The biography, life, and accomplishments of Samson Dauda
With the 2024 Mr. Olympia contest just wrapping up, it is time to address an up and coming name in the sport of bodybuilding. Coming in with an exceptional physique that demonstrates a perfect balance of muscle mass and shreds earned him a 1st place finish at the 2024 Mr. Olympia, right ahead of former champion, Hadi Choopan.
Samson Dauda AKA the “Nigerian Lion” proved from the start that he is a force to be reckoned with, as 2022 happened to be his first Mr. Olympia, and finishing in the top ten is quite the achievement, then in 2023 he placed top 3.
Below is a complete breakdown of Samson Dauda’s profile, stats, biography, training and diet regimens.
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Full Name: Samson Dauda (IFBB Bodybuilder) |
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| Weight | Height | Date Of Birth |
| 275-330lbs | 5’11” | Unknown |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| Men’s Bodybuilding | 2020 | Nigerian |
Samson Dauda Biography
Samson Dauda was born in Nigeria, but currently resides in the United Kingdom. He is a prime example of bodybuilding being a global sport, shows that it is always growing and athletes from anywhere can excel in the sport. However, he was not always aiming to body build, and it was not until he received multiple comments from people he played rugby with urging him to compete, that he decided to speak with local gym owner Chris Jones about bodybuilding. Jones told him the bodybuilding prep process, and Dauda opted out, until he saw the 2013 Olympia which was won by Phil Heath. Dauda was amazed by Phil Heath’s physique, and he decided right then and there that he wanted to enter the world of bodybuilding.
Samson Dauda competed in his first bodybuilding contest in April of 2014. He competed in the beginner competition early in the day, but the promoter invited him to compete in the main show later on, telling Dauda he thought he had a chance to win the whole show. To Samson’s surprise, he took the first place trophy home that day, which started his journey.
Samson Dauda’s Competition History
The 2022 contest was Samson Dauda’s Mr. Olympia debut, though he has been fighting for a spot on the big stage for a few years now, and he already came in third place at the 2023 Olympia before he took home the first place prize at the 2024 Olympia.
Let’s take a look at the previous shows that Samson Dauda has competed in.
| Year | Federation | Contest name | Class | Place |
| 2024 | IFBB Pro League | Olympia | Men’s Bodybuilding | 1 |
| 2023 | IFBB Pro League | Olympia | Men’s Bodybuilding- open | 3 |
| 2022 | IFBB Pro League | Olympia | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 6 |
| 2022 | IFBB Pro League | Boston Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding | 4 |
| 2022 | IFBB Pro League | Arnold Classic USA Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding | 4 |
| 2021 | IFBB Pro League | Romania Muscle Fest Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 2 |
| 2021 | IFBB Pro League | EVLS Prague Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 1 |
| 2021 | IFBB Pro League | KO Egypt Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 3 |
| 2021 | IFBB Pro League | Yamamoto Cup Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding | 3 |
| 2021 | IFBB Pro League | Arnold Classic UK Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding | 2 |
| 2020 | IFBB Pro League | British Grand Prix Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding | 6 |
| 2020 | IFBB Pro League | Europa Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 5 |
| 2020 | IFBB Pro League | Monsterzym Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 2 |
| 2019 | IFBB Pro League | Portugal Pro (“Mr. Big Evolution”) | Men’s Bodybuilding | 5 |
| 2019 | IFBB Pro League | Vancouver Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 8 |
| 2019 | IFBB Pro League | Chicago Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 7 |
| 2019 | IFBB Pro League | British Grand Prix | Men’s Bodybuilding | 2 |
| 2018 | IFBB Pro League | Romania Muscle Fest Pro | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 11 |
| 2018 | IFBB Pro League | George Farah Classic Pro Italy | Men’s Bodybuilding | 9 |
| 2018 | IFBB Pro League | EVLS Prague Showdown | Men’s Bodybuilding – open | 5 |
| 2017 | IFBB (Amateur) | Diamond Cup Rome | Men’s Bodybuilding – over 90 kg | 1 |
| 2017 | IFBB (Amateur) | Diamond Cup Rome | Men’s Bodybuilding – overall | 1 |
| 2017 | UKBFF | British Championships | Men’s Bodybuilding – over 100 kg | 2 |
| 2017 | IFBB (Amateur) | Arnold Classic Europe (Amateur) | Men’s Bodybuilding – over 100 kg | 5 |
| 2015 | IFBB (Amateur) | Olympia Amateur UK | Men’s Bodybuilding – over 100 kg | 8 |
As stated before, 2022 was Samson Dauda’s first Olympia, and for him to come in the top ten is remarkable. Then to follow that with a 3rd place finish is even more incredible. Then to top it all off, finishing 1st place in his third Olympia shows a lot of promise.
Samson Dauda Training Routine
Samson Dauda’s training is unique in the sense that it is typically very high volume. He splits up his workouts to isolate muscle groups and does minimal exercises, but his rep ranges are higher. Typically, there are about 3-5 exercises that Dauda will do for each muscle group. Let’s take a look at a few different workouts of his.
Legs
Samson Dauda’s leg workout is absolutely brutal. Although it may only involve just a few exercises, he certainly maximizes the amount that he gets out of each one.
