Dorian Yates on Building Legs with Hamstring Curls: ‘Use a Full Range of Motion & Slow Negative’

Legendary bodybuilder Dorian Yates made a name for himself with his arduous training techniques. In a recent Instagram post, Yates shared a demonstration of how to effectively perform hamstring curls for lower-body muscle growth.

Dorian Yates emerged as a bodybuilding superstar from the United Kingdom in the early 90s. He started his run in regional and national competitions before earning an invite to the Mr. Olympia contest in 1991. He proved his potential by bagging silver in his debut, falling short of eight-time champion Lee Haney.

After narrowly missing out on the win, nobody could stop Yates in his second appearance. He won his maiden Sandow trophy in 1992 and led a commanding reign that saw him capture six titles. He retired after his final Olympia win in 1997.

During his heyday, Yates earned a reputation for staying away from the limelight. He would spend the off-season away from the camera and let his physique do the talking when he returned to the stage for competitions. ‘The Shadow’ was also renowned for his challenging workout routines. He pushed himself to near failure in every single training session instead of focusing on following a certain number of reps and sets like many other traditional bodybuilders.

Dorian Yates opened up about his journey as a competitor last November. He candidly talked about his deep passion for the sport and credited it for saving his life. His impact on the game can be felt to this day. After Hadi Choopan won the 2022 Mr. Olympia, bodybuilding veteran Rich Gaspari used Yates’ incredible back development to bash Choopan’s conditioning levels.

The 61-year-old maintains a regular schedule and stays healthy in his later years. He reported positive findings after undergoing a health check and VO2 Max test that determined his biological age to be approximated at 30-39 earlier this year. Two months ago, Yates left fans stunned with a ripped physique update. He boasted his lean core and arms while performing a workout on a beach in Brazil.

Yates laid out some of his favorite exercises that helped him craft a barn door back last month. He placed barbell rows with an underhand grip at the top of the list along with some intensity tips. Then, he provided a guideline for balancing hormones and staying fit after moving on from competition.

Dorian Yates strengthens lower body with hamstring curls

In a recent Instagram post, Dorian Yates shared his demonstration of effectively performing lying hamstring curls to achieve optimal muscle growth.

“Hamstring curls! 

Performing a set of lying hamstring curls, controlled with a short squeeze at the top.

With hamstring curls, think of them as performing bicep curls but for your legs.

As always, control the weight and use a full range of motion with a slow negative.”

He added that he still lifts weights twice a week; one upper body and one lower body training session for 30 minutes.

RELATED: Tom Platz Reflects on Training ‘Unknown’ Dorian Yates: “He Surpassed Everything I Taught Him”

One of the last times fans heard from Dorian Yates, he gave tips on how to execute the lat pulldown, a staple in his training routine. He stressed the need to pull with your elbows to take the load off the biceps. He followed that up by offering some tips on how to incorporate other high-intensity training strategies.

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