Dorian “The Shadow” Yates is a famous retired pro bodybuilder from England. He won the Mr. Olympia six times in a row from 1992 to 1997. He was known for his broad and thick back, gained from his agile and ferocious training. Yates is considered one of the greatest ever bodybuilders, with the fifth-highest number of Mr. Olympia awards.
Net Worth
The Shadow accumulated his wealth winning bodybuilding contests. He owns the Temple Gym and three supplement companies. This includes DY Nutrition, Heavy Duty Inc., and Dorian Yates Ultimate Formulas. Dorian Yates’ estimated net worth is $4 million as of 2024.
Who Is Dorian Yates?
Dorian Andrew Mientjez Yates was born in Walmley, England on April 19, 1962 and is now 61 years old. His father died of a heart attack when he was 13 years old. After that, the family moved to Birmingham in the West Midlands region.
In 1983, Dorian began training at local gyms as a teenager. It was in Birmingham where he turned his passion for bodybuilding into a full-time career.
Wife
Yates’ wife is Glauce “Gal” Ferreira, a Brazilian fitness model. Ferreira clinched the IFBB South American Bodyfitness tournament and was the 2007 IFBB World Bodyfitness Champion. The couple met at the Arnold Classic in 2008 and now live in Marbella.
How Good Was He?
Dorian Yates is not dubbed “The Shadow” for no reason. Peter McGough gave him the nickname because he liked to keep a low-profile and would turn up to competitions in scary shape. He’s one of the most influential professional bodybuilders along with the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, Phil Heath, and Lee Haney.
During his professional career, he won 15 major contests and finished second in two others. He won every tournament he participated in from 1992 to 1997. Dorian won his last Mr. Olympia even with a torn tricep. If it wasn’t for those injuries, his reign may have been longer.
He achieved critical feats by dedicating a lot of time and energy to his passion. Yates worked out one hour per day, four times a week. His balanced size and routine changed the way bodybuilders trained themselves.
What Is Dorian Doing Now?
After playing a key role in taking bodybuilding to the age of “mass monsters”, Yates retired in 1997. Chronic acute injuries, such as torn biceps and triceps, were a major factor in his decision.
Yates purchased The Temple Gym in Birmingham when he was still competing. He opened four more Temple Gym franchises in 2006. However, today, only the first Temple Gym is still open but Yates currently operates several other fitness-related businesses.
As for physical activity, the legendary figure states that he still works out. But, he only does cardio exercises, such as yoga, swimming, hiking, and bicycling. He quit doing heavy training because of his condition. However, he works closely with his son, Lewis, who’s into bodybuilding.
