When it comes to bodybuilding, there is no doubt that Dorian Yates is a rather iconic figure. The retired bodybuilder won the title of Mr. Olympia six times in a row, strengthening his position as one of the best bodybuilders of all time during a period when the evolution of mass and density was at its peak.

Dorian Yates was not the tallest bodybuilder, but his exceptional muscle density made him stand out in the crowd and garnered him a huge fan base. He was dubbed as ‘The Shadow,’ and well, the story behind it was recently revealed.

Yates learned a trick from arch-rival Lee Haney

Dorian Yates took to his official Instagram account and shared a throwback picture of himself posing. In the caption, he revealed how he was crowned with the name of ‘The Shadow.’ He began by writing, “The late Peter McGough nicknamed me ‘The Shadow’ early on in my career. He was present at my first show and was one of my biggest supporters and friends in the industry.”

He then stated that McGough gave him the name because he would often disappear for a long time and then reappear without informing anyone about which show he would return to and also after he learned a trick from his 8X Mr. Olympia champion arch-rival Lee Haney. He added, “I also kept covered up in my infamous tardis tracksuit; using a trick I had learned from Lee Haney. I made sure no-one saw me until the very last moment before walking onstage when I would remove my tracksuit.” Even when he participated in the Mr. Olympia championships, he never took any photos to keep a track record.

Read More: “I Sacrificed a Lot”: 6x Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates Recalls Bodybuilding Career 26 Years After Retirement

However, he made just one exception, and that was in 1993. Although the pictures were not supposed to go to Flex Magazine, they were a hit. He would always keep his massive physique covered even during his workout, and no one would click pictures of him, which made him feel so comfortable in the Temple Gym. Further in the caption, he even added why he never participated in the Arnold Classic.

Why did Dorian Yates not participate in the Arnold Classic?

Dorian Yates’ signature style was hitting back the stage with a bigger size than the previous year, and despite the fact that he could make a huge uproar in the Arnold Classic, he did not participate in it. He wrote, “I quickly learned that to make the improvements that I wanted each year, it would take me 12 months and those who competed in other shows, I knew could never equal my 12-month gains.”

According to him, the winners of the Arnold Classic lost their ground by the time they had to prepare for the Mr. Olympia. It is impossible to grow back in size in such a short span of time. Because Mr. Olympia was his priority, he never even thought of appearing in the Arnold Classic. What do you think about the decision Yates took? Let us know in the comments section below!

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