6X Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates Reveals The Importance of Taking Progress Pictures

Dorian Yates is one of the most magnificent bodybuilders of the 1980s. Yates is the real definition of the mass monster physique and the bodybuilder who brought the mass monster trend to bodybuilding back in the 80s. He dominated the stage from 1992 to 1997. He recently revealed the secret behind his unmatched success. 

The mass monster recently posted a series of images on his Instagram showcasing his progress over time. But what if Yates mentioned pictures as the secret behind his success? However, he is not the only bodybuilder who emphasizes taking pictures. Bodybuilders like four-time Mr. Universe and three-time Mr. Olympia also spoke on this technique on several occasions. Let’s find out how taking pictures helped the shadow.

The Shadow’s secret behind winning the 1993 Olympia

The six-time Mr. Olympia disclosed that he always took pictures every week throughout his career to keep track of his progress. He wrote, “I needed to get a visual to combine with the numbers on the scales. The pictures almost became my source of truth so I could review my physique and make any needed adjustments.” Taking pictures is also not an easy task, and the shadow also shared his measures to make all the photos look the same. 

The six-time Mr. Olympia focused on the background the most so that he could have made everything the same. He then paid special attention to keeping the lighting, time of day, and his poses the same as in the previous picture. The mass monster made a perfect template for his pictures. This secret trick helped Yates keep track of his progress and achieve such milestones in his journey. He wrote, “Because what’s even more important is what you do with the information. Take action.”

The six-time Mr. Olympia gave the example of his 1993 Olympia championship. He highlighted that 1992 images were important for the next Olympia to improve his performance. The Shadow wrote, “I learnt so much from these progress pics so that I could optimise my regime and present a physique that would change the game forever.”

The mass monster won the 1993 Olympia and defeated competitors like Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Paul Dillett, and Kevin Levrone. Taking pictures from time to time helps you keep track of your progress, and bodybuilders like Frank Zane and Mike O’Hearn also did the same to achieve their level.

Zane and O’Hearn did the same and achieved greater heights in their career

Around last year, the three-time Mr. Olympia posted an image on his Instagram account explaining how taking pictures helps you. He captioned the image, “Take Frequent Photos.” The 81-year-old stressed that people should take pictures instead of just standing in front of the mirror. He explained the reason: “Because those pictures can better help you track your progress and objectively judge the way you look than standing in front of the mirror.“

Just like the three-time Mr. Olympia, the four-time Mr. Universe, and former powerlifter Mike O’Hearn also explained how taking pictures and recording videos helped him throughout his journey. The Titan used to record his squats with his father. Then he used to analyze the videotapes and make sure that he was hitting the required “depth.“. 

After learning how taking pictures of your progress can help you achieve your desired milestone, Do you think you will start taking pictures of your progress? Let us know in the comments.