Sam Sulek is one of the most popular bodybuilders in the sport right now, with over 6 million Instagram followers and just shy of 4 million YouTube subscribers at the time of this article’s publication. While his reach is far and wide in the strength sphere, the question of when he would venture onto the competitive stage loomed.
Although his physique was continually impressive in his content, would he pose well enough to compete against other aspiring pro bodybuilders?
Sulek proved that he can walk the walk…err… pose the pose…as he won his debut Classic Physique bodybuilding show at the 2025 NPC Legends Classic on Feb. 15, 2025.
His triumph earned him qualification to compete in the Arnold Classic Amateur contest in Columbus, OH, on Feb. 27 for the opportunity to earn his IFBB Pro Card.
[Related: Terrence Ruffin on the Future of Classic Physique: “It’s Scary”]
Sulek vlogged his show day experience and gave a behind-the-scenes look into his prep the day before, including how he ate sweets to pump glucose into his system to fill out his muscles without sitting too heavy in his stomach. After getting his second coat of spray tan, Sulek expressed the combination of confidence and uncertainty he was feeling:
I’m feeling dangerous but really cold and need to warm-up.
—Sam Sulek
Ultimately, Sulek’s preparation paid off in spades as he won gold in his height class and the overall title in Classic Physique. His posing routine can be seen in the video below at the 7:30 mark.
Sulek said that his confidence evolved between pre-judging and finals in a way that surprised him. His comfort in front of the judges and crowd lent to stage confidence, and he said that his exposure from panels at previous Arnold Sports Festivals informed his comfort in competition.
After showering off his spray tan, Sulek celebrated with four double cheeseburgers and a large Diet Coke from In-N-Out.
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Featured image: @sam_sulek on Instagram
