Dorian Yates had a prosperous bodybuilding career despite making significant changes to his leg day routine.
Despite making substantial modifications to his leg day regimen, Dorian Yates went on to carve out a highly successful bodybuilding career. The English bodybuilder’s unparalleled success in the world of competitive bodybuilding is a testament to his unwavering dedication and meticulous approach to training.
The English bodybuilder was an unstoppable force on the Olympia stage from 1992-97, thanks to a mass monster lat spread and tight conditioning.
Dorian Yates’ awe-inspiring performances on the Olympia stage from 1992 to 1997 catapulted him to the forefront of the bodybuilding world. His massive lat spread and impeccable conditioning rendered him an unstoppable force, firmly cementing his status as a legendary bodybuilding icon.
On social media, Yates disclosed why he prefers Smith machine squats over barbell squats.
In a recent social media post, Dorian Yates shed light on his preference for Smith machine squats as opposed to traditional barbell squats. The former Mr. Olympia champion outlined the reasons why he favors this alternative approach to leg training, providing his followers with valuable insights into his training philosophy.
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The Advantages of Smith Machine Squats According to Dorian Yates, a Bodybuilding Legend:
Dorian Yates’ right hip injury in the late 1980s proved to be a pivotal moment in his training, leading him to make a switch from traditional barbell squats to the Smith machine squat. However, what began as a substitution eventually evolved into a discovery of the benefits that the Smith machine squat offered over the barbell squat, including the added stability that provided a leg bias.
According to Yates, the Smith machine enabled him to position his feet closer together and slightly forward, resulting in minimized back involvement. Additionally, the machine’s design allowed him to shift the emphasis to his thighs and thereby vary his stance to suit his training needs. A younger Yates had explained in an unnamed magazine article that the Smith machine squat transfers tension from the glutes and lower back to the quads.
Furthermore, the Smith machine squat did not require the same level of stability as the barbell squat, given the machine’s tracking that eliminated the need to balance the barbell through the entire range of motion. This allowed Yates to load more weight, and research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research corroborated the superiority of the Smith machine squat, noting that it results in a greater one-rep max than its free-weight counterpart.
Expert Bodybuilder Dorian Yates Shares Essential Tips for Maximizing Smith Machine Squats:
In his social media post, Dorian Yates also shared invaluable tips to get the most out of Smith machine squats, as illustrated in the magazine snippet accompanying his caption.
Firstly, Yates emphasized the importance of maintaining proper form throughout the movement. He recommended keeping the head up and the back erect at all times, ensuring that the Smith machine’s design does not lead to any compromise in technique.
Moreover, the Smith machine allows for different stances to target all angles of the thigh. Yates personally prefers a narrow stance with his hips directly under the bar, as it biases the quads and minimizes hip involvement. Conversely, a wider stance will activate the glutes and hip muscles to a greater extent.
Additionally, Yates stressed the importance of squatting to at least the parallel position, and ideally, rock-bottom, below parallel. However, he acknowledged that not everyone can comfortably achieve such a deep squat depth. Nevertheless, it’s critical to squat as far as the lifter’s hip mobility allows to engage the lower body muscles fully.
During the eccentric portion of the movement, Yates cautioned against “dropping” to the bottom of the squat and “bouncing” out of it. Instead, he recommended lifting the weight slowly and under control through every degree of the squat, emphasizing quality over quantity.
References:
Cotterman, Michael L., Lynn A. Darby, and William A. Skelly. “Comparison of muscle force production using the Smith machine and free weights for bench press and squat exercises.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 19, no. 1 (2005): 169-176.
Courtesy image @thedorianyates (Instagram)
