Before 21-year-old Dorian Yates picked up weights in 1983, he picked up books, reading all he could about training. He did four to eight working sets per body part. He also put emphasis on low reps, doing six to eight for most body parts. As he advanced, he pushed these sets beyond failure, usually with two to three forced reps, but he incorporated techniques like forced reps, dropsets, and partials.

In 1988, Yates won the British Championships at 226 pounds—46 pounds heavier than he was five years prior. And he was about to launch the most consistently superb pro career of all time: 15 wins, two losses (both seconds), including six consecutive Mr. Olympia titles from 1992 to 1997. Here are 10 pieces of advice from “the Shadow” to help you add some freaky mass

  • Athlete Snapshot: Dorian Yates 
  • Birth Date: April 19, 1962 
  • Height: 5’10.” 
  • Contest Weight: 265 lbs 
  • Birthplace: Warwickshire, England 
  • Olympia Wins: 6 (1992-97) 
  • Instagram: @thedorianyates 
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