Dorian Yates won the Mr Olympia trophy on six consecutive occasions between 1992 and 1997 thanks to his blood and guts mentality and has recently shared his No. 1 move for building the back, even if that meant torturing himself in the process. Apparently, the Nautilus pullover machine is very, very naughty. And this Dorian Yates’ Nautilus pullover machine flashback takes us back to those tortuous times.
Yates, who became the most famous bodybuilder out of Birmingham, England, attacked every gym session like he was going to war with the weights during his active career. And, in a recent Instagram post, he revealed the No. 1 back exercise on his list. “First exercise in for back; Nautilus pullovers,” wrote the icon for his 1.8-million-plus followers.
What is the Nautilus Pullover Machine?
In his accompanying and suitably grainy video, Yates took a seat inside the machine, leaning back so that he could raise the bar, grip it, and pull it back down again. While it is not the most common piece of gym equipment, this machine can still be found in many weight rooms and has remained popular for decades. The beauty is that these pullovers certainly work the back, including the shoulders and lats, but they also hammer the upper body, making you flex the pecs, triceps, and abs.
Dorian Yates Recalls his Love-Hate Relationship with the Nautilus Pullover Machine
Yates always knew that he wanted to move as much weight as possible, so he was always sure to prep before really getting his pump going. “A couple of warmup sets, just to get the lats warm and to build up that mind-muscle connection,” explained the big man of his process. “I took a minute or two to fully prepare myself for this torture device, pacing around the gym and amping myself up with a few words.”
Indeed, Yates appears close to 300 pounds in weight as he commands this machine. “I did often use smelling salts,” he shares. “To give me a jolt of adrenaline and I was ready to go.” Incredibly, the legend says he would load the Nautilus Pullover Machine up with 500 pounds (227kg), “Driving each rep through to my waist with a squeeze and slow negative.”
The vintage video shows Yates battling the naughtiness of this torturous machine as he faces forward and focuses on the task at hand. “In my mind here I’m just thinking about nothing else but doing what I came here to do.” Of course, Yates was there to become the greatest bodybuilder of the 90s, and he did just that.
“I often closed my eyes on machine-based exercises to truly feel that connection with the muscle and become the master of each rep,” he shared. “Towards the end here we do a few assisted reps to failure. And that’s just the first exercise in…” Oh, to be a fly on the wall during one of “The Shadow’s” peak gym sessions!
