA and a little less in Europe, where more people have diversified to fitness.

Question: Do you think that the quality of physicists today, at a professional level, has changed a lot compared to the time when you competed?

Reply:

I don't think they have changed radically. Many people are trying to follow the path of a larger size. Gaining a lot of size was not my only goal when preparing for a competition, although pure muscle mass was very important. I always worried about being very sharp in terms of form.

I think this is missing a bit now, and has been happening for the past few years. When you go to an event, you see a couple of competitors who are in really good shape, but the rest are mediocre or not so good. When I was competing at Olympia I think there were more guys who were really in good shape.

There was more emphasis on form, but today you see competitors who go for size at the expense of form. It sounds strange to hear me say this, since I was precisely known for my large muscular size, but that was not my priority when preparing for a competition. Obviously he had a lot of muscle, but the main thing was to come out in a super-defined way.

Question: Of course, you were known for your level of definition, you came out with a granite (rocky) appearance that is still talked about today, did you do something special to achieve that aspect?

Reply:

There are no magic tricks, it is a year-long job. You have to stay in good conditions out of season, and then prepare for a long period of time, correctly and slowly, really aiming to be in near perfect shape 2 or 3 weeks before the competition. When that point comes it's a matter of fine-tuning a little manipulating the water levels and things like that.

If you plan to do something radical in the last few weeks to change, I think you are focusing it wrong. People do all kinds of weird voodoo practices with chemicals and stuff at the last minute, hoping that they're going to get some magic done.

At the very least, this way of doing things is deficient. If you have arrived in shape close to the competition dates, you can stay up or down. It is easier to manipulate things. Question: So you were always in good shape a few weeks before? Answer: Yes, usually 2-3 weeks before. I was finishing my training at the Steve Weinberger & Bev Francis Gym in New York. I would leave there and get on the plane for Europe, and I was practically ready for the competition. You could have asked me to go upstairs the next day and it wouldn't have been a problem. Question: In all the years of competition as a professional, what skills and abilities did you obtain? How do you apply them to your daily life? Reply:

I think what I gained mainly was mental capacity: Setting goals is something I learned in the beginning (both short term and long term), and to get what you want. I also gained the determination and strength of character that is created by subjecting yourself to the challenges of this sport. That transcends most areas of your life.

Question: Like 6 times Mr. Olympia, you are clearly one of the best of all time. What gave you the most satisfaction as an Olympia winner?

Reply:

I think it was an achievement in the background from which it came. I didn't really have any support when I started. The facilities in England at that time were poor compared to those in the United States, and the attitude of the people was "You are never going to be able to beat the Americans." It almost seemed that the Americans were 2 heads and 3 and a half meters tall.

It was an American sport, so there wasn't much chance of beating them. There was also talk of politics "You don't know the right people and you're not in all the magazines, nobody knows you." I think I managed to break all those feelings, and they became myths. I think you can be successful no matter where you come from if you have what it takes and enough determination.

Question:There were many times in your career when you could have chosen to walk away from bodybuilding due to the circumstances of your life. What is it that motivated you to continue and finally achieve what you accomplished?

Answer:

I am a stubborn bastard. I don't give up easily. There were a couple of times that I could have retired. In '94 I had a bicep tear, potentially leaving me out of competition or that could have ended my career, but I decided to be a soldier and do my best as always, and it worked.

The 97 triceps tendon injury was even closer to the competition. Even so, I managed to pass the competition and win it, even though that led me to retire, since the injury was interfering with my training to such a degree that I felt that I could not give my maximum in the future. That frustrated my intentions a bit, but the withdrawal was something that was going to come sooner or later anyway.

Question: How did you train to cope with the injury to your triceps?

Reply:

Before the competition I just didn't train, because the injury was so severe that I couldn't. I couldn't extend my arm well and I couldn't pose. As I mentioned before, my policy was to always be in good shape near the contest, so I was even though I couldn't touch the weights. I did some cardio and maintained my diet while trying to lower the swelling and wound from the injury. That's what he mainly did.

I didn't really make up my mind to go on stage and compete until the last few days. He didn't know if he would make it or not, but he didn't want to quit. I did my best and I did it. Shortly after the competition I had an operation to repair the tendon.

Question:I suppose that the mental strength to compete under those circumstances is one of the things that allowed you to stand out from the rest of your competitors ...

Answer:

I think that is what always separates the guy who is in first place from the one who is in second or third place at that level in any sport. Most of those at the highest level are highly gifted athletes, what separates one from the other is usually the mental aspect.

Question: Ronnie Coleman said not long ago that his life was his career, and that he spent most of his time preparing for Olympia. Was the philosophy you adopted similar?

