Dorian Yates Training Routine: Is it for Natty's Though?

Dorian Yates was one of the most successful bodybuilders of all time, utilizing the high intensity approach to take him to the peak of bodybuilding many times over. From a workout specifics standpoint, could a natural bodybuilder use this program with success? Find out more on this episode of Real Talk.

[scammellman]

I like yourself Tom was a high volume guy but I switched to a lower volume heavy duty like training about 4 years ago and one thing I have found is that my joints feel a lot better, I also recover better and I've improved my
physique in areas .
Keep up the good work 👊

[JVCKPOT]

It’s the best program for a natty . More recovery since they don’t have roids to recover them

[nachtrevi]

Great video, thank you. As an "older" guy I basically had the same epiphany, was wasting so many hours with so may reps, found an old Mentzer tape and never looked back . I also agree that's not for natural athletes to embark in such grueling sessions for little reward . Spot on.

[HDLifter]

Well covered! Another aspect is cycling. Dorian told me; I believe that it’s a good idea to cycle the intensity of your workouts. What I personally did and what I’d recommend, is to take it ‘easy’ for a week after 6 weeks of brutal intense training. So it’d be a deload week where you would either take the week off (especially if you’ve hit a plateau) or drop most of the intensity of your training. It’s extremely, actually pretty impossible, to train with my level of intensity all year round without any sort of rest… it’ll take its toll on your CNS!
Rest & recovery is when the growth happens…

DY

[jaydenbilous]

I’ve been doing HIT for a while and never really done a yates approach. How intense should the warmup sets be? I’m thinking of following this approach (4 day bro split) as I’m a competitive swimmer and also in school. Should it be something like 3 sets to failure and around 8 total sets per muscle group (including warm up?) Just want to make sure I’m giving the body enough stimulation to grow, while not over doing it. Thanks for the help

[JordanTovey-ju]

Dorian advises 3 sessions per week for a natural the average person with a job and family that just wants to be in great shape
Push pull legs once a week 1 set to failure with 2-3 exercises per muscle group maximum

I use the

Push

Legs

Pull

Which is great for recovery having the lower body day inbetween

[trinihammer]

this program could work for a natty but they would have to have a rest period of 6 days before doing the next bodyparts. so after working out yates's program for monday, tuedays workout would be done on the following monday instead, thursdays workout would have to be done on the monday a week later and so on and so on.
remember mentzer who influenced yates always said the key was recovery. mentzer felt that people who could not make gains was not down to poor genetics but it was down to overtraining or not allowing enough time to recover before another work out. he also advocated that even when allowing for a week to recover you still had to allow maybe another week for that bodypart to build new muscle. so mentzer would have looked at yates's routine and said ok do it but you cant work chest biceps and abs until 4 weeks later after having worked the other bodyparts in the weeks leading up to the 4th week to work chest, biceps and abs.

[adriandevon]

Hello Tom, I agree with the reduction in sets, but why would you ever say scale down the intensity, especially with proper recover.

[davidtempest]

Tom…. Love your content. Btw, are you in Costa Rica?

Anyway, on another video you outlined your routine that you did for about ten years, (if memory serves). For a non competitive bodybuilder, just looking to get bigger, would you eliminate some exercises, or just do one or two per body part. Also, I have a home gym. Is there any reason not to take a three day workout (push/pull/legs for example) and break it down even further so I’m lifting 4 or 5 days a week, only doing one body part? Thank you

[dkcoan]

Doable, the most growth I’ve ever had. Just have to plan leg day, you’ll need a day or two after for nattsy.

[eduardobatista]

I love dorian, but your advice makes sense

[LJK]

Ive done blood and guts routine plenty of times without a training partner i do rest pauses and static holds you can absolutely train with a very high intensity i simply add more rest days between workout sessions

[Jdac]

Yes and no. A three way split will be easier to track and adhere to over 7-9 days . A 4 way split will
Be harder to adhere to as may stretch to 9-12 days as the recovery capability of the extra day and not being enhanced

[adammac]

I’ve done every split going bar HIT. I tried it this week. I used to train 4-6 days a week. PPL, Bro Split then Arnold split this year. In the gym about 1 hour and 20 minutes. I did his back and rear delts workout the other day. I was there for 40 minutes, my back felt like it had been worked and I had enough energy to go to work and carry on through out the day which I didn’t have doing the high volume stuff. 🤷. Al see how this goes.

[jtbatista]

I believe Jonh Meadows followed up with Dorian Yates' style of training and obviously, Yates followed Mentzer.

I work 12 hours 5x a week and only have some Sats off, but mostly weekend off.
I love love training HIT & GUTS style, but i have faced plateu not allowing body recovery due to lack of sleep and doing other things like BJJ / Krav maga training 3x a week.

Im natural, and its been about 2 years training hard like this and i have seen mass size gains, but i see where i have fallen short.

I keep getting confused with the training frequency split of Yates, Mentzer, and Meadows.

Specially with Mike Mentzers way.

I know Yates & Meadows they do a 4day bro split throughout the week, and i think Meadows has a 5th day bro split of almost like a Push Pull Legs frequency where Back is with Biceps Day, Chest is with Triceps Day, Shoulders alone with religious focus on Rear Delts Day, Legs, & Arms Day then Rest (Meadows split).

Yates had Back Triceps, Shoulders Chest Biceps, Legs, Arms.

But then you have Mike Mentzer having 3 to 4 days off then back to training then 3 to 4 days off again..


Whats the difference here?

[Jdac]

Yes and no. A three way split will be easier to track and adhere to over 7-9 days . A 4 way split will
Be harder to adhere to as may stretch to 9-12 days as the recovery capability of the extra day and not being enhanced