Dorian Yates’ biceps workout: 10 minutes
The biceps is a muscle that often gets trained too much and too frequently. Dorian Yates — seven-time Mr. Olympia — explains why less is more and shares his personal 10-minute training program to put an end to both overtraining and joint pain.
Why aren’t your biceps growing?
The question was simple and familiar: a man had been training hard for 7 years, working his biceps 3x a week — yet the muscle simply wouldn’t grow. On top of that, he was experiencing joint pain after every workout.
Dorian’s answer was blunt: training your biceps 3x a week is a big mistake. That is too much for any muscle, let alone a small one. Joint pain isn’t normal — it signals that your training program is poorly structured.
Dorian knows this firsthand. In 1994, while preparing for Mr. Olympia, he experienced severe pain during biceps training — so intense that it even interfered with his back training and threatened his contest preparation. That experience shaped his approach: fewer sets, with maximum effort on every set.
One quality workout a week
Dorian’s philosophy is simple: one quality workout a week is enough to stimulate muscle growth. Three exercises, properly performed reps and sets — that is all you need.
One workout every seven days is perfectly normal, especially if you train your back in between, when your biceps are working anyway. The simple truth: the less you do, the better you recover — and the more you grow.
Technique is always crucial. Keep your wrists locked throughout the set. When performing incline dumbbell curls, avoid twisting as you lower the weights — this is one of the most common causes of injury. Use pauses and tense your muscles during them to achieve maximum focus.
Biceps workout: Dorian’s 10-minute program
Dorian warms up with 30 dumbbell reps, using light weights to prepare the muscle. He adds a few biceps stretches.
Incline dumbbell curls should be intense. Perform 8 reps in the warm-up set and 10 reps in the working set. Dorian prefers an EZ-curl barbell to a straight barbell because the straight barbell places no unnecessary extra stress on the wrist — only on the muscle.
Dorian’s favorite working-set technique: perform 8 all-out reps, then hold the barbell at the bottom for about 10 seconds, try to complete another 1–2 reps, rest for 10 seconds, then try another 1–2 reps. This maximizes the training load on your muscles in a short time — without overtraining.
Finish with single-arm preacher curls, leaning forward over the bench: isolate the muscle completely and move the weight slowly to maintain full focus. 6–8 reps per arm are more than enough.
Dorian Yates’ 10 min biceps training program
- Dumbbell curls (warm-up): 1 × 30
- Incline dumbbell curls: warm-up 1 × 8, working set 1 × 10
- Curls with an EZ-curl barbell: warm-up 1 × 10, working set 1 × 8–12
- Single-arm preacher curls, leaning forward: 1 × 6–8 per arm
Dorian’s triceps program as an example
- Cable pressdowns: warm-up 1 × 15, warm-up 1 × 12, working set 1 × 8–12
- French press with an EZ-curl barbell: warm-up 1 × 12, working set 1 × 8–10
FAQ: Biceps and overtraining
Can you train your biceps 3x a week?
In Dorian’s experience, that is too much. One quality workout a week is enough — your biceps also work during back workouts, adding volume without a separate training day.
What should you do if you have joint pain after a biceps workout?
Reduce your training frequency immediately. Pain is a clear sign that you aren’t recovering enough. One workout a week, good technique and a proper warm-up — these three things resolve most chronic joint pain problems.
Is using an EZ-curl barbell really better?
Yes — a straight barbell puts extra stress on your wrists, which does nothing to help the muscles work but does increase injury risk. An EZ-curl barbell lets you keep your wrists in a more natural position and directs all the work to your biceps.
Author: joker — Abridged from Flex magazine
Source: Turg.Fitness.ee
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