Dorian Yates : From Prison to 6X - Mr. Olympia Bodybuilder!

 Are you in your best form possible? Is it enough to knock the competition out? 

Till today, these questions have dogged countless bodybuilders in their bid for a shot at ‘The Land of Fame and Fortune’. Ever since humanity got wind of the merits of  lifting iron, men and women alike have been making muscles swell like a threat to everyone else in any given room – perhaps an enduring legacy of the father of modern bodybuilding himself, Mr. Eugen Sandow, a circus acrobat who made the sport as appealing as can be a century or so earlier.

Inevitably, however, it’s Arnold Schwarzenegger that comes to mind when you talk about bodybuilding. And yet, serious patrons know the sport of sculpting a jaw-dropping physique has climbed notches higher from the time the “Terminator” actor set the global bodybuilding stage on fire in 1970 when he first won Mr. Olympia, bodybuilding’s penultimate contest, proceeding to thereby create an even greater global splash by duplicating the feat a record 5 times.

But there’s much to be learned from bodybuilding for an enterprise to gain from, or for that matter, for any human being wanting to improve his circumstance - even against overwhelming odds. And certainly, this goes beyond getting your midsection those washboard abs to make every dude on the beach drool with envy.

As any serious bodybuilder are wont to find, the game isn’t won by being just at your optimal best; rather, you'll have to make sure you’re way better than the competition which should mean you're way better than the best man standing onstage. And that’s a tall order, by any standard. More often than not, that would mean you’d have to take the limelight off the man attributed the most superlatives a year ago  – the most ripped body, the biggest biceps, the best definition, the best symmetry - by finding his weak spot and maximizing on it.

Thus, in whatever position you maybe in your career, whether the CEO of a 1,000+-strong multinational firm, a star salesman or a fledgling entrepreneur, you know aspiring to do better than the last time is a must to get your current situation dramatic results. Taking your cue in how the best bodybuilders struggled to stay in top form and snatch the ultimate prize should be a smart move in winning your own game.

The stories of the greatest bodybuilders of all time present a microcosm of humanity’s struggle towards excellence. Such is the journey of Dorian Yates, a troubled teen from England who if not for his labors in lifting weights day in day out would have spent his life going in and out of prison - virtually unknown to his birth nation, much less to the world. Most importantly, his victory showed how a drastic change in mentality could spell the difference between so-so and legendary.

Going Against the Tide

Bodybuilding is never for the faint of hearts. Anyone who thinks otherwise should take time to measure his arms and realize Arnold’s arms grew to 22-23 inches at its peak - sizable enough for fans and less-blessed Earthlings to call them pythons. 

In America, however, things can take an even more challenging perspective for a bodybuilder. Largely buoyed by unhealthy lifestyles, lack of exercise and a penchant for junk foods, Americans are grappling with an obesity crisis that’s alarming to say the least. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases details more than 2 in 3 adults in “The Land of the Free” is either overweight or obese.

In this context, becoming a bodybuilder means following a totally different path from what most people are used to. In short, taking on the less-traveled road.

Deciding to compete, therefore, in bodybuilding is a most admirable decision, albeit a gargantuan challenge for certified gym rats and certainly an act of stupidity for the uninitiated. Quite simply, it takes years of continuous effort (e.g., right food, right supplements, right program, undying devotion) to reach top form. Worse, despite the dedication, only few wins the top prize; many are destined to languish in the prison of the anonymous, unable to make a dent in the industry.

Certainly, you’d be in awe standing next to a champion bodybuilder, champs like Calum von Moger, winner of the prestigious Mr. Universe bodybuilding contest in 2015. So massive and well-defined is this modern-day Hercules the Australian’s been dubbed “Arnie 2.0” in deference to the most famous bodybuilder of them all.

But as impressive as von Moger’s physique is, it’s just half the story of his journey. The other half tells us the 112-kg, 6 ft. 2 in. behemoth started lifting weights at 14 years old as a skinny kid. Most notably, he had to take up a 3-hour, six-day muscle-pumping routine weekly to create all those much-adored muscle symmetry and definition. Minus that and this Australian diamond would have seriously lacked the luster and brilliance to be able to cruise to the global bodybuilding stage and present his top form in a 10-minute posing competition.

The Sandow Trophy and the Legends Leading to Lee Haney

As mind-blowing as the Mr. Universe contest is, it pales in comparison to Mr. Olympia. A brainchild of arguably the sport’s greatest patron, Joe Weider, Mr. Olympia is a yearly competition that allows only Mr. Universe winners to compete against each other. The visionary in Weider knew that in order to arrive at the greatest, the best must be pitted against one another.

Years back, Joe along with his brother Ben founded IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness), the biggest governing body for the sport worldwide even up to today.

Mr. Olympia winners take home the Sandow trophy, a most apt symbol that would eventually honor only a chosen few, a handful of men who have gone beyond what most dare not go.

