Age is just a number — for six-time Mr. Olympia winner Dorian Yates, 62 is nothing more than another notch on his belt.
- Yates’ latest physique update shows the bodybuilding veteran still has shredded abs long after his heyday in the sport.
“It’s been hectic,” said Yates of his travels in 2024, both to conduct seminars and to grow his personal brand of nutritional supplements, DY Nutrition. “The Shadow” shared how he stays in great shape in his sixties while on the road — let’s have a listen.
[Related: Best Supplements for Bodybuilding]
Dorian Yates: Shredded at 62
Yates posted his travel recap to social media on Sep. 23, 2024. Here’s what he had to say about his health habits while on the go:
- When travelling, I normally will do just some cardio and stretching, just to keep the blood flowing. If a sauna is available then I’ll definitely use that too. For this trip, I did just one weight training session during the 2 weeks, it’s not something I stress about … I only have so much energy, so if I can get it in, great, if not it’s not something I’d stress about.”
He’s on the money. Let’s have a look at some science related to Yates’ claims and back up his advice with real, empirical evidence. Before we dive into his specific recovery and training habits, check this out:
- A landmark 2021 paper by Pontzer et al., including over 6,000 participants from almost 30 countries, found that metabolic rate does not drop significantly until people approach their senior years. (1)
- At 62, Yates may be starting to experience some decline in this area that could make it more difficult for him to maintain six-pack abs. So far, whatever he’s doing seems to be working just fine.
[Related: How To Build Muscle After 40, + Tips From a Bodybuilding PhD]
How Dorian Yates Stays Fit After 60
- On Training Breaks: Yates says he did one strength training session in a two-week period while traveling. You might think that’s not enough to maintain muscle, but research says even three weeks off from the gym isn’t enough to create noticeable losses in muscle or strength. (2)
One caveat: The study above was conducted on adolescents. Folks entering old age are more prone to sarcopenia, or muscle loss, but most experts still believe that one workout in two weeks is more than enough to keep your hard-earned muscle mass.
- On Cardio: Yates’ decision to “keep his blood flowing” while on the go is wise. Blood flow restriction training is commonly prescribed to athletes who are in the early stages of recovery from ACL reconstruction. (3) However you choose to get your blood circulating, especially to your muscles, will work just fine while traveling.
- On Sauna: Holistically speaking, sauna is one of the best practices for extending what clinicians refer to as “healthspan,” (4) or maintaining one’s physical function and vitality into old age.
On having shredded abs at 62, there’s no magic bullet here. During an Aug. 20, 2024 episode of his podcast, Shadow Talk With Dorian Yates, Yates discussed his evolving perspective on physical activity and training as he ages.
[Related: The Best Training Technique for Building Muscle After 40]
“If you’re in your last 25 years of life, and you’re in pain, and you don’t have your faculties,” Yates remarked. “I don’t think that’s really a great goal.” If his abs are anything to go by, The Shadow is doing just fine.
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References
- Pontzer, H., Yamada, Y., Sagayama, H., Ainslie, P. N., Andersen, L. F., Anderson, L. J., Arab, L., Baddou, I., Bedu-Addo, K., Blaak, E. E., Blanc, S., Bonomi, A. G., Bouten, C. V. C., Bovet, P., Buchowski, M. S., Butte, N. F., Camps, S. G., Close, G. L., Cooper, J. A., Cooper, R., … IAEA DLW Database Consortium (2021). Daily energy expenditure through the human life course. Science (New York, N.Y.), 373(6556), 808–812.
- Gavanda S, Geisler S, Quitmann OJ, Bauhaus H, Schiffer T. Three Weeks of Detraining Does Not Decrease Muscle Thickness, Strength or Sport Performance in Adolescent Athletes. Int J Exerc Sci. 2020 May 1;13(6):633-644. PMID: 32509134; PMCID: PMC7241623.
- Charles D, White R, Reyes C, Palmer D. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE EFFECTS OF BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION TRAINING ON QUADRICEPS MUSCLE ATROPHY AND CIRCUMFERENCE POST ACL RECONSTRUCTION. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2020 Dec;15(6):882-891. doi: 10.26603/ijspt20200882. PMID: 33344004; PMCID: PMC7727417.
- Patrick, R. P., & Johnson, T. L. (2021). Sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan. Experimental gerontology, 154, 111509.
Featured Image: @thedorianyates / Instagram
