{"id":27400,"date":"2026-08-20T02:40:04","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T02:40:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=27400"},"modified":"2026-08-20T02:40:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T02:40:04","slug":"samson-dauda-profile-and-workout-routine-fitness-volt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=27400","title":{"rendered":"Samson Dauda Profile and Workout Routine \u2013 Fitness Volt"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Samson Dauda won the 2024 Mr. Olympia. <\/span><\/p>\n

The 2022 Mr. Olympia will go down as one of the shows that brought many new faces to the forefront and marked the change of guard to the Men\u2019s Open division. Nigerian-British bodybuilder Samson Dauda<\/strong> is one of the competitors that left their mark on the event. Over the last few years, Dauda has made gradual and steady improvements in his physique which are imminent in the results.<\/span><\/p>\n

Making his Olympia debut in 2022, The Nigerian Lion walked away with a sixth-place finish behind former 2-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh \u2018Big Ramy\u2019 Elsbiay and impressed the bodybuilding community. However, it was his performance at the 2024 Mr. Olympia<\/a> that cemented his legacy<\/strong> after he won gold against Hadi Choopan<\/a> and Derek Lunsford. He also picked up silver against Derek Lunsford at the 2025 Arnold Classic<\/a>. This is his complete biography, workout, and diet regimen as well as statistics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Samson Dauda<\/h2>\n

(Professional Bodybuilder)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Get Fitter, Faster<\/em><\/h3>\n

Level Up Your Fitness: Join our \ud83d\udcaa strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Full Name: Samson Dauda (The Nigerian Lion)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weight<\/b><\/td>\nHeight<\/b><\/td>\nAge<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weight \u2013 275 \u2013 330 lbs (124 \u2013 150 kg)<\/td>\n5\u201911\u201d (180.44 cm)<\/td>\n40\u00a0years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Date of Birth<\/b><\/td>\nEra<\/b><\/td>\nNationality<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
March 11, 1986<\/td>\n2014 to present<\/td>\nNigerian-British<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\"Samson\"Samson
Samson Dauda during his 2022 Mr. Olympia posing routine (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Early Life<\/b><\/h2>\n

Born in Nigeria, Samson Dauda moved to the United Kingdom and currently resides there. Rugby was Dauda\u2019s passion during the earlier days. His teammates there pushed the Nigerian-British bodybuilder to pursue bodybuilding. However, he opted out after the local gym owner \u2013 Chris Jones \u2013 explained to Dauda the process to prepare for a competitive bodybuilding show. It was not until 2013 that Dauda got real interest in pursuing bodybuilding as a career. Dauda was extremely impressed by 2013 Mr. Olympia <\/span>Phil Heath<\/span><\/a>\u2019s physique and decided to take up bodybuilding as a profession.<\/span><\/p>\n

Samson Dauda entered the world of bodybuilding and participated in his first bodybuilding competition in 2014. He secured victory at the show and started his journey to becoming one of the most elite competitors of this era.<\/span><\/p>\n

