"I was hitting every body part every six days" - Legendary bodybuilder Dorian Yates opens up about his contest prep and TRT use

Dorian Yates is one of the most legendary bodybuilders to have ever competed in the sport of bodybuilding. During his days as a pro bodybuilder, Dorian was known for his intense training, excellent conditioning and wide back.

He has won six Mr. Olympia titles in his pro bodybuilding career. According to Fitness Volt, Dorian Yates was able to find his passion for working out as a teenager. He also won several regional and national competitions before earning an invite to Mr. Olympia stage in 1991 according to the aforementioned source.

During his debut Mr. Olympia in 1991, Dorian Yates finished in second place with the title won by Lee Haney. Making a strong comeback in 1992, he won his first Mr. Olympia title at the 1992 edition. He then went on to win five more Mr. Olympia titles. After winning his sixth Mr. Olympia title, Yates retired from pro bodybuilding.

In a video posted on Rob Lipsett's YouTube channel on April 23, 2023, Dorian Yates was interviewed by Rob Lipsett. During the interaction, the six-time Mr. Olympia title winner revealed his competition prep and training. Speaking about his competition prep and training, the former pro bodybuilder said:

"The training didn’t change from the off-season. It was two days one, one day off, two days on, one or two days off. It was like shoulders and tricep, back, day off, chest and biceps, legs, day or two off in the off-season because I was concentrating on growth. For a contest, I would generally run, two on, one off. I was hitting every body part every six days."

Yates further added:

"In the off-season I'd do a moderate amount of cardio like 30 mins on my days off. For contests, I'd step it up, twice a day but moderate so it's not cutting into my recovery from weight lifting."

The former pro bodybuilder claimed that he would be doing stationary bike and treadmill for 45 minutes in the morning and evening. Diving deep into his diet routines, Dorian Yates said:

"It would change throughout the years but I'd always be getting a gram to gram and a half of protein per pound of body weight so it was probably 400 to 450 grams, enough fats to be healthy, but if I had to do it again, I'd do more fats like put more yolk with the egg whites."

The six-time Mr. Olympia title winner stated that the required carbs for his body came from eating oats, rice, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and two pieces of fruit a day. He claimed that he would be aiming to lose two pounds a week.

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Dorian Yates discussed about his steroid cycles and TRT use

During his interview with Rob Lipsett, Dorian Yates explained his steroid cycles and TRT use. Discussing his steroid usage, he said:

"As far as steroids go, I was a big believer of doing contest prep on using non-aromatizing compounds so I'd have a little bit of testosterone in there like propionate because it's quick acting and doesn't aromatize as the longer acting ones but just 300 mg a week."

He continued:

"The rest would be primobolin, parabolic, which was the Trenbolone we had at that point. Propionate as a base of testosterone which I'd drop out the last week. Primobolin, and anavar, that was the base and then growth hormone."

Dorian Yates opened up about his experience of leaving steroids completely and why he decided to get an TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) post retirement. The six-time Mr. Olympia title winner said:

"I went to see an endocrinologist and get his advice. He's like you probably know more than me about this situation, it’s not my thing. I'm like nobody knows anything and you know what I'm just going to stop. I went cold turkey."

Dorian Yates further added:

"I went into a dark depression and it took me about a year. I'd promised myself that I'm only doing steroids because of my career, not ego so when I finish my career I'm going to stop steroids. I felt like by going on TRT that’s back on steroids and I broke the promise to myself."

"It was kind of a stupid mindset but that’s where I was at. Then in the end I was like, I need to get on little something so that’s when I went on TRT. Within a month, my mental outlook was a lot better."

Even at 61 years of age, Dorian Yates is one of the fittest bodybuilders even after retiring several years ago. Earlier this year, he displayed his shredded abs while working out on a beach in Brazil.