Dorian Yates is a bona fide legend in the world of bodybuilding. Coming from Warwickshire, England, the man they called “The Shadow” would emerge from the darkness and feel the bright light of success, winning six Olympia titles during his career. And, while this ‘man’s man’ was originally put off by posing, he understood that perfecting the art was an essential key to his success. For those who are hoping to follow in his footsteps, Yates just shared 6 terrific tips for your posing game that you should take to heart.
Embrace Posing
Yates kicked off his two-part posing masterclass on Feb 10, 2025, explaining that he initially “wasn’t really comfortable with posing.” Instead, the Englishman was far more drawn to honing his discipline in the weight room. But the 80s were an important time for the evolving presentation of bodybuilding, especially thanks to the growing influence of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1977 documentary, Pumping Iron. So, the future champ would need to embrace every aspect of competition and that included posing. “I supposed it would’ve been strange going from hardcore balls to the walls training, to the aesthetically pleasing art when posing,” he said. “So, what did I do? I found a way to reflect my physique and my lifestyle into my posing!”
Study the Professionals
“Like I said, it wasn’t my favourite aspect of the sport, but I realised early on that if you want to be a great bodybuilder, you’ve got to work on this part,” explained Yates. “I’ve seen guys with good physiques step on stage, but they couldn’t display it to the max because they couldn’t pose correctly. I began by studying the magazines and any tapes I could watch of the Olympias, seeing how the guys performed their poses and the way they were so fluid in their movements, and how they hit different variations to suit their physiques. I analysed for hours on end and eventually when I became Mr. Olympia, I rewatched my previous contests to see what I could do better.”
Make the Poses Reflect Your Style and Physique
Once “The Shadow” became comfortable with his craft, the brilliant bodybuilder began making the poses work for him. “… I learned to make certain poses my own such as the side triceps where I put my leg back to show the size of my calves and make it a powerful pose.” Yates said that by 1985, he felt that he was really perfecting his poses on stage, to the point that he was “symmetrical and in line whereas everyone else that day had their shoulder rolled forward.”
The big man explained how he began making the moves his own. “So, how I combined hardcore training with artistic, classy posing was by putting my own spin and personality in,” said Yates. “Especially with the compulsory poses where I added my karate/martial arts background with banging my foot down to quite literally stamp my authority and put an aggressive twist in.”
Master Your Choice of Music
Yates returned to Instagram on Feb 13, 2025, to conclude his masterclass, and used the opportunity to make sure that music is given some significant thought. “I never had any love songs or anything similar like some other guys where they had smooth music to suit their poses,” explained Yates. “Instead, I chose what suited my personality which was rock music, powerful, energetic. My favourite was the majestic ‘O Fortuna’ (Carmina Burana) that Lee Haney posed to, but I found a thumping house version which reflected me. It’s a presentation to music so choose what reflects your own personality and suits you.”
Practice, Perfect, and Repeat Your Posing
“Learning the compulsory poses is the first thing really,” said Yates. “Four poses relaxed (front, back, left and right sides), so practice holding those whilst flexing each muscle. Especially the front relaxed where you need to breathe without struggling. Next was the seven compulsory poses (front and back double biceps, front and back lat spread, side chest, side triceps, abs & thighs) followed by the free posing round.”
Yates understood that he needed to look natural on stage to convince the judges. “You’ve got to hit the compulsory poses like second nature so that you don’t need a mirror… remember there’s no mirror on stage,” he said. “The mandatory poses are the meat and potatoes, I became so successful because I practiced for hours upon hours, come show time and I could stand there all day if I wanted to. It’s exhausting and does take it out of you, but once you master it you can really bring a new dimension to your physique. Flexing each muscle in perfect harmony with balancing your physique!”
Small Tweaks Could Lead to Huge Rewards
Sometimes the difference between being a close contender and an anointed champion is separated by just a sliver. “I made small adjustments like how I positioned myself; you’ve got to play around with it and find what works best for you,” enthused the Olympia icon. “Remember all poses are full body poses, no matter the angle. Learn to keep your body tensed all the time. Often people would forget about the legs because they were so focused on squeezing the upper body! I used to pose from the floor like a tree with roots etc. Final note: keep everything tensed and practice… command your body!”
From Mr Birmingham (England), to British Heavyweight Champion, to six-time Olympia trophy winner, few bodybuilders can offer advice as valuable as that from Dorian Yates.
