Back to the Classics: Dorian Yates Revolutionizes Biceps Training with Seated Curls
Some athletes approach their workouts as a routine, while others seize each session as a chance to improve through experience. Recently, the bodybuilding legend from 1992–1997, Mr. Olympia, shared his formula for achieving impressive biceps on Instagram. Here’s how you can implement his techniques.
Building substantial biceps requires targeting the long head of the outer bicep, the short head on the inside, and the brachialis muscle closest to the triceps. To effectively stimulate these areas, you need to use various angles for your curls. While many pick up weights to do basic curls, fewer understand how to maximize muscle activation. Thankfully, “The Shadow” has clarified his approach to this challenge.
Dorian Yates Starts with Dumbbell Curls
For Dorian Yates, developing biceps like granite wasn’t just a goal; it was a scientifically-backed endeavor. “First exercise for biceps, seated dumbbell curls,” he affirmed, revealing key aspects of his successful strategy. “Over time, I experimented with the order of my exercises and found that starting with barbell curls led to too much engagement from my front delts and forearms,” he highlighted for his nearly 2 million Instagram followers.
This posed a problem for Yates, as excessive shoulder involvement detracts from targeting the biceps. A lighter barbell could help alleviate this, but that approach didn’t resonate with Yates’ “Blood and Guts” mentality. “Therefore, I opted for more direct isolation exercises first, like seated curls, Nautilus curls, or dumbbell concentration curls,” he explained.
These variations of seated curls excel at isolating the biceps since the body is stabilized by the seat, minimizing the need for other muscles to engage. After experimenting with different methods, Yates decided that starting with focused isolation exercises was the ideal approach. Compared to standing barbell curls, seated versions reduce the temptation to swing the weights, allowing for better control and muscle activation.
Dorian Yates’ Technique for Bicep Curls
Dorian emphasized that the goal during bicep curls should be to achieve a full range of motion, “with a big squeeze at the top,” as he put it. Despite lifting heavy dumbbells, he implemented a “controlled, slow negative” to increase time under tension, thereby enhancing bicep activation.
To maximize his repetitions, Yates noted, “I initiate the exercise with both arms for the first 6-8 reps. Then, after taking a few deep breaths, I switch to one-arm curls. This technique allows for an extra rep or two with minimal assistance and concentrated focus on each arm.” This strategy provides a practical framework for anyone aiming for bigger biceps.
To keep up with Dorian Yates on Instagram, click here.
