Dorian Yates Responds to Critics of Yoga & Calls It More Than Just Physical Movement

Yates underwent quite a transformation from being a stiff, muscular beast with a rock-solid body to someone who could easily do a split in no time. He started practicing yoga in the early 2000s, mainly to address his mobility issues, pain, and injuries caused by his bodybuilding career.

Yates practices yoga twice per week, and he notes that it has given him ‘a new body.’ Along with yoga, he started pilates and cycling to improve flexibility and improve his overall health and joint longevity in the long run.

In one of his Instagram posts, Yates wrote, “Probably the number one question I get asked is, ‘Don’t you miss being that big?” My answer is always the same… No. Competitive bodybuilding and everything that came with being an elite athlete were a phase of my life; it was temporary. I’m still training 2x per week with weights, but also other forms of exercise like pilates, yoga, biking, etc.”

But why does Yoga get a bad rep in the bodybuilding world? And can this be a secret for longevity in this sport?

Is Yoga Helpful in Bodybuilding?

According to Jake Dickson from Bar Bend, Yoga can actually help bodybuilding. It improves flexibility and mobility, allowing lifters to use a better range of motion during exercises like squats and presses, which in turn improve muscle activation and overall performance.

Yoga also aids recovery by reducing stiffness, improving blood flow, and lowering stress levels after workouts. Yoga before training is helpful, and stretching is useful afterward. 

It can improve posture, balance, focus, and posing ability. All in all, yoga with weight training is good for supporting better long-term muscle development and reducing joint wear.

What do you think of adding Yoga to a hypertrophy routine?