What is the Dorian Yates Blood and Guts Workout? 

Dorian Yates has won Mr Olympia contest 6 times (Image by Gorilla Freak)
Dorian Yates has won Mr Olympia contest 6 times (Image by Gorilla Freak)

Dorian Yates' routine will fire you up, and his 'Blood & Guts' approach to training will catapult your progress to a whole new level.

Choosing a proper workout plan for yourself might be a daunting task, especially with so many workout programs floating around the internet. Social media influencers claim to have that top secret fitness weapon and endless exercises that seem like unrealistic tasks, while personal trainers can be costly.

Taking notes from current or former professionals is an excellent method to develop a strategy that works for you. The best thing is that these legendary bodybuilders themselves are living proof that the strategy you've been given works if you stick to it and are willing to put in the effort to get through some tough workouts.

Dorian Yates feels that his high-intensity training approach is the most efficient and effective technique to gain muscular mass. The Dorian Yates training regimen is for you if you want to gain muscle as quickly as possible.


Who is Dorian Yates?

Dorian Yates the legend. (Image credits: Pxfuel)
Dorian Yates the legend. (Image credits: Pxfuel)

Six-times Mr. Olympia champion Dorian Yates is a legend. By setting new norms in physical bulk and conditioning, he revolutionized bodybuilding. At 250 pounds (265 pounds at his peak), he was the first Mr. Olympia, displaying an incredibly shredded physique with extraordinarily low body fat and exceptional muscle density.

At the age of 21, Yates began working out in 1983. Following some muscular victories in England, he traveled to New York for the 1990 Night of Champions, where he finished second to the late Mohamed Benaziza in his pro debut. The next year, he returned to the United States to win the competition and set his sights on bodybuilding's top accolade, the Sandow trophy.

Why was he known as "The Shadow"?

Dorian Yates' progressive strategy and his infrequent public appearances combined to keep his opponents guessing what he would bring to the stage next. Dorian Yates was dubbed "The Shadow" by Peter McGough, one of the finest bodybuilding journalists of all time, because of his isolated lifestyle and elusive public appearances — even when he was the reigning Mr. Olympia.

Dorian's supporters noted that his training philosophy inspired his nickname. With his quick but extremely high-intensity exercises, The Shadow brought a new level of awareness to previously unpopular training methods.


'Blood and Guts' Workout

Dorian Yates' blood and guts training. (Image credits: Wallpapercave.com)
Dorian Yates' blood and guts training. (Image credits: Wallpapercave.com)

Through his 'Blood & Guts' training approach, Dorian Yates earned numerous victories and a truly enormous physique. Yates is regarded as the first "mass monster," an individual who wants maximum muscle stimulation in the shortest period feasible due to his high-intensity style of bodybuilding combined with big weight. This is accomplished through a series of rigorous sessions. This shifted people's perceptions of training from raw volume to the intensity and difficulty they faced while performing it.

Lifting was divided into three phases: lifting, holding and lowering. Yates built a training regimen that spurred growth and pushed him beyond what people thought was possible by integrating all three and emphasizing each in its own distinct and respective way. The key to success with this program is to maintain a high level of intensity at all times. You must rest for no more than one minute between each set, including between exercises.

DAY 1: Chest and Biceps day

Warm-up on the Treadmill: 10 Minutes

Warm-up for Rotator Cuffs: 2 Sets x 12 Reps

Decline BB Bench Press: 1 Working Set x 6-8 Reps

Incline DB Bench Press: 1 Working Set x 6-8 Reps

Dumbbell Flyes: 1 Working Set x 6-8 Reps

DB Concentration Curl: 1 Working Set x 6-8 Reps

Barbell Curl: 1 Working Set x 6-8 Reps

DAY 2: Back day

Dumbell Pullovers: 1 Working Set x 8-10 Reps

V-Bar Pulldown: 1 Working Set x 8-10 Reps

Dumbell rows: 1 Working Set x 8-10 Reps

Wide-Grip Rows: 1 Working Set x 8-10 Reps

Barbell Deadlifts: 1 Working Set x 8-10 Reps

DAY 3: Deltoids and triceps

DB Shoulder Press: 1 Working Set x 6-8 Reps

Side Lateral Raises: 1 Working Set x 8-10 Reps

Cable Lateral Raises: 1 Working Set x 6-8 Reps

Cable Pushdown: 1 Working Set x 8-10 Reps

Skull Crushers: 1 Working Set x 8-10 Reps

Seated triceps press :1 Working Set x 8-10 Reps

DAY 4: Leg day

Cardio Warm-up: 10-mins

Low Back Stretch (Knees Bent): 1 Set of 6 Reps

Low Back Stretch (Legs Straight): 1 Set of 6 Reps

Hamstring stretch: 1 set of 6 reps

Glute Stretch: 1 Set of 6 Reps

Leg Extensions: 1 Working Set of 10-12 Reps

Leg Press: 10-12 Reps

Hack Squat :1 Working Set of 10-12 Reps

Leg Curls: 1 Working Set of 10-12 Reps

Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 1 Working Set of 10-12 Reps

Calf Raise :1 Working Set of 10-12 Reps

Seated calf raises: 1 Working Set of 6-8 Reps


There you go, folks! That was Dorian Yates' Blood and Guts workout, and it's just as intense and hard as it sounds. If you stick to this workout for 6 weeks, you will see exceptional results. If you do all the workouts with a proper form, you will notice your muscles and your connective tissues get strong. Though it is one of the best workout programs for bodybuilding, it's not the best for you if you are just a beginner.

Edited by Sabine Algur
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