Dorian Yates is widely considered one of the most successful talents to emerge from the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League. During his tenure in the 1990s, Yates established himself as a frontrunner in the Men’s Open division, dominating the sport with his dry conditioning, size, and impeccable detail. His reign followed eight-time Olympia winner Lee Haney and ushered in a new era of mass monsters in the sport of bodybuilding.
Yates’ Unique Training Style
Yates’ training style was unique in the world of bodybuilding. Unlike other athletes who tailored their workouts around reps and sets, Yates trained to near failure regularly and pushed his body to extremes whenever he made time for the gym. This approach allowed him to develop a physique that was both massive and defined, leading to his success in the sport.
Yates’ Spiritual Journey on Ayahuasca
In a recent interview with Rob Lipsett, Yates opened up about his spiritual journey on ayahuasca, a psychoactive brewed drink chemically similar to DMT. The experience, which took place in the Amazon rainforest, allowed Yates to reflect on his life and find a sense of inner peace. He also shared strategies for maintaining that sense of peace in his daily life, including meditation and being present in the moment. Through his journey, Yates demonstrates that there are many paths to self-discovery and that bodybuilding can be a means to that end.
Dorian Yates’ Love for Bodybuilding Persists in Retirement
Dorian Yates may have retired from competitive bodybuilding in 1997, but his passion for the sport has not waned. At 61 years old, he still maintains an impressive physique and regularly shares his training techniques online.
Yates’ Ayahuasca Experience in the Amazon Rainforest
In a recent interview, Dorian Yates shared his experience of drinking ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew similar to DMT, at a retreat in the Amazon rainforest. The former bodybuilder reflected on his spiritual journey and the insights he gained from the hallucinogenic experience.
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Dorian Yates recounts his frightening ayahuasca journey: “I thought it was poisoning me”
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During his stay in Brazil, Yates was introduced to ayahuasca by a local.
“We got a guide and went on a boat down on the Amazon [forest] for a couple of days to get out with nature. So, she came with me. We just met but I was still half in the party zone still there. I’m in Brazil, and I thought, ‘Wow I’m in the Amazon.’ I said to the guy, ‘Oh can we get some coke?’ He’s like, ‘Of course, it’s the best.’ It’s raw shit there, from the plant! I head there and we’re going out, do a bit of that, a bit of vodka, I don’t think I even knew, just keeping it quiet.”
“That’s where I was at. We’re out on the boat. I’m like, ‘Hey when we go out on the boat, can you get that stuff, I heard about that stuff ayahuasca, that drink stuff.’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, I’ll get it.’ You know, I don’t know what he got, whether it was ayahuasca or really strong ayahuasca, I don’t know you know. Please kids, don’t do this at home. It’s not a recommendation here. This was wild west stuff. I didn’t know what I was doing. He didn’t know what he was doing. He got me some ayahuasca, apparently, I believe it was.”
According to Yates, the consumption of ayahuasca resulted in him experiencing intense vomiting. Shortly after the ordeal, he claimed to have sensed a feminine presence that communicated a message for him to cease self-poisoning.
“I had a guide that was Indian, and the guy said to me, ‘So you’re doing the ayahuasca tonight?’ He said, ‘Don’t smoke any weed then today,’ because you’re not supposed to. I didn’t do any of that shit I was smoking and drinking vodka the night before.”
“I’ve gone and I’ve done the ayahuasca, I drank it; and I’m just being violently vomiting, violently sick [after taking it],” said Yates. “I thought this ayahuasca poisoning me but actually what it was was a female entity, something you can hear or feel [hallucinations], it’s talking to me, [saying], ‘Stop poisoning yourself.’ So that was that. That was my experience.”
Dorian Yates on Success and Happiness
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According to Dorian Yates, success is about leaving a positive impact on the world, while happiness is attained by learning to love oneself.
“What’s success? How do you define success? I mean, some people define it by material possessions, ‘Oh that guy is very successful, he’s got a big yacht and this and that.’ But that’s not necessarily success, it’s not necessarily happiness because there’s a lot of rich people who are very miserable. So, what is happiness? I think it’s being comfortable and being in love with yourself.
And projecting that out to the world, and what success is that you learned a lot and ultimately you had a positive impact on the world and the people around you that you came in touch with during this life. So, when you check out of here, if somebody asks you or you ask yourself and I’ve spoken to a lot of other people who have clinically died because it was something I was interested in at some point, what happened to them? Normally, they go to this place of total peace and then they’ll see their life in front of them. But they don’t see it they feel it as well,” Dorian Yates said.
Bodybuilding Icons Share Secrets to Staving Off Aging
The use of hormones to delay the effects of aging is not exclusive to bodybuilding veteran Dorian Yates, also known as ‘The Shadow.’ Rich Gaspari, who made a name for himself in the industry with his remarkable conditioning and striated glutes, continues to share various peptide stacks he takes to preserve his body.
Despite the risks associated with bodybuilding, Yates recently revealed that he weighs 235 pounds and credits hormone replacement therapies for his well-being. He emphasizes the importance of being grateful for the benefits of such therapies while acknowledging the potential dangers of the sport.
This isn’t Yates’ first experience with hallucinogenic substances. Last year, he underwent a “powerful life-changing” experience with DMT, a popular compound known for its potent effects.
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Overview
Dorian Yates, a former bodybuilding champion, has recently shared his spiritual journey on ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew similar to DMT. The experience took place in the Amazon rainforest and allowed Yates to reflect on his life and find inner peace. Through meditation and being present in the moment, he shares strategies for maintaining that sense of peace in his daily life. Despite retiring from competitive bodybuilding in 1997, Yates’ passion for the sport remains evident, as he continues to share his training techniques online. In a recent interview, Yates recounted his harrowing experience with ayahuasca, which involved intense vomiting and hallucinations of a feminine presence urging him to cease self-poisoning. According to Yates, success is defined by leaving a positive impact on the world, while happiness is attained by learning to love oneself and projecting that love outward.
Featured Image @ thedorianyates (Instagram)
Featured Streaming @ Rob Lipsett (Youtube)
