“Ignite That Mind Muscle Connection”: Mass Monster Dorian Yates Shares the Secret Behind Performing Only One Set for Most Optimal Muscle Gains

In the early 1990s, bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates took his training to a whole new level during a visit to Gold’s Gym in California. This iconic gym, known as the “Mecca of Bodybuilding,” was a bustling environment, unlike the isolated setting Yates was accustomed to. Despite the change, Yates had a specific purpose- to train with the late Mike Mentzer.

Under Mentzer’s guidance, Yates made a radical shift in his training approach, reducing his working sets from two to just one. This change, as The Shadow attests, led to remarkable muscle growth. During a memorable workout session, the focus was on the incline machine press for the chest.

Dorina Yates shared a nostalgic picture while training with Mike Mentzer

The 60-year-old recently took to his Instagram to share glimpses of this 1993 nostalgic collaboration with the bodybuilding legend. He posted a picture of himself training while Mentzer helping him. The routine began with a series of warm-up sets, just to establish a crucial mind-muscle-connection.

He articulated in the caption “So here we were on the incline machine press for the pecs. We did a few warm-up sets to get not just the blood flowing, but to ignite that mind-muscle connection that would be building, stronger and stronger throughout each rep.” Yates emphasizes this connection builds progressively stronger with each repetition. The final set, however, was the pinnacle- a heavy-duty, blood-pumping, all-out effort.

Yates explained further that during their session, he used to lift heavy weights on a machine, with an extra 88 Lbs on each side, supported by spotters. The execution of each repetition was meticulous, devoid of haste. Every phase of every repetition was given careful consideration, ensuring pure stimulation for the chest.

A unique rest-pause technique

The set was taken to failure in the 6-8 rep range, followed by a series of rest-pause reps. Yates and Mentzer incorporated strategic pauses between reps, adding a unique twist to the routine. A few seconds of pause, followed by 3 reps; another pause, then 2 reps; and finally a single rep. This breakdown into rest-pause segments aimed to push beyond failure with assisted repetitions, overload, and well-timed pauses.

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Do you also find his philosophy of training intriguing? Let us know in the comments below.

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