Receiving the Sandow trophy has become a source of pride unequalled in the history of bodybuilding. True enough, since its inception in 1965, Mr. Olympia paraded the most daunting and most well-chiseled humans on Planet Earth, but not before a Battle Royale of epic proportions.

One of the earliest to capture the world’s imagination was a dashing Cuban named Sergio Oliva dubbed as “The Myth” for his stunning physique unparalleled in the history of bodybuilding. Standing at a mere 5 ft 10 in. tall, Oliva’s physicality was simply outstanding, displaying a well-formed upper body matched with a narrow waist to form a remarkable V-shape back that brought mayhem and fear to the minds of the competition. Quite dramatically, reporters sang his magnificence telling how Sergio Oliva’s muscles resembled that of finely hewn steel.

So out-of-this-world was the Cuban’s physique, Oliva’s reign as Mr. Olympia would be unchallenged for three consecutive years from 1967-1969. It was only in 1970 that a taller competitor would knock Sergio off his pedestal. That year the 6’2” “Australian Oak” in Schwarzenegger would win the Sandow trophy, forging a path that would lead him to the unthinkable: winning the Mr. O a record 7 times.

As impressive as the future California governor’s feat is, his run for the Mr. Olympia trophy was anything but easy. In his first try in 1969, defeat would greet him, being unable to dethrone the mighty Cuban that year.

However, once he got his hands on the Sandow trophy it seemed there was no stopping the would-be California “Governator”. Taking Oliva’s immense form and great aesthetics to greater heights, Arnold would lay claim to the most-prized bodybuilding trophy for six consecutive years from 1970 – 1975, handing Oliva a bitter defeat twice, in 1970 and in 1972.

When Arnold announced his retirement in the sport, fame was already on him, especially after the docudrama Pumping Iron which also featured some of his greatest rivals (e.g., Lou Ferrigno, Serge Nubret) placed the “Predator” star even brighter in the global spotlight.

By wowing the crowd and showing a command in stage presence that’s unequalled even in today’s lofty standards, Arnold emerged as the first true bodybuilding superstar - landing Hollywood movie blockbuster projects along the way and eventually becoming unquestionably “the most famous bodybuilder” of all time.

Arnold would cap his achievement by competing again in 1980 winning the Sandow with relative ease, though not without controversy. Not only was the “Austrian Oak” putting up superior physicality with his huge, uniquely symmetrical body, he did so with an unprecedented level of charisma, trumping the competition with a trademark aura of invincibility that is unmatched even today. Such charisma experts point out was to be his biggest weapon, especially in this last competition when he was least prepared and his physique not as astounding as his early years.

Arnold’s feat seemed insurmountable and his legacy safe and secure as the greatest bodybuilder of all time in the minds of many.  However, not too long after he stopped competing, a new star emerged deploying a physique so jaw-dropping it took the world by storm: Lee Haney.

As a devout born again Christian, Lee Haney had deeply religious roots. But such religiosity only served to fan his eagerness to compete on stage as a bodybuilder. So tremendous is his passion for body-sculpting, the 5’11” bodybuilder from the state of Georgia would outshine Arnold’s legendary feat, winning Mr. Olympia for a record-breaking 8 straight consecutive years.

Ushering in a new era of bodybuilding, Lee Haney draw a defining line that put a red flag on those who rely on plain aesthetics (e.g., proportion, symmetry, conditioning) at the expense of huge muscular development.  

Surely, beating Lee at his game would be one gargantuan task, if not downright impossible. Indeed, that was how then wannabe champion, Dorian Yates, felt looking at his chances of snatching the Sandow trophy from the juggernaut that is Lee “Total-Lee Awesome” Haney.

How could Dorian Yates possibly defeat the man he idolized all his life?

From Good to Great

Right from the get-go, Dorian Yates seemed destined for a life other than bodybuilding. Growing up in a small farm in Hurley, outside of Birmingham, England, the young Dorian would meet tragedy early in life losing his father at the age of 13 to heart attack.

At the age of 14, city life would meet the country-boy Yates as his mother and younger sister moved to the city of Birmingham after his mom met another man. Fate would be unkind once again to Dorian as his mom’s beau would die before even tying the knot.  

Affected perhaps by all the sudden losses, Dorian melted into the gang-life, donning a skin head, steel-toed boots and hanging out in clubs. Lacking the guidance of his mother who headed back to the country side, Dorian got arrested at 19 years old, caught by the police after a violent riot erupted.

Confinement proved to be a turning point in Dorian Yate’s then largely insignificant life, however. Detained six months at Whatton Youth Detention Center, the young troublemaker found the merits of powerlifting, impressing the guards who were amazed at how strong the teen was.

Unbeknownst to everyone around him, life at prison started Dorian Yate’s march to the most prestigious halls of bodybuilding. Dorian started training in a gym soon after getting out and at 21 would have his first taste of competition.

