Sam Sulek broke down the only exercises needed to build muscle for the bodybuilding stage.
Bodybuilder Sam Sulek is one of the biggest fitness stars on the planet. He built an incredible reputation on social media with his personal take on his workout routines, nutrition advice, while building size and improving his physique. Sulek was able to turn that into a career in bodybuilding so he knows a thing or two about building muscle in different ways. In this post, we detail, Sulek’s top 10 muscle-building exercises for his bodybuilding competition prep.
[RELATED: Sam Sulek Hits Major Arm Workout After Earning Pro Card]
Sulek competed at the 2025 Legends Classic in Las Vegas with hopes of punching his ticket to the Arnold Classic in Columbus. He finished first overall in the Classic Physique division at the NPC show and earned qualification for the 2025 Arnold Amateur. He impressed once again with his performance on stage and took home the overall title, which earned his Pro Card.
| 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 Top 10 Muscle Building Exercises
Sam Sulek hit each muscle group as he shared the top muscle-building exercises:
- Leg Extension
- Lying Hamstring Curl
- Lat Pulldown
- Seated Cable Press
- EZ Bar Pushdown
- Standing Dumbbell Curl
- Cable Forearm Curl
- Seated Calf Raise
- Adductor Machine
- Seated Cardio Bike
Leg Extension
Sam Sulek made sure to hit all muscle groups and he began with legs. The leg extension is a movement that Sulek prefers to hit quads rather than other heavy sets.
“The idea of a crazy heavy squat or peg press, as a quad builder, just isn’t it for me. I’ve had periods of time where I basically did leg extensions exclusively.”
Lying Hamstring Curl
Moving onto hamstrings, Sulek opted for lying hamstring curls rather than seated — but it was not an easy decision.
“I’d be a little torn but I’d probably pick seated or laying curl. I guess I’d have to pick laying.”
Lat Pulldown
The overall versatility of lat pulldowns was key in adding this to the list. Sulek discussed how lat pulldowns bring the option of using multiple grips while also leaning back and making it a row. Also, it targets an area where he is looking to improve.
“I’d have to do regular pulldowns. For me, I need more lats because I want them to be wider. The thickness of my back is actually fine. I need them to extend out.”
Seated Cable Press
In the past, Sam Sulek has included incline bench press in this slot. Here, he opted for cable press because of the options and load management.
“That’s a much more versatile set. I can do it really heavy light an actual press or I can do it lighter and get a good squeeze.”
EZ Bar Pushdown
When performing pushdowns with the EZ bar, Sulek makes sure that he is hunched over a bit so that it does not turn into an ab exercise. Also, he opts for this type of bar to avoid putting too much strain on other areas.
“Not the v-bar, 90 degrees is too much. Straight bar is also a little too much on your wrists. I can also do that light and squeezing or you can really have some heft.”
Standing Dumbbell Curl
The dumbbell curl is another classic exercise that offers many different options depending on the weight that you choose to use. Sulek was asked about seated vs. standing and while he did not share a strong opinion, chose standing.
“With some movements, being able to change the load completely changes the style. I can do the 30s and really hold and squeeze it or I can do the 70s.”
Cable Forearm Curl
There were some surprises at the end of the list but again, Sam Sulek made sure to hit all muscle groups and that includes forearms. He referenced actors like Sylvester Stallone who focused on forearms because they were always sleeveless on the big screen.
“It’s not a huge movement but it’s enough where you actually thicken this up.”
Seated Calf Raise
The seated calf raise is a staple for Sulek and uses his own experiences to vouch for the movement.
“For me, my calves will grow from it. I’ll have my own evidence that it worked.”
Adductor Machine
The adductor machine is key in growing your legs as a whole as it ties everything together.
“It ties in below your knee, more hamstring, but keeps it right in the center. If your adductors were really undeveloped, you’d have a really big gap in your legs.”
Seated Cardio Bike
Finally, Sam Sulek added in a cardio source. He admitted that this might not be on many other lists because people choose to skip cardio. The seated bike is his favorite because he can kill time while not moving his torso and using his lower half.
“Not many people will add this. It’s in a reclined position and my torso does not move. You can do it and also make it easy.”
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