The Dorian Yates Workout and Diet Program

Uncover the principles of the Dorian Yates Workout, an approach that revolutionized bodybuilding in the 1990s.

Author

Kyle Hunt
March 31, 2025

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. Dorian 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 [1]. 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.

-Kyle