Dorian Yates Shares Tips on Lat Pulldowns: ‘Pull With Your Elbows’

Bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates moved on from professional competition decades ago but maintains an undying passion for fitness and working out. In a recent post made on Instagram, Yates shared tips on how to properly perform lat pulldowns without overusing the biceps.

Dorian Yates rose to prominence in the IFBB Pro League with his huge muscle mass and stellar conditioning, especially in the back. After taking second in his Olympia debut in 1991, Yates secured his maiden Sandow trophy in his next appearance the following year. He extended his dominant reign against the likes of Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, and bodybuilding Hall of Famer Chris Cormier to become a six-time Mr. Olympia winner.

Yates was renowned for his tendency to stay away from the spotlight and earned the nickname ’The Shadow.’ Unlike many other competitors, Yates would keep a low profile in the off-season and let his physique do the talking when he returned for competition. He believed in a high-intensity approach to training and would push himself to near failure in every single training session.

While Yates has no regrets, he admitted a change in his intense training regimen could’ve helped him prevent injuries. He found the sport as a troubled teenager in prison and credits it for changing the trajectory of his life.

The 60-year-old Brit lent his expertise to Junior Mr. Universe Kaya Yusuf for a brutal back workout last November. Yates motivated the amateur bodybuilder to push his limits and reach near-failure before wrapping up the session with posing tips.

Yates’ arguably exhibited one of the strongest back muscle developments of all time. Following the win of Hadi Choopan at the 2022 Mr. Olympia, veteran Rich Gaspari took issue with the evolution of the Men’s Open division. He criticized Choopan’s lack of back conditioning by drawing a comparison to Yates.

‘The Shadow’ has kept up a high level of personal fitness. He left the fans in awe of his ripped physique in an update under a waterfall in Brazil earlier this year. He reported positive results from a health check and VO2 max test that determined his biological age to be between 30-39.

Dorian Yates shares tips on lat pulldowns

In a recent Instagram post, Dorian Yates shared tips on properly performing lat pulldowns. He encouraged using your elbows to pull so the load on the bicep would be minimized.

“Pulldowns! These were usually the second exercise in my back routine, after pullover,” he wrote.
 “So after pre-exhausting the lats without involving the biceps with pullovers, I liked to perform pulldowns next.

“The biceps are involved to an extent here along with forearms, but to help minimise their involvement, I strongly advise you to pull with your elbows.

Use your hands as hooks and drive your elbows into your lats and hold it for a second then slowly control it back up.”

Dorian Yates boasted his impressive arm muscle development and shredded abs in a beach workout update two months ago. He followed up by offering some of his favorite exercises for building an Olympia-worthy back.

Yates cautioned against the risks of bodybuilding and stressed the importance of maintaining hormone balance through proper nutrition and rest.

Considering the high stature Yates is held in, his latest tip will surely motivate many to improve their form on the lat pulldowns.

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