Despite the fact that we have unlimited information at the tip of our fingers, there are still a ton of misconceptions and myths about bodybuilding. Luckily, Dorian Yates is here to bust some of these myths and expose the truth.
With six Olympia wins on his resume, it is safe to say that Yates knows a thing or two about what it means to be a successful bodybuilder. This is a knowledge that he has been working to pass on to others, recently starting his own training program, and regularly sharing tips for up and coming athletes.
He recently did this again, with a video posted to his YouTube channel. Although this time around, he did not offer workout advice, instead choosing to shut down a couple of myths about bodybuilding, and what happens as you bulk up.
Dorian Yates Says Lifting Heavy is Relative
The first myth that Dorian Yates shot down, was the idea that you have to lift heavy weights in order to build muscles. That said, this answer was not black and white, as he explained.
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Dorian says that heavy is relative, so what is heavy for one person is light work for another. The point is to push yourself safely, and do high rep workouts at a full range of motion, and that is the best way to gain mass.
“It’s true to a degree, but heavy is a relative term. Heavy for one person might not be heavy to the other person. Also, heavy lifting for low repetitions, 2, 3, 4, repetitions, that’s okay for building power, for building strength, but that’s not effective for building muscle,” Yates said.
“So yes, you need to use heavy weights, they need to be progressive, but within the boundaries of doing the exercises properly. Controlling the weight, controlling the negative, moving through a full range of motion, and keeping the time under tension to a certain point. So a certain amount of repetitions or time that you’re under tension.
Over the years we’ve worked out that using the correct form, the correct pace, somewhere between 6 and 12 repetitions, are the best for building muscles. So yes, you have to use progressively heavier weights, but you can use too much weight also… It’s all about progressive overload.”
Weight Training Can Decrease Flexibility
The next myth that Dorian Yates looked at, was the idea that weight training can lower your flexibility. He says that this is mostly true, although there are things one can do to limit the effects.
“Yes, it can do, if you’re not doing the exercises through a full range motion. So from full stretch, all the way to full contraction. That’s the way you should be doing it. If you’re doing short, partial movements, your body gets used to moving in that range of motion. So if you do full range, full stretch, full contraction movements, weight training won’t decrease your flexibility.”
Watch the video
Yet again, this was some useful advice from Dorian Yates, one of the most insightful people in the sport. It is great to see him giving back to the sport like this.
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