Reply:

Yes. Looking back, maybe he was too extreme. He didn't give me a break. Ronnie is very dedicated and that is why he is (was) Mr Olympia, but even he will probably tell you that he takes breaks from training a couple of months a year. I never allowed myself to go more than a week without training.

Even when he was on vacation after an Olympia, he was looking for a gym in which to train. I spent not only 24 hours a day, but 365 days a year. That may have been too extreme, but that's what got me there starting from a small alley gym in England to becoming Mr. Olympia. I was reluctant to change it.

Question: What was driving you to want to be the best bodybuilder in the world?

Answer:

I was always motivated by being different. I didn't start out planning to be Mr. Olympia, I wanted to be the best I could be, but my goals changed as I went along. First I wanted to be the British champion, then I wanted to be a professional and then Mr. Olympia.

Perhaps somewhere in the back of my mind, when I was an amateur training for the British Championships, I wanted to be Mr. Olympia. But it was almost too far away, so you couldn't focus on that, just what was most immediate.

I can't put my finger on it and say what it is exactly but some people have the real motivation, that something to stand out from the rest. It is something I have always had. If he hadn't been an athlete he probably would have competed in something else. Open more gyms or bigger gyms. I was never meant to work 9-5 like the average. I respect the people who choose that path, but I have never been one of those.

Question: Obviously you loved bodybuilding (plank exercise benefits) and competing on the Olympia stage. What did you like most about bodybuilding?

Reply:

There are a few things: first of all it is the fact that it is an individual sport. I tend to be quite individualistic and do my thing. Being part of a team did not appeal to me. I liked going to the gym and challenging myself physically and mentally and challenging my personal limits.

So I was never able to understand professional bodybuilders taking 2 or 3 months off a year, why would I do that if I like to train? I'm still training today. Maybe not with the extension from before and maybe with more variety, I do more cardio too, but I love going to the gym and training. It is not a burden on me.

Question: What training plan do you follow today?

Reply:

I usually train with weights 3 times a week. In another 3 days I do some form of cardio (jogging or static cycling) or some martial arts. It depends on what you feel like. I like to have more variety.

Question: Do you currently have a specific training objective?

Answer:

Just keep fit and healthy. I also try not to irritate the injuries that I have earned over the years.

Question: Would you highlight any of your victories at Olympia?

Reply:

For my taste I would highlight the Olympia '93, which was the second. In '92 I won for the first time, and so it would seem like the most obvious answer, but '93 was the year that I managed to put it all together. It was a bit ironic, but in '92 I still didn't fully know my body and I was a little bit light due to an excess diet.

In 93 I avoided that mistake and went out to compete with 8Kg more and everyone was surprised. They thought I was getting a super drug or something. But it was nothing like that, I just learned how to prepare for competition properly and without sacrificing muscle mass. Question: It must have been one of the most amazing transformations in bodybuilding history. Did you do something special to get what you presented on stage at the Olympia '93?

Answer:

I had a good year of training, I was still a relative newcomer and managed to put in 3.5 or 4 kg more that year, which is a great result for someone at that level. The other 4 kg was simply muscle that I sacrificed with the diet the previous year. He was very analytical and took photos of me every week while preparing for the competition.

He also noted body weight and body fat measurements. I could always look back at my readiness to see what had gone wrong and what was working or what was not. Building a good game plan was important to me. Question: Your high intensity "Blood and Guts" method is frequently talked about. What about that method that has given you such good results? Reply:

It is a high intensity training to stimulate growth, tempered with rest outside the gym. I think if you look at the professionals training now you can see the influence that this system has had on them. In the late 1980s people still trained 6 times a week, repeating each muscle group twice a week.

I proposed a totally different philosophy, which is based on high intensity training. Other people promoted it before: Arthur Jones of Nautilus and Mike Mentzer with Heavy Duty . But I think I got a more practical system that influenced the way that everyone trains. I think that is why the pros these days have more muscle: They are not in the gym overtraining all the time.

Question: Could you explain this system to us in a little more detail?

Answer:

What matters is the intensity of the exercise and not the duration. If you do a set that doesn't have adequate intensity to stimulate muscle, you're not going to win anything whether you do 99 or 100 of those sets. If you do a really intense set and muscle failure , then you will stimulate muscle growth.

Doing a series more at this point will not give you an additional profit. It will only hinder the recovery of your body. This is the reason for making fewer series.

Question: How is your training system different from Heavy Duty?

