Once Hailed as OG Mass Monster, 61-YO Dorian Yates’ Fitness Goals No Longer Align With Carrying “3% Body Fat” or Being “Most Muscular

Decades after quitting competitive bodybuilding, Dorian Yates has now become candid about the changes that have come about in his fitness goals. The bodybuilder who was once known for his shredded physique on the Mr. Olympia stage now embraces health and wellness over anything. 

The 61-year-old known for his HIT training techniques suffered injuries that cut short his Mr. Olympia winning streak. After quitting the stage, Yates no longer focused on maintaining his musculature. However, there seems to be no compromise on his fitness. 

The 6x Mr. Olympia champion now wants to remain healthy

Yates trained rigorously in the 1990s at the Temple Gym of Birmingham to kickstart the mass monster era on the Mr. Olympia stage. In 1997, he quit the stage after injuring his triceps and biceps due to all the heavy weightlifting. But Yates prioritized fitness over bodybuilding since he quit the stage. 

“My goals now are not to be the most muscular person or down at 3% body fat. Now my aim is to simply be the healthiest, fittest, spiritually enlightened, and knowledgeable version of Dorian Yates,” the 61-year-old bodybuilder confessed in his recent post. Despite quitting bodybuilding, The Shadow never turned away from fitness and was involved in learning new ways to maintain health. 

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“I’ve always – throughout my entire life – performed some form of exercise regularly,” Yates explained. As times have changed, Yates is now a Yoga and meditation enthusiast. However, unlearning bodybuilding and taking up Yoga classes was not as easy as one would have thought.  

Yoga and Balance over Muscle Mass

Referred to as Herculean by Joe Weider, Dorian Yates brought 300 lbs of mean muscle mass to the stage to witness the horror in the crowd and judges’ eyes during his prime. However, all the intense training cost the 6x Mr. Olympia’s flexibility. So, when he turned to Yoga for healing, Yates realized how he lacked flexibility and mobility. 

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“My balance was terrible. I couldn’t stand on one foot without falling over all the time,” the Shadow once revealed. The yoga classes also changed the perspective of Yates. While he used to train harder and harder during his bodybuilding days, Yoga taught him to relax while doing asanas. The new fitness method even helped him relieve his stress to a great extent. 

Yates is therefore the example of someone who has walked with the times and ensured that his routine stays true to his current physique and requirements. What do you think of the evolved goals of the mass monster? Let us know in the comments below.