Dorian Yates Back Workout to Build a Thick and Wide Back
This Dorian Yates back workout presents the high-intensity training style he used to build a thick, wide back.
In a world ruled by bench press and squats far too many people avoid one of the most important muscular systems - the back.
Not only does the back look great, but it is also crucial in posture, balance, and overall strength. For a moment, think of the muscles in your back as the primary structure at which your body uses to stabilize all movements - walking, running etc. Along with the core, your back works to balance and connect the upper and lower body.
The back muscles are the only set of muscles that innervate both the upper and lower limbs.
The lats have massive control over the mid-back and the arms, while the erector spinae serves to extend the spine and extend the leg.
On a fundamental level, the back muscles work to extend the spine, retract the scapula, and adduct the arm. This is why pulling motions like rows and pull-ups are effective exercises for these muscles. If barbell rows are part of your program, the barbell row strength standards can help you compare your current performance by body weight and experience level.
One of the best back workouts was created by a legendary bodybuilder, Six-times Mr. Olympia, Dorian Yates. It is important to note that this workout is almost strictly based on hypertrophy principles. Dorian’s workout program is set up with one working set.
What’s a Working Set?
Working sets are the true training periods after your warm up. Some powerlifting style workouts will have 3-4 warm-up sets before they actually have a working set.
Traditionally, this style of training uses only 1-2 working sets, which are intended to challenge the body with the heaviest manageable load for the target reps. A 1RM calculator can help estimate strength from a completed set without requiring a maximal attempt.
Take a look at Dorian Yates workout to get an idea of working sets.
| DORIAN YATES: BACK WORKOUT | Warmup | Working Set | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REPS | SETS | REPS | SETS | |
| Supinated Grip Pulldown | 2 | 15 | 1 | 8-10 |
| Barbell Row | 1 | 12 | 1 | 8 |
| Seated Cable Rows | 1 | 12 | 1 | 8 |
| Deadlift | 1 | 12 | 1 | 8 |
Dorian Yates Back Workout Notes
- Although the programming here only shows 1-2 warm-up sets feel free to utilize more - so long as you do not deplete your energy before your working sets.
- Working sets should be done to failure - if you have 8 reps, max out for 8 reps.
- Take long rest times between exercises - over 2 minutes may be needed in order to enable glycogen resynthesis (energy for next lift).
Workout Purpose
Dorian hits all the big movements here. This is a compound style of training that will really help to build thickness and stretch in the lats, rhomboids and middle traps.
This workout is best built for someone looking to increase the size and strength of their back without overloading on deadlift or pull-ups - as this can be stressful on the shoulder.
Frequently Asked Questions
What made Dorian Yates’s training so intense?
Dorian built his six-time Mr. Olympia physique on high-intensity training: one all-out working set per exercise, taken to true failure, rather than the higher-volume approach most bodybuilders in the gym used at the time. The intensity, not the number of sets, was the point.
Can I do this back workout with dumbbells at home?
Mostly. You can swap the barbell row for a heavy dumbbell row and the pulldown for a dumbbell pullover, but the deadlifts and the cable rows are hard to replicate without a barbell and a cable stack. Treat a dumbbell-only version as a scaled-back option.
Should beginners try the Dorian Yates back workout?
Take the intensity down first. The single-set-to-failure style is demanding, so newer lifters should build a base with a few straight sets in the gym before training to failure on deadlifts and heavy rows.
Summary
This Dorian Yates back workout is a demanding example of high-intensity bodybuilding training.
This really is one workout from the golden era. The back muscles, especially the lats and erector group work very well through heavy weights - but be sure to progress slowly as an injury would set you back and diminish your progress.