All eyes are on fitness influencer turned pro bodybuilder Sam Sulek following his Classic Physique debut at the NPC Legends Classic. There, he qualified for the 2025 Arnold Classic amateur competition and won his IFBB Pro card.
Sulek is already back in the gym. In early March 2025, he shared his back workout as an IFBB Pro.
Sulek’s sleep schedule has shifted, so he trains at midnight. He’s prioritizing rest to prepare for his upcoming bulk without compromising sleep. During his back training sessions, he primarily uses cables and machines, steering clear of chest-supported movements.
Sulek’s back training emphasizes rowing, scapular retractions, and pullovers—his “big three” back movements. He experiments with different equipment and techniques without overcomplicating his sessions.
[Related: Training Fasted vs. Fed — Which Makes You Stronger?]
Sam Sulek’s Back Day
Sam Sulek kicks off his back-day training with a solid warmup routine, then dives into these four key exercises:
- Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
- Seated V-Bar Cable Row
- Single-Arm Bent-Over Cable Row
- Superset — Standing Cable Low Row and Lat Pulldown
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown & Seated V-Bar Cable Row
Sulek’s back workout starts with three sets of wide-grip lat pulldowns. He uses lighter weights to prevent irritation in his left lat, focusing on a controlled squeeze at peak contraction and taking each set to failure with partial reps.
Sulek trains seated V-bar rows similarly, using lighter weights for two sets to failure.
Single-Arm Bent-Over Cable Row
Sulek favors cable machines for bent-over rows due to consistent tension that bias the upper traps.
I prefer this to dumbbells…don’t build momentum with the cable.
—Sam Sulek
Superset — Standing Cable Low Row & Lat Pulldown
Sulek wrapped with a superset of standing low rows and lat pulldowns on a functional trainer. “I’m hanging around this little corner. It saves me walking around to different pieces of equipment,” Sulek said.
Pro Bodybuilding
Sulek’s experience prepping for a pro-competition involved overcoming hunger and fatigue without losing sight of his goals. His top tips for achieving bodybuilding success:
- Own Your Choices
- Practice Delayed Gratification: Focus on long-term rewards over immediate satisfaction.
- Stay Focused: Aim for your goals but don’t lose sight of what you want to achieve.
- Balance Commitment: You don’t need to be 100% locked in every moment.
- Stay Diligent: Avoid becoming too relaxed. Consistent effort prevents falling off track.
“It’s easier said than done. When I say take responsibility, I mean try to build some extra sensitivity to those subconscious thoughts you don’t control trying to steer you away from your goal toward the easy path,” Sulek stated. “Just snip them.”
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Featured image: @sam_sulek on Instagram
