Sam Sulek prefers the cable machine to perform Romanian deadlifts.
Sam Sulek, a professional bodybuilder and online fitness influencer, has captivated audiences with his unparalleled passion for training. In 2025, Sulek entered his first professional bodybuilding competition, the Legends Classic in Las Vegas, and claimed victory. This triumph secured his qualification for the 2025 Arnold Amateur, where he earned his IFBB Pro League pro card, officially launching his competitive bodybuilding career.
Sulek’s journey began with a deep love for bodybuilding. He initially gained attention by sharing casual training videos and nutrition tips online. His consistency and dedication resonated with viewers, steadily building a loyal following.
Known for his well-sculpted legs, Sulek trains with a focus on hypertrophy and muscle development. This article dives into Sam Sulek’s leg workout routine, exploring the exercises and techniques that power his training.
| Full Name: Sam Bishop Sulek | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| 240 lbs | 5’11” | 2/7/2002 |
| Profession | Era | Nationality |
| Bodybuilder, Fitness Influencer, Internet Personality | 2020s | American |
Sam Sulek’s Leg Workout Routine
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Warm-Up — Hamstring Curls, Cable Machine Romanian Deadlifts | 1 | 15-30 |
| Hamstring Curls | 3 | 8-15 |
| Cable Machine Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 8-12 |
| Narrow Stance Squats | 4 | 8-12 |
| Leg Extensions | 4 | 8-15 |
Sam Sulek’s leg training is focused on getting as much muscle hypertrophy as possible, even if it means training to failure. This study shows that training to failure can help improve the chances of muscle hypertrophy, which is good for muscle growth (1). He uses a mix of compound and isolated exercises to ensure he hits every muscle group in his legs. He also focuses on specific muscles to enhance them more than others or encourage growth if they are lagging.
Although a few industry icons have criticized Sulek’s training method, it seems to work for him. So he believes, why fix what isn’t broken? Sulek is, however, open to bettering himself as an athlete.
Sam Sulek begins his leg workouts with warm-ups to work on joint mobility and get the blood flowing all around his body for enhanced workout performance (2).
Warm-Up — Hamstring Curls & Cable Machine Romanian Deadlifts
Before starting his major leg exercises, Sam Sulek does two warm-up exercises for his lower body, particularly the knees and lower back. He begins with hamstring curls using light weights and emphasizes the squeeze. The squeeze for every rep increases lower body muscle activation. It also helps you get used to the movement to avoid any potential injuries or strains before moving on to heavier weights.
When he does the cable machine Romanian deadlifts, he targets his hamstrings. Traditional Romanian deadlifts can sometimes focus tension on other body parts as the barbell moves away from the body. This isn’t so with the cable machine Romanian deadlifts. Using a cable machine for this exercise helps Sulek maintain constant tension throughout his movement. This study shows that muscle time under tension matters in muscle growth (3).
Sulek uses these two lower-body exercises to prepare his body for his main workouts, which we will see below.
Working Set — Hamstring Curls & Cable Machine Romanian Deadlifts (Progressive Loading)
Sam Sulek adds some extra weights and begins his hamstring curls and cable machine Romanian deadlifts as soon as he finishes his warm-ups. Progressively overloading his exercises is the major determinant for building his leg muscles and lower body strength. He also uses proper form and technique when performing his leg exercises. However, when he performs these exercises, he advises training within one’s safety limits. This helps one avoid injuries even while performing intense workouts.
Working Set — Narrow Stance Squats
He moves on to narrow-stance squats after his hamstring curls and cable machine Romanian deadlifts. Maintaining proper squat form is very important for Sam Sulek because a squat involves a wide range of motion, which is easily susceptible to injuries. He prefers the narrow-stance squat because it best suits his body. Sam Sulek, however, states that depending on how his body feels, he can switch to a different squat variation. Narrow stance squats primarily target the quads but also work the hamstrings, glutes, and core.
Working Set — Leg Extensions
Finally, Sam Sulek ends his leg exercises by doing leg extensions to work his quads. He does four sets of this exercise with a rep range of eight to fifteen.
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References
- Santanielo, N., Nóbrega, S. R., Scarpelli, M. C., Alvarez, I. F., Otoboni, G. B., Pintanel, L., & Libardi, C. A. (2020). Effect of resistance training to muscle failure vs non-failure on strength, hypertrophy and muscle architecture in trained individuals. Biology of sport, 37(4), 333–341. https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2020.96317
- Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(1), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0
- Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
