The Olympia-winning workout routine of “The Nigerian Lion.”
A well-structured workout routine is crucial for maintaining consistency in your training and achieving your desired results. Without proper structure, you risk overtraining, undertraining, or failing to see progress. While countless workout plans are available online, not all are effective. To create a truly impactful routine, it’s worth learning from the methods of professionals. Samson Dauda, the reigning 2024 Mr. Olympia, exemplifies what it takes to train for success. This article examines Samson Dauda’s full workout routine, offering valuable insights and tips to enhance your own training regimen.
Who Is Samson Dauda?
| Full Name: Samson Dauda | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| (125–150 kg) 275-330 lbs | (180.34 cm) 5’11” | 03/11/1986 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| Men’s Open | 2020, Till Date | Nigerian |
Early Life
Samson Dauda is a Nigerian-British professional bodybuilder competing in the Men’s Open bodybuilding division. He clinched the title in the 2024 Mr. Olympia, just edging out former champion Dereck Lunsford, who won it in 2023. Dauda made his Olympia debut in 2022, where he finished 6th, but climbed to third the following year before winning it on his third appearance.
Inspiration
Samson Dauda enjoyed playing rugby, and it was his teammates and a gym owner who introduced him to bodybuilding. In 2013, after witnessing bodybuilding icon Phil Heath compete, he decided to focus on competitive bodybuilding. He entered his first bodybuilding competition the following year and decided to focus on bodybuilding full-time.
To make ends meet, Dauda worked in construction and also served as a maintenance worker in a care home. He later resigned in 2020 to compete in a show in South Korea, after which he focused entirely on his bodybuilding career.
Competitions
Samson Dauda earned his IFBB Pro card in 2017, winning the IFBB Amateur Diamond Cup Rome competition. This marked a turning point in his career, encouraging him to compete in other shows, such as the 2018 EVLS Prague Showdown, where he placed fifth. His first win was at the 2021 EVLS Prague Pro, which earned him his first Olympia qualification.
At the 2022 Mr. Olympia, he made his debut and placed sixth. He then went on to compete in the 2023 Arnold Classic, where he defeated top athletes such as Andrew Jacked and Nick Walker. The 2023 Olympia was much better, as he found himself in the top three with Derek Lunsford (the winner) and Hadi Choopan (runner-up).
Just last year at the 2024 Olympia, it was down to the same competitors, and Samson Dauda came out on top. He also claimed the People’s Champion title that same year, becoming the first Nigerian bodybuilder to win the Mr. Olympia. Dauda won this competition while being coached by his wife!
Achievements
| Year | Competition | Position |
| 2017 | IFBB Amateur Arnold Classic Europe | 5th |
| 2017 | IFBB Amateur Diamond Cup Rome | 1st |
| 2018 | EVLS Prague Showdown | 5th |
| 2018 | George Farah Classic Pro Italy | 9th |
| 2018 | IFBB Prague Pro | 5th |
| 2018 | IFBB Romania Muscle Fest Pro | 11th |
| 2019 | IFBB British Grand Prix | 2nd |
| 2019 | IFBB Chicago Pro | 7th |
| 2019 | IFBB Portugal Pro | 5th |
| 2019 | IFBB Vancouver Pro | 8th |
| 2020 | IFBB British Grand Prix | 6th |
| 2020 | IFBB Europa Dallas Pro | 5th |
| 2020 | IFBB Monsterzym Pro | 2nd |
| 2021 | IFBB Romania Muscle Fest Pro | 2nd |
| 2022 | IFBB Boston Pro | 4th |
| 2022 | IFBB Mr. Olympia | 6th |
| 2023 | IFBB Arnold Classic US | 1st |
| 2023 | IFBB Mr. Olympia | 3rd |
| 2023 | IFBB EVLS Prague Pro | 1st |
| 2024 | IFBB Arnold Classic US | 2nd |
| 2024 | IFBB Arnold Classic UK | 2nd |
| 2024 | IFBB Mr. Olympia | 1st |
| 2025 | IFBB Arnold Classic US | 2nd |
Samson Dauda’s Full Workout Routine
“The Nigerian Lions'” training routine is as intense and heavy as it gets. This translates to heavy mass muscularity, which makes his physique one of the best in the game. He has a variety of exercises that isolate and work every muscle group in his body, typically training to failure.
