Dorian Yates is never afraid of being honest about his bodybuilding observations and that’s because, in terms of qualifications, the Olympia icon is a top scholar of the highly competitive industry. Recently, “The Shadow” asserted that he believes that, to this day, he had the best Front Lat Spread pose and, as expected, he wasn’t shy about making his case.
“I’ve spoken about the front double biceps and side chest poses which weren’t my strongest, but looking at the next of the compulsory poses, the Front Lat Spread was one of my best poses,” explained Yates in a recent Instagram post. “In fact, I challenge anyone to find a better Front Lat Spread than Dorian Yates!” No doubt, the six-consecutive-time winner of the Mr Olympia trophy between 1992 and 1997 has built a legacy that includes developing one of the most iconic physiques in the history of bodybuilding. The Front Lat Spread showcases the hours of sweat and determination that goes into forging thick and defined muscles in order to wow the judges. Not just in those wing-like lats, but also in the shoulders, chest, arms, core, and legs. “This was a majestic pose and I stamped my authority with it,” asserted the legend.
The Front Last Spread has been aced by too many Olympia winners to mention, but why does Dorian Yates feel that his version is better than the likes of Ronnie Coleman, Phil Heath, and Jay Cutler? Or even the latest generation of bodybuilders such as Derek Lunsford, Hadi Choopan, or fellow Brit; Samson Dauda? “So as the name suggests the lats are in focus here, both the width and thickness as can be seen from different angles. But, as with any pose, it’s the physique as a whole that’s being judged and the aim is to display your best body parts in the greatest way possible,” he explains. “Looking at this pose from top (to) bottom, and it goes beyond the classic ‘V-taper’ and into an ‘X-taper’. Starting at the top, with the wide shoulders and gigantic lats, with the elbows pointed out to display the thickness of the biceps and forearms, coming down into a narrow waist. I didn’t have the smallest of waists but I had the size with my delts and lats that emphasised that ‘V-taper’ for the top half of my body. Of course, with the density of my pecs on display as well as the abs and obliques. Then comes the legs with the sheer size and separation in the quads and finishing with the calves.”
No doubt, few competitors have commanded a stage like Dorian Yates in his prime, as his 1.8 million Instagram followers were quick to debate. “How does anyone not think he is the best,” commented one user. “The unbeatable pose of Shadow,” wrote another. “Unmatched even to this day,” agreed yet another. In fact, scrolling through the comments for balance, it turns out that it may in fact be case closed. “That’s why forever and ever a great Front Lat Spread would be called Dorianesque,” concluded another follower.
Depending on whether or not you agree, there’s no doubt that those who are competing in the 2024 Olympia should study the tapes of one of the best to ever to it. Fortunately, he also left us with some insight into how he achieved his best Front Lat Spread: “I often leaned back slightly and had a bend in my knees to further display my lats and quads because they were so dominant in this pose and it helped enhance it further,” he shared. Wise words from the multi-time ‘O’ winner.
Follow Dorian Yates’ insights on Instagram at @thedorianyates