Nevertheless, as Dorian was slowly gaining headway towards bodybuilding stardom, Lee Haney was already making a mark worldwide. Born in 1959, just two years ahead of Dorian, Lee would embrace the sport of bodybuilding way earlier than his future English competitor. Starting lifting weights at the age of 14, Lee would transform from a skinny harmless kid on the block into a huge mass of incredibly superhuman proportions accentuated by his trademark small waist and wide shoulders.

True enough, in his early 20’s Lee would initiate a bodybuilding record that would smash everyone else’s before him, Arnold’s including. For many puny humans who didn’t see the insides of a gym, it seemed Haney’s symmetry and mass can only be attributed to a Greek god that has come down to Earth to pay a visit.

From the year 1984 down to 1991, a record 8 straight years, the Sandow trophy wouldn’t change hands, held only by the era’s King of Bodybuilding, Lee Haney. Never has there been a mass monster who dominated the global stage this much and with wanton abandon, setting Arnold’s inhuman record years before aside like child's play. However, it’s during such reign that the seeds of Dorian Yates ambitions would be sown, a growing, unstoppable desire that would eventually push the Englishman to cast his lot on the world stage - however slim it maybe.

Any pundit worth his name in salt would agree, Dorian’s chances of ever catching up with Lee seemed improbable. By the time the 5’10” Englishman took bodybuilding seriously in 1983, Haney was to capture his first Mr. Olympia crown a year later,  in 1984. Still Dorian labored, idolizing Haney and biding his time.

Slaying the Dragon

To compete at the level of Lee, Dorian knew he needed to up his game. He realized that his chances of stealing the scene is closing up on him and if he won’t make a run for it, his body may eventually betray him being far from its peak. Thus, it was now or never. The million dollar question is how?

Eventually, Dorian braced himself and faced his demons. And that meant changing his perspective, his mental outlook.

In an interview, the Englishman admitted, “Wow, this is Lee Haney, the icon we are all trying to aspire to. This is the guy I am trying to beat’. He concluded, "I can’t be in awe of this guy because, if that is your attitude then you’re not going to have much chance of winning".

Armed with such resolve and working his butt off in the gym day in day out, Dorian would put everything on the line, embracing his life-long dream instead of listening to his fear.

The decision would prove pivotal and would soon pay off in time. Finally, the English latecomer would be able to prove his mettle against his most cherished idol as the two titans would clash in an epic battle for the Mr. Olympia in 1991.

And if there was anyone on that stage that can hold a candle to Lee, it would have to be Yates. At the onset, it looked like a draw as the Englishman matched Lee’s strong-points mano-y-mano.

However, even with his years preparation, Dorian would go home empty-handed that year with Lee bagging the Sandow once more on their first and last showing together as Mr. O competitors. The good news is the American won at a slim margin, being beaten by Dorian in one of the rounds. That small win would prove to be a huge victory for Dorian who is now convinced he had a legit claim to winning the most-coveted bodybuilding competition in the world.

And just like that, the year thereafter, in 1992, Lee would decide not to compete in the Mr. O, having carved an 8-year unbeaten record and perhaps sensing a possible upset. The time was right for a changing of the guards. Soon, the unbelievable “granite mass” that is Dorian Yates would dominate the global bodybuilding scene earning for himself the moniker “The Shadow” for his uncanny ability to emerge seemingly from out of nowhere time and again to compete. And win again.

For once he got hold of the Sandow trophy which he did that year in 1992, Dorian would hang unto it for 6 consecutive years, only relinquishing the much-acclaimed title to future stars in 1998.

He may not have defeated his hero but Dorian Yates sure gave Lee Haney a run for his money. Not bad for somebody who started late in the sport.

Had Dorian Yates settled for less, in just being good, he would never be able to “slay the dragon” and become great.

Postscript: Today, Dorian Yates ranks fourth (6 wins, 1992-1998) in terms of total number of Mr. Olympia wins. Arnold is third with his 7 wins (1970-1975, 1980) and taking the top spot are Lee Haney (1984-1991) and Ronnie Coleman (1998, 2005) who each gathered 8 Mr. O wins.

In one way or the other, each champion learned from one another and in this sense taught each other. In doing, each legend passed the baton of unquestionable excellence to the next, showing where improvements can still be made. For had it not been for the unbelievable physique of Sergio Oliva, Arnold may not have dug deeper to achieve an even more spectacular showing. And were it not for the sheer immensity, symmetry and definition of Lee Haney, Dorian Yates may not be able to bring the “bestest best” out of himself. The minute he saw him, Arnold was in awe of Oliva, perhaps the only bodybuilder to inflict such inferior thoughts to another legend. Likewise, Dorian worshiped at the altar of Lee before finally growing over his adulation in order to come out of his own.

Who do you think is the greatest bodybuilder of all time? Phil Heath, Mr. Olympia 2015, has been amassing what could be another legendary feat with 5 Sandow trophies already in - and perhaps a fourth, if Mr. Kai Greene can't do anything about it. 

Let your voice be heard in the comments section below.