Dauda utilizes a combination of compound and isolated lifts, and for each muscle group, he performs approximately three to four exercises that target these areas differently. Depending on the exercise, he also includes supersets with at least sixty seconds’ rest between these exercises.
Back
Samson Dauda does a combination of vertical and horizontal pulls for his back day. These movements include rows, pull-ups, and pulldowns. Here is a list of his exercises.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Wide Grip Neutral Pulldown | 3-4 | 8-10 |
| Cable Row | 3-4 | 10 (two-second holds each rep) |
| Rack Pull | 3-4 | 10 |
| Hammer Strength Low Row | 3-4 | 10 |
| Superset – Closed-Grip Pulldown & Rope Pullover | 3-4 | 10 (60 seconds rest between exercises) |
Chest & Calves
Samson Dauda does three major exercises for his chest. It focuses on high volume for muscle hypertrophy. These are his chest and calf exercises.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Smith Machine Incline Chest Press | 3-4 | 8-10 |
| Machine Chest Press | 3-4 | 10 (two-second holds each rep) |
| Superset – Seated Calf Raise & Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 10-12 (60 seconds rest between exercises) |
Shoulders & Abs
On his shoulder day, Dauda incorporates exercises that work the three heads of his shoulders. He uses compound movements, performs supersets, and concludes his session with some ab exercises.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Superset – Smith Machine Overhead Press & Machine Lateral Raise | 3 | 6-8 (60 seconds rest between exercises) |
| Shrug | 3 | 8-10 |
| Reverse Pec Dec Fly | 4 | 10 |
| Single Arm Reverse Grip Front Raise | 3-4 | 10 |
| Superset – Hanging Leg Raise & Machine Ab Crunch | 3 | 10 (60 seconds rest between exercises) |
Arms
When performing his arm workout, he uses more machines than free weights. He likes to focus on his biceps and triceps muscles, working them in different angles using slow and well-controlled movements.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Superset – Cable Triceps Pushdown & Preacher Curl | 2 | 15 (60 seconds rest between exercises) |
| Superset – Machine Cable Pushdown & Hammer Curl | 3 | 15 (60 seconds rest between exercises) |
| Superset – Cable Tricep Extension & EZ Bar Curl | 3 | 12 (60 seconds rest between exercises) |
| Cable Shrug | 3 | 15 |
Legs
Dauda combines both isolation and compound movements for his leg exercises. It’s all about load and volume with these routines, with the introduction of supersets. Here are his leg exercises.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Leg Press | 5 | 15-20 |
| Smith Machine Squat | 5 | 15-20 |
| Leg Extension | 5 | 15-20 |
| Leg Curl | 5 | 15-20 (60 seconds rest between exercises) |
| Superset – Lying Leg Curl & Kneeling Leg Curl (till failure) | 3 | 6-8 |
| Superset – Hack Squat & Leg Extension (till failure) | 3 | 10 (60 seconds rest between exercises) |
Samson Dauda’s Workout Notes
Let’s examine some key points to note regarding Samson Dauda’s full workout routine.
Training Intensity
Dauda employs a high volume and heavy-weight training intensity during his workouts. He also trains to the point of muscular failure, completely exhausting his muscle groups. Depending on the exercise, he can use the combination of both free weights and machines, especially on arm day.
Training Split
Samson Dauda’s approach to his full workout routine involves using a bro split or an upper/lower training split to target every available muscle group. He also employs supersets in his training, with little or no rest in between exercises. It is a practical approach to save time in the gym and also build a better mind-muscle connection when focusing on target muscles.
Nutrition
Looking at Samson Dauda’s Olympia-winning physique, you can credit it to his strict and high-quality nutrition. His protein helps him with muscle growth, while taking carbs helps fuel his energy for workouts, along with some healthy fats. Dauda’s food consists mainly of protein and some supplements. Here are some of his foods:
- Oats
- Chicken Breast
- Rice
- Steak
- Protein Isolate
- Whole Eggs
- Apples
- Sweet Potatoes
- Banana
- Yogurt
- Creatine Monohydrate
- Salmon
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