Leg Extension: 5 sets of 15-20 reps
Seated Leg Curl: 5 sets of 20 reps
Leg Press: 5 sets of 15-20 reps
Smith Machine Squats: 5 sets of 12-15 reps
Even though the rep ranges are high, Dauda squeezes hard on each rep, making sure to get a good mind-muscle connection, and is moving some serious weight for each exercise.
Back
Samson Dauda’s back certainly reflects the heavy, intense, and high volume training he puts himself through. He hits the muscle groups hard, efficiently, and does not play around when it comes to his back day.
Wide Grip Neutral Pulldown: 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps with a two second hold each rep, and drop set on the last set
Cable Row: 3-4 sets of 10 reps with two second holds each rep, then two sets until failure
Rack Pulls: 3-4 sets of 10 reps increasing weight each set, controlling the weight on the way down, and on the last set make sure 10 reps is absolute muscular failure
Hammer Strength Low Row: 3-4 sets of 10 reps, hold for a second at the point of most contraction, then make sure the last set of 10 is absolute failure
Narrow Grip Pulldown x Rope Pullovers: This last exercise is a superset and absolutely brutal. 10 reps of narrow grip pulldown, super-setted with 10 reps of rope pullovers, repeated for 3-4 sets and only 60 seconds rest in between each exercise.
These are only a few examples of the way Samson Dauda trains, but it goes to show the hard work he puts in. Looking at these workouts, it’s no wonder that he’s rapidly climbing to the top of the bodybuilding industry.
Nutrition
The diet of Samson Dauda is nothing short of impressive. To maintain a physique like that, and keep his body weight between 275 on stage and 330 in the offseason, there has to be a lot of quality food. Let’s take a look at what a full day of eating typically looks like for Dauda in the on and offseason.
Offseason Diet
Meal 1:
- 130 grams rolled oats
- 1 scoop Hosstile ISO grass fed whey protein isolate
- 5 whole eggs fried in butter with a dash of whole milk, topped with Reggae and Nando’s sauce
- 1.5 scoops of Hosstile SILO essential amino acids plus hydration support in water
Meal 2:
- 400 grams sweet potato
- 200 grams steak
- 1 apple and kiwi smoothie
Meal 3 (pre-workout meal):
- 200 grams of pasta
- 200 grams of ground beef with bolognese sauce
Intra-workout Shake:
- 1 scoop Hosstile INTRA intra-workout
- 1 tablespoon of Hosstile BLOODSHOT pre-workout pump
Post-workout Shake (immediately following training):
- 2 scoops of Hosstile ISO grass fed whey protein isolate
- 1 large banana
Meal 4 (1 hour after post-workout shake):
- 2 cups of white rice
- 250 grams of chicken breast
- Drizzle of olive oil on rice with Reggae and Nando’s sauce
- 2 scoops of Hosstile ISO grass fed whey protein isolate 20 minutes after finishing this meal
Meal 5:
- 200 grams of lean ground beef
- 2 cups of white rice
- Tomato sauce
- 2 scoops of Hosstile ISO grass fed whey protein isolate 20 minutes after finishing this meal
Meal 6:
- 200 grams of steak
- 1 pack of Uncle Ben’s Mexican rice
- 1 YOP yogurt
Prep Diet
Meal 1:
- 90 grams of oatmeal
- 2 scoops of ISO[H1] grass-fed whey protein isolate
- 5 whole eggs
Samson eats his second meal of the day before taking his dog Cerberus to the park for him to play.
Meal 2:
- 250 grams of sweet potato
- 200 grams of steak
After Samson gets back from the park, he eats his next meal and gets his intra- and post-workout supplements ready for the gym.
Meal 3:
- 1 ½ cups of rice
- 250 grams of chicken breast
- Topped with jerk sauce
Intra-Workout Supplement Stack:
- 1 scoop of BLOODSHOT pump pre-workout powder
- 1 scoop of INTRA[R3] intra-workout powder
- 1 scoop of Beta Alanine powder
- 1 scoop of Creatine monohydrate powder
- 1 scoop of Glutamine powder
- 1 scoop Citrulline powder
Post-Workout Supplement Stack:
- 1 scoop of ISO[H1] grass-fed whey protein isolate powder
- 1 scoop of CDX Cluster Dextrin carb powder
Meal 4:
- 1 ½ cups of rice
- 250 grams of chicken breast
Next Samson puts together an outdoor light for Cerberus and talks about his past career as a contractor.
Meal 5:
- 1 ½ cups of rice
- 250 grams of chicken breast
Before packing in for the night, Samson has his last meal which 200 grams of Salmon.
Meal 6:
- 200 grams of Salmon
Samson Dauda Personal Life
In his life outside of bodybuilding, Samson Dauda has a wife, Marlenka. She loves to make healthy meals for her husband. Marlenka always pushes Samson Dauda to reach his next level in bodybuilding. She helps him a lot in every matter of their personal life, and right now they have no kids. The couple has a dream to bring the Mr. Olympia title to their home.
Samson also has a dog named Cerberus. He is also known to collaborate with Hosstile athlete, Sam Sulek, who is an up and coming name in the fitness industry.
Samson Dauda Wrap Up
Samson Dauda is a name that is climbing the ranks in the bodybuilding industry rather quickly. With three Olympias under his belt and a first place finish already, the future is looking bright. His training is nothing short of intense, and he almost certainly has a bright future in the sport.
Do you think Samson Dauda will receive the title of Mr. Olympia again?
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