Dorian Yates Reveals the Dark Side of His Bodybuilding Career

Yates states, "I never did that [take a month off]. Um because I like training." He recalls a journalist asking when he'd start preparing for next year, and he replied, "next week." He learned to control the rebound, gradually reintroducing foods instead of 'pigging out' as he did after his very first contest.

Yates got injured twice in the last 6 weeks before a contest because he was 'still going 100% but without the fuel.' He now advises his clients: "you build the muscle right you've already built it now the job is maintain the muscle lower the body fat. So we don't need to train past failing and stuff like that."

Yates himself adopted this diet after a health checkup revealed high blood pressure. He went from 250 lbs to 230 lbs, actively losing muscle mass. He found it a 'mental ego check' and didn't care about others' opinions on his reduced size, as it was for his personal health benefit.

Yates's career was defined by an intense drive to be the best, fueled by a competitive ego. Upon retirement, he faced the common athlete's challenge of identity loss and the need to redefine himself outside his sport.

Yates shares his personal journey of having to control his ego after retirement. He started doing yoga and Pilates, activities he would have laughed at as a younger, heavy-lifting bodybuilder. He found himself 'pretty shitty at it' initially, but saw it as a necessary step to move forward. He also learned horse riding and biking up mountains, deliberately seeking out uncomfortable areas to challenge his self-perception.

Yates recounts a childhood experience at age 11 during a charity run where he pushed past physical limits, entering a 'zone' and completing a half-marathon distance with no prior training, driven by an egoistic challenge. He later recognized this as an early manifestation of his ability to tap into deeper levels of mental and physical endurance. He also describes his gym routine: meticulously taking notes of previous workouts, setting reasonable but progressive goals, and entering the gym with 'tunnel vision,' avoiding distractions, a focus that even his early training partners noticed.

Yates recounts a specific instance where he had a health checkup, and his blood pressure was too high. This prompted him to intentionally lose muscle mass by adopting a low-protein diet, reducing his weight from 250 lbs to 230 lbs. He found it 'interesting to observe myself' and 'other people's' reactions, as many commented on him 'getting skinny.' However, he states, 'I don't really care about anyone's opinion,' seeing it as a refreshing exercise in losing ego and doing what's best for his current health goals.

Yates admits that during his competitive career, his 'go forward, go forward' mentality often led him to 'over-prepare' and push too hard, resulting in injuries, particularly in the last six weeks before contests when calorie intake was low. He now coaches clients differently, advising them to shift from building to maintaining muscle during contest prep when fuel is scarce. He also reflects on his own current practice: if he doesn't feel like going to the gym, he doesn't, opting for alternative activities like walking or biking, because he no longer has the 'all consuming absolute life goal' driving him to override his body's needs.