Bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates is among the most prolific champions, winning the Mr. Olympia title six times in a row. The Englishman was the first “mass monster” of bodybuilding, pushing his body and sport to a new limit. The trend he started changed bodybuilding forever. Yates is also immensely knowledgeable and a proponent of High-Intensity Training (HIT). Recently, the legendary champion appeared on Jay Vincent’s YouTube channel and while explaining which exercises he did to get an Olympia-winning physique, he also spoke about a common habit among young bodybuilders.

During his prime, The Shadow was one of the few bodybuilders whose training differed from conventional exercise plans. However, the exercises he did were the “basic” movements even beginners could do in the gym. He explained why the popular myth prevalent among young bodybuilders is detrimental to getting “results.”

Dorian Yates explained why people often make the wrong change in their workout routine

During their conversation, the former Mr. Olympia revealed that he built an Olympia-winning physique by doing basic exercises. “You want legs? Do squats, you do leg presses. You want back? You do rows, you do pull-downs,” said the six-time Mr. Olympia. According to The Shadow, people don’t need to do multiple variations of these exercises and think it boosts their gains.

“They work! Everybody does the same exercises, you know, it’s not a big mystery,” said Yates. “One big myth that pi*s me off now is this, you must change your routine,” said the 60-year-old. The bodybuilding veteran said frequently changing routines might do the opposite of boosting muscle growth. Switching between different exercises is also the wrong change to make.

“There is a point to cycle the intensity of your training,” said Yates. According to the former champion, constantly working out a 100% might not be a good idea, and alternating between high and low-intensity weeks will help a person avoid fatigue. However, introducing drastic alterations to a proven exercise is not “training for results.” The Shadow, who often posts about his past achievements on Instagram, also revealed why this myth became so popular.

Why the bodybuilding legend thinks the myth became prevalent

According to Yates, this myth gained steam on social media. “The gym has turned into a bit of a fashion industry and YouTube industry,” said Yates. Yates said creators know they won’t get views by showing the basic movements. Hence, it has become about making multiple flashy variations of the same exercise to “stand out” rather than making the movement functional.

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However, Yates advises people to stick to the tried and tested workout methods that have stood the test of time. Doing “one arm cable rows with a band” because “you saw someone on Instagram do it,” is “just a waste of time.” Do you agree with the 60-year-old former champion? Let us know in the comments.

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