“I Go to the Dark Spot in My Soul”: 6X Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates’ Training Partner From Back in the Day Recalls Their Famous ‘Blood and Guts’ Training Session

Dorian Yates is perhaps one of the most influential bodybuilding champions that the industry has seen and while fans already know the many firsts brought by him, others might not be familiar with that. Paul Baxendale, a former bodybuilding champion and training partner of the six-time Mr Olympia winner, is attempting to let everyone know of the immense contribution that Yates made to the bodybuilding sport.

He has been posting rare images of his training partner and telling the stories behind the iconic exercises and methods that the bodybuilder from England brought into the industry. In his latest post, Baxendale narrated their partnership and the workout process of HIT which also includes the Blood and Guts method and how it could test the ultimate limits of a person.

Paul Baxendale tells his side of the training

After admiring his rival’s physique in a previous post the champion recounted his own time of training at Temple Gym. The post started with the lines “It’s my turn” and after that, he promised that he would describe his training partner’s set the next day. But first, he was concentrating on his own experience.

Baxendale makes it clear in the first part of the post that each individual was fighting their own battles and as he took the weight of the racks the heavy smith machine plus the 4PP along with the 5KG disc felt like a tonne for his body. He also emphasises that perfection was the only thing acceptable and he made sure that his stance was perfect while exercising. He said, “Rep 5 was absolutely everything. My mind screams ‘STOP!” but, I hear, “1 more rep” so l go to the dark spot in my soul, the part reserved for life and death situations, and go again!”

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After unlocking his full potential mentally and physically, he recalls that he barely felt the weight on his body and completed all five reps. He even admitted that he was seeing stars and the body was in agony But that is when Yates’ voice reached from the distance saying “Three more reps lad.” This is finally the blood and guts zone, it makes an individual tap into the animalistic and raw energy that finally makes those muscles pumped in such a way that the body becomes herculean. The Blood and Guts workout was created by Yates and it is a 6-week program training plan designed to increase muscle mass and strength. It includes HIT or high-intensity training and Blood and Guts goes against today’s normal convention but this is what Baxendale and Yates did to become the legends that they are today.

Paul Baxendale recounts the difference in Yates’ workouts

He previously shared pictures from 1992 and 1993 Olympia to show the significant transformation that he went through. He particularly pointed out the massive difference that Dorian brought about in one year to his legs.

Baxendale wrote, “I know some will notice differences between what I describe and what you watch in Blood and Guts DVD. This post attempts to explain how the workouts differed and why.” 

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Baxendale always points out that The Shadow Knew exactly what was best for him regarding training and every move inside the gym was calculated and precise for him. This is the reason that he is an undisputed legend in the bodybuilding industry.