Reply:

There is a little more variety in the number of exercises used. Mike was very limited in the number of exercises he used, and he mainly used machines. For the full development of the physique you need in a bodybuilding competition, you have to improve different aspects of the muscle, so you have to train it from different angles. That is why you need a greater variety of exercises and not just machines, but free weights . In the long run, free weights are superior to machines.

Question: Do you still use the Blood & Guts system today?

Reply:

Yes, I usually do shorter workouts (30 or 40 minutes). I don't train much beyond failure and in certain exercises I avoid it due to the injuries I have. Now I am more interested in maintaining a certain amount of muscle, a low percentage of body fat and keeping fit. My goals are a little different. There is not a big difference in training compared to what I did before. Question: What recommendations would you make for beginners who want to train safely and injury-free? Reply:

Obviously learning the exercise and doing it properly is important. A proper shape protects you from injury while allowing you to get the most out of each exercise. The only mistake I really made was to train super intensely the 6 weeks before the competition, when my body fat and energy levels were low and my calories were limited.

The risk of injury at those times is much higher. I was not injured for not respecting the form; It was for pressing the throttle fully at times when it probably wasn't necessary. When you are 6 or 8 weeks from the competition you should focus more on maintaining muscle mass, while I trained as if it was out of season, which is a time when you are building muscle and using a different routine.

You can't gain muscle without enough calories and rest, and you don't have that when you're preparing for competition and trying to reduce your body fat percentage.

Question: Speaking of calories, how many did you consume off-season and before the competition?

Answer:

My highest shot was probably around 6,000. Before a competition it did not drop much beyond 4,000.

Question: What is your approach to nutrition?

Reply:

High protein, and personally speaking, I need a fairly high amount of carbohydrates and a low to moderate amount of fat. Obviously the variable is carbohydrate intake. It reduced them as competition approached, while protein and fat kept them consistent. I was never really low on carbs, I needed a certain level for my high intensity workouts.

Question: What kind of fats did you eat?

Answer:

Some essential fats and small amounts of fat included in the protein, as well as a couple of egg yolks. I used to use a certain amount of medium chain triglycerides when I was getting ready for the contest as an alternative energy source. They also acted as appetite suppressants.

Question: What is the specific benefit of using medium chain triglycerides?

Answer:

They burn quite fast. They are like carbohydrates except that they have no effect on blood sugar levels. The high blood sugar level causes the release of insulin, which makes fat loss difficult. Some use them as a total source of energy and cut carbohydrates entirely, but I used them sparingly and feel it works for me.

Question: What other supplements did you take or recommend?

Reply:

A high-quality protein supplement is something I firmly believed in. You have to take a large amount of protein, and it is not easy to always get it from food, it is also a burden on the digestive system. So a good protein supplement is # 1 that was always in my diet. I also took extra vitamin C (about 2 or 3 grams a day) this helps recovery and the immune system.

Question: Changing the subject, Dorian. What do you think of the treatment that is given to bodybuilders with respect to athletes from other sports?

Reply:

I can only speak from my own experience and have actually had no complaints. I came to the United States as a stranger and managed to finish second in my second professional appearance at Night of Champions. There were 30 participants and I had no publicity before the show, nor did I know the judges or the promoter or anyone else.

So I went to win Olympia. I probably wasn't liked by everyone, but that didn't stop me from winning. I can only speak from my own experience.

Question: So wasn't politicking a problem for you? Was it all about going out on stage with a good ensemble?

Answer:

If you are good enough and consistent, people cannot deny it. It's as simple as that.

Question:What do you think were your best physical qualities as a bodybuilder?

Answer:

Obviously I had a lot of muscle mass and my hallmark was to go on stage looking super tough. I think my muscles had a certain quality and density due to years of heavy training that other participants did not.

Question: Do you think the new emphasis on aesthetics will make it easier for smaller competitors to win Olympia?

Answer:

That debate has been there for many years. I think the most complete participant is the one who wins, and all other things being equal, the bigger guy will look better than the smaller one. Unless someone being small looks truly exceptional, they are not going to beat the big guy.

In the end, it's all about bodybuilding and people want to see muscle up there. If there are no truly huge participants with quality and balance, smaller ones can stand out.

Question: What kind of bodybuilder would you like to be remembered Dorian as?

Answer:

The answer I have from the fans is that I am someone they can relate to, someone who inspires them because they find some similarity in their past with mine. They think I am approachable and down to earth. I have overcome many obstacles to get there and I hope this inspires many other people.

Question: What are your plans for the future on a personal and business level?

Reply:

Staying healthy and fit is the main thing. I will always be involved in bodybuilding to some extent with my gym and nutrition business, so people will be able to see me out there.

Question: Thanks for the interview, we wish you the best

Answer:

Thanks David, I am looking forward to seeing you.