Legend and six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates is one of the greatest of all time and there is no bigger honor than being trained by someone of his skill level. Sergio Oliva Jr. recognizes that fact as he worked the back under the guidance of “The Shadow” to prepare for the 2024 Arnold Classic.
With big shoes to fill, Sergio Oliva Jr. is looking to imitate the remarkable career his late father Sergio Oliva built. Sergio Oliva was a three-time Mr. Olympia champion known for overthrowing legends such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Frank Zane.
Sergio Oliva Jr. continues to improve himself as he works his way up the ranks. Having earned back to back second second-place finishes in Chicago Pro and Tampa Pro, Oliva Jr. proceeded to the 2018 Mr. Olympia where he came in ranked outside the top 15. Later, in 2021, Oliva would take sixth at the Arnold Classic in one of the best performances of his career.
As of late, Sergio Oliva Jr. has faced some trying times after being involved in a tragic traffic collision that left one man dead. Oliva Jr. would spend a short period behind bars until he was cleared and released. Following his stint in the Dubai prison, Sergio Oliva Jr. compared it to an episode of Locked Up Abroad. Oliva Jr. made his comeback debut at the 2023 Musclecontest California Pro where he came in third place.
Now Sergio Oliva Jr. has his eyes on a bigger prize as he laid out his plan to compete at the 2024 Arnold Classic and will be trained by none other than bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates. Oliva Jr. just shared the start of his training in a recent Instagram post where he can be seen working the back while Yates guides him.
“And so it begins…. 😅” Sergio Oliva Jr. writes.
The Instagram showed a series of back exercises which included the use of:
- Lat Pulldown Machine
- Seated Cable Row Machine
- Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Dorian Yates brought Sergio Oliva Jr. motivation and provided support when necessary. Yates has given his bodybuilding expertise to others such as Chris Cormier who learned so much during his tenure in the sport. One of the primary drivers of Yates’ illustrious career was his approach to training.
He implemented an exercise system inspired by Arthur Jones and Mike Mentzer. Instead of performing sets and reps for a fixed number like bodybuilders around him, Yates took an all-or-nothing mentality inside the weightlifting room, where he routinely pushed to failure and beyond. He has since become famous for his ‘Blood and Guts’ high-intensity interval training workouts.
RELATED: Bodybuilding Legend Dorian Yates Shares Outlook for Improving Stress: ‘Learn to Go With the Flow’
As Sergio Oliva Jr. trains under “The Shadow” fans look forward to seeing what improvements he brings to the 2024 Arnold Classic. Samir Bannout recently shared that he believes Oliva Jr. has the potential to win the Mr. Olympia title with the right mentality. With such a legendary name guiding him, success seems inevitable for Oliva Jr.
Catch comprehensive coverage of the 2025 Arnold Classic, including pre-judging, event recaps, analyses, and complete Arnold Classic results at our Arnold Classic coverage hub: FitnessVolt.com/arnold-classic
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