Career and Competition<\/b><\/h2>\n

Samson Dauda competed in the European circuit until 2017. A win at the 2017 IFBB Amateur Diamond Cup Rome in the 90kg-plus division and overall earned him the IFBB Pro card. Dauda made his Pro bodybuilding debut with a fifth place finish at the 2018 EVLS Prague Pro Showdown. Following a couple of lackluster performances, the Nigerian-British bodybuilder registered an impressive performance at the 2019 British Grand Prix and achieved a second place finish behind the winner Nathan De Asha, beating the likes of James Hollingshead in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Samson Dauda grabbed the attention of the bodybuilding community as a serious contender when he became a runner-up at the 2021 Arnold Classic UK, losing to <\/span>Nathan De Asha<\/span><\/a> once again. However, his massively improved physique and excellent conditioning was appreciated by everyone. Dauda made incremental progress in his career from this point onwards. Following a couple of good finishes, Dauda earned a direct qualification to the 2022 Mr. Olympia with a win at the 2021 EVLS Prague Pro. However, he still chose to compete at the 2021 Romania Muscle Fest Pro shortly after, finishing second.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Samson\"Samson
Samson Dauda at the 2022 Mr. Olympia (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dauda entered the 2022 Arnold Classic as a dark horse. In spite of the hype surrounding other bodybuilders\u2019 names, Samson Dauda <\/span>predicted the outcome of the event<\/span><\/a> with near perfection.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cBrandon (Curry) obviously, top place. You can\u2019t even deny that\u2026 William (Bonac) definitely, either close second or a battle for second place. I want to be there at the third place. Then you have, I would say, Regan (Grimes) somewhere in the top five\u2026 Steve (Kuclo) right in there,\u201d Samson Dauda predicted.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Dauda\u2019s prediction was accurate for the most part and he came close to his desired spot, finishing fourth in the Men\u2019s Open division at the show.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having secured an invitation to the Maiden Olympia competition already, Samson Dauda started preparing for the 2022 Mr. Olympia after another fourth place finish at the 2022 Boston Pro.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dauda\u2019s size was his biggest asset heading into the Olympia debut as he <\/span>tipped the scales at a whopping 330lbs<\/span><\/a> in his off-season physique updates. The 2022 Mr. Olympia had highly touted prospects like <\/span>Andrew Jacked<\/span><\/a> and Michal Krizo making their debut. Although Samson Dauda had made significant improvements in his physique, not a lot of people were sold on the possibility of him being a real threat in the Men\u2019s Open division. However, veteran bodybuilders like Chris Cormier had foreseen Dauda\u2019s potential and opined that Samson Dauda can definitely do damage at the 2022 Olympia if <\/span>\u2018he controls the mid-section\u2019<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Tipping\"Tipping
Tipping the scales during the 2022 Mr. Olympia prep (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Nigerian-British bodybuilder stepped on the Olympia stage against arguably the most difficult line-up of competitors in recent history. To the surprise of many, Dauda did exceptionally well and walked away with a sixth place finish, missing a top five spot with a razor thin margin. Veteran bodybuilder Milos Sarcev argued that Samson Dauda <\/span>\u2018should have defeated\u2019 Nick Walker for the third place<\/span><\/a>. Dauda took the results in a positive spirit and expressed his gratitude for the outcome <\/span>in an Instagram post<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cNever ever in my wildest dreams, I would have dreamt of being number six best bodybuilder in the world, let alone in my first ever @mrolympiallc! Words cannot describe how I\u2019m feeling and how proud I am of our achievement,\u201d Samson Dauda wrote in the caption to his Instagram post.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In 2023, Samson Dauda won the Arnold Classic title defeating finalists Andrew Jacked and Nick Walker<\/a>. From there, he earned gold at the Romania Muscle Fest Pro and EVLS Prague Pro<\/a>. While he made a return at the 2024 Arnold Classic to defend his title, he was denied by the sheer conditioning of Hadi Choopan. He also took second to \u2018The Persian Wolf\u2019 at the 2024 Arnold Classic UK show.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dauda made a gamble before his next Mr. Olympia competition. He competed overseas at the 2024 Tsunami Pro<\/a> in France, which he won handily. While some thought it could affect him at the 2024 Mr. Olympia<\/a>, it didn\u2019t. Dauda turned in the best performance of his career to capture the sport\u2019s most prestigious title, becoming the 19th man to hold the Sandow trophy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The reign lasted a year. Dauda opened 2025 with second place at the Arnold Classic<\/a> behind Derek Lunsford, then returned to Las Vegas in October to defend the Sandow and placed fourth, with Lunsford taking the title. He closed the season runner-up again at the EVLS Prague Pro<\/a>, behind Martin Fitzwater.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Getting\"Getting
Getting Ready for the 2023 Arnold Classic (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Competition History<\/b><\/h2>\n

See Samson Dauda\u2019s full contest record, placings and sanctioning bodies \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n

