When people think of the biggest names in bodybuilding in terms of competition, the most popular athletes to come up tend to be five-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead and 2023 Mr. Olympia winner Derek Lunsford.
But there could be a whole different conversation when it comes to bodybuilding away from the stage — and the first name that comes to mind in that case may well be Sam Sulek. The young influencer and athlete has made quite a name for himself in a short period.
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But people who are new to him may wonder where he came from, how he’s so successful today, and whether he will actually make the next step by competing onstage in a bodybuilding show. We can’t answer the last question, but we did find out more about him.
Background
Sulek stands at 5’11” and weighs around 240 pounds, according to Generation Iron. The Ohio native took his education beyond high school by going to Miami University (Ohio). It’s unknown where he is in terms of pursuing a degree.
He first got into bodybuilding as a teenager, and he’s put in several years of training already, attaining a physique that has been appreciated by fans of all ages. Despite being so young, fans regularly ask him questions on his various social media outlets about how he developed the physique he has.
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Sam Sulek’s Upper Back Workout
Following his videos, a devotee can ascertain that Sulek alternates periods of trying to add size with phases of getting ripped.
In January 2024, he shifted his focus to what he termed a “winter bulk” and shared his workouts with his subscribers. One of these winter bulk workouts was this back session that he published to his YouTube channel on January 12.
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He goes by feel when he’s in the gym, but his overall philosophy appears to lean more towards high intensity than higher volume, incorporating partial reps when he approaches failure. A sample workout from the video he shared is below.
- Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown: 2 x 8-12
- Single-Arm Lat Pulldown: 2 x 8-12
- Seated Row: 1x 8-12
- Seated Cable Row: 1 x 8-12
- Single-Arm Cable Pullover: 2 x 8-12
- Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown + Seated Cable Row: 1 set each to failure
*Sulek performs partial reps at the end of each working set.
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Social Media
The vast majority of fan awareness of Sulek comes from social media. As of January 2024, his YouTube channel has 2.86 million subscribers, and he’s posted over 320 videos since creating his account in 2016. His views get well into six figures, and some (especially when he focuses the content on his diet) get into the millions.
His @sam_sulek Instagram page has over 4.5 million followers, in spite of him only having 12 posts on that account. His last post on that page came in November 2023. He also has 2.3 million followers on his TikTok page.
Business
Beyond his own social media, Sulek is active with Hosstile, his supplement brand sponsor. He does videos for them as well as takes part in chats on CEO Fouad Abiad’s various podcasts such as Bro Chat. The video below, where Sulek talks about his “go-to breakfasts for building muscle,” has amassed more than 2.1 million views from the Hosstile account in four months.
He also provides a discount code, which athletes can earn money for, on his Instagram page. Other income may come from his social media channels.
When Will Sam Sulek Compete in Bodybuilding?
There is no official word on when or even if Sulek will compete in an actual bodybuilding show. Even if he does, what division would he be the best fit in? He has the mass for traditional bodybuilding, but he may also hold his own in Classic Physique.
Only time will tell, but based on his look, following, and the success he’s already achieved combined with his young age, he has plenty of time to make that decision. Sulek’s future in the sport appears to be bright regardless of whether he competes or not.
Featured Image: @sam_sulek / Instagram
