• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The BarBend Logo in white.

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • HYROX
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini-Massage Guns
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainer
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workout for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
      • Individual Supplement Reviews
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Exercise Bikes
      • Best Ellipticals
      • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Individual Cardio Equipment Reviews
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Leg Extension Machines
      • Individual Strength Equipment Reviews
    • Apparel
      • Best Weightlifting Shoes
      • Best Cross Training Shoes
      • Best Running Shoes
      • Best Gym Shorts
    • Fitness Tech
      • Best Running Apps
      • Best Fitness Trackers
      • Best Workout Apps
      • Best Smart Scales
    • Support Gear
      • Best Lifting Straps
      • Best Gym Bags
      • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Best Wrist Wraps
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Daily Protein Needs
    • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
    • Foods With Creatine
    • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
    • Training Guides
      • Beginner’s Guide to the Gym
      • How to Build Muscle
      • Guide to Muscle Hypertrophy
      • How to Train on a Cut
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
      • Bodybuilding Workouts
      • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Programs
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • German Volume Training
      • Build Your Own Program
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
  • Community Forum
Home » Bodybuilding News » How Samson Dauda Trains During Peak Week for the 2024 Arnold Classic

How Samson Dauda Trains During Peak Week for the 2024 Arnold Classic

The reigning Arnold Classic champion aims to defend his title in Columbus, OH.

Written by Terry Ramos
Last updated on June 14th, 2024

Four days before his first title defense at the 2024 Arnold Classic (AC) in Columbus, OH, 2023 AC champion Samson Dauda pulled back on the curtain on preparation. On Feb. 26, 2024, Dauda uploaded his intense back training on his YouTube channel — his first training session of peak week, comprised of the following:

Samson Dauda’s Peak Week Back Workout 

  • Superset: Close-Grip Lat Pulldown & Seated Cable Rows
  • Superset: Seated Machine Horizontal Row & Machine Pullover
  • Rear Pulldown
  • Rack Pull

Watch the 2023 Mr. Olympia bronze medalist’s 2024 AC prep below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM_jHHdkWwQ

Dauda’s morning session featured fasted cardