Written by Dorian Yates
07 November 2017

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My Road to Turning Pro

'The Shadow' Rides Like The Wind

 

 

1986 – My First Attempt

I had made my competitive debut in 1985 at the novice class of a regional show, and had then been rushed into the IFBB World Games the following week to represent the U.K. as a heavyweight. A bit out of my league there, I placed seventh in a class won by Berry de Mey with Matt Mendenhall as runner-up. With another year of training and improving, I felt I was ready to tackle the EFBB British Championships. I’d put on more size proportionately, and I knew I could get into great condition. The contest was held at the Wembley Conference Center in London. I actually overdieted a bit to assure that my condition would be the best onstage, and also spent time in a sauna and took a mild diuretic (Dyazide), which in retrospect was unnecessary. I certainly was shredded and dry, but I also suffered severe cramping in areas like my quads, hams and pecs. I took in some sodium after judging, which helped, but I was still cramping later that night at the finals. To add insult to injury, I had wanted blond highlights in my hair as was the fashion in the ‘80s, but the hairdresser went overboard with the bleach and left me with hair that was so blond it was nearly white. One very cool part of that contest was the guest poser, none other than the Golden Eagle, Tom Platz. He came out and posed to “Ride Like the Wind,” and the crowd went bonkers over his amazing legs. I wanted to introduce myself, but I was too shy and starstruck.

 

As for the heavyweight class, I was confident I would win even though there were some other decent guys in it. Another future pro Selwyn Cottrell, was 6’2” and about 240, but a bit weak in the legs and calves. He placed second to me. John Fisher in third was also a bit top-heavy. I had always grown proportionately, with no real lagging body parts. There were only four weight classes at that time— lightweight up to 70 kilos, middleweight up to 80, light-heavyweight up to 90 and heavyweights over 90 kg. Only the overall winner turned pro. In the end, the light heavy got the overall. Looking back, there may have been some favoritism. I was an unknown, and not the most sociable guy. But here I was, only 24 years old and already close to winning my national championship in only my third contest. Looking back, it was a good thing I didn’t turn pro then, as I wasn’t nearly ready yet to make any kind of impression in the IFBB.

 

1988 – Triumph

1987 was a busy year for me, as I bought Temple Gym and proceeded to convert it from what had been a little place to lift weights and practice martial arts into a proper hardcore gym. Bodybuilding wasn’t making me any money yet, so getting Temple up and running and turning a profit was key. I also had a minor surgery to remove some scar tissue in my hip after having torn it doing rock-bottom squats as we all did at the time. Yet I hardly missed a beat in my training, and continued to add size.

 

So I arrived at the 1988 Brits about 12 pounds heavier, not having overdieted this time. The judging was a foreshadow of my first Mr. Olympia win— just one callout and then I was placed back in the lineup. It was more than obvious I was the winner, although two female judges had dissenting opinions. One had me in second place and one in third. When Peter McGough asked them why, he was told I was too muscular! But regardless, I won and earned my pro card. The whole crew from Birmingham had traveled down to see me, and they were blasting their air horns to show their support. Now I knew I could in fact be a good pro, even though I also knew there was a lot of work to be done before I made that transition. But it was a great day, because I was on my way.

 

Bodybuilding’s #1 Historian Remembers:

‘It’s not good enough to be the best; you have to be the best by a zillion miles.’

 

“In 1986, at 214 pounds, Dorian won the British heavyweight title but missed out on a pro card by losing the overall to light-heavy champ Chris Oskys: a decision that still has the aura of stale fish. I went backstage, half-expecting Yates to be kicking chairs around— anyone else would have. Instead, he stood with his hands on his hips and quietly said, “Well, I’m pissed about that.” And he never spoke another word about the result. In his own mind, he had learned a valuable lesson: It’s not good enough to be the best; you have to be the best by a zillion miles. Thus it was, with that thought it mind, that two years later, he returned to the British Championships— where his 226-pound package wowed the audience and blitzed the opposition as he nailed down the heavyweight and overall trophies; thus earning his IFBB pro card. I wrote, “The other competitors had as much chance as a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.”

 

By this time, yours truly had nicknamed him The Shadow by virtue of the low profile he kept before his “shock-and-awe” appearances, quickly followed by him disappearing into the anonymity of his Birmingham lair. Plus, I truly felt he represented a shadow looming over world bodybuilding. They didn’t know what was coming.” –Peter McGough

 

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