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Get Fitter, Faster<\/em><\/h3>\n

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Training Routine<\/b><\/h2>\n

Samson Dauda\u2019s training routine is obviously an effective one and his muscular physique is the testimony to that. His training split includes legs, back, arms, chest and <\/span>shoulders<\/span><\/a> workouts. Dauda\u2019s training focuses on isolating every muscle group with specific exercises for all-round development. Dauda has collaborated with <\/span>Hosstile YouTube channel<\/span><\/a> on multiple occasions and shared his workouts on their YouTube channel. Here is the summary of Samson Dauda\u2019s training routine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Legs<\/b><\/h4>\n

Samson Dauda\u2019s <\/span>leg workout<\/span> does not include a wide variety of exercises. Instead, he chooses to do four to five basic isolation and compound exercises that cover all the lower body muscles. While it may come across as insufficient at the first glance, Dauda makes sure to stimulate each and every muscle to a great extent with an excellent combination of load and volume. Needless to say, his lower body workout gets as intense as it can be with supersets. Overall, it includes:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Putting\"Putting
Putting the massive calves on display (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Back<\/b><\/h4>\n

While vertical pulls like lat pulldowns and pull-ups give you a wide back, horizontal pulls like rows give your back the thickness. Samson Dauda\u2019s back training routine is a combination of both types of movements and his wide and thick back speaks volumes about it. Overall, Samson Dauda\u2019s back workout includes:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Samson\"Samson
Samson made significant improvements in his back in 2023 (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arms<\/b><\/h4>\n

Samson Dauda\u2019s <\/span>arms workout<\/span><\/a> mostly focuses on using machines rather than free weights. He makes sure to work the biceps and triceps from different angles and levels to emphasize different parts of the muscle. He maximises the outcome through high volume and slow, controlled movements. Overall, his arms workout includes:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Flaunting\"Flaunting
Flaunting the massive arms after putting in the work (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shoulders<\/b><\/h4>\n

Targeting the anterior, lateral and posterior deltoid muscles is important for complete shoulder development. Samson Dauda\u2019s <\/span>shoulder workout<\/span> gives equal importance to all three parts through specific exercises and ensures they get the stimulus. Overall, the shoulder workout includes:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Capping\"Capping
Capping the perfect physique with perfect shoulders (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chest<\/b><\/h4>\n

Samson Dauda\u2019s <\/span>chest training<\/span> focuses on high volume. Centred around three simple chest exercises, it prioritises improving the pushing as well as adduction ability of the chest muscles through pressing and flying movements. Overall, it includes:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Chest\"Chest
Chest Pump (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Diet and Nutrition<\/b><\/h2>\n

Samson Dauda is a massive bodybuilder and can only be compared with former 2-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh \u2018Big Ramy\u2019 Elsbiay in terms of sheer size. He weighs between 275 lbs and 330 lbs during the off-season and competition prep. Dauda\u2019s impressive physique is fueled by a disciplined diet of high-quality food. His diet mainly comprises incredibly simple foods like Chicken, steak, rice and oats. Additionally, Dauda has also shared the supplement stack he uses for extra push.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Fueling\"Fueling
Fueling the massive physique (Image via Samson Dauda Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Off-season Diet<\/b><\/h3>\n

During off-season, Samson Dauda\u2019s day starts with a wholesome breakfast consisting of oats, eggs and protein shake. The rest of the day, Dauda typically eats four steak meals and one chicken meal. The choice of protein is accompanied by rice or pasta along with other foods like sweet potato, smoothies or yoghourt drinks. He eats a total of six small meals<\/a> spread across the day. The primary objective of an arduous bodybuilding diet is to fuel muscle growth and there is no to very little emphasis on taste. However, Dauda uses ingredients like different sauces and olive oil for his off-season diet to make the food more enjoyable. Dauda\u2019s full day of eating during off-season looks like this:<\/span><\/p>\n

Meal 1<\/b><\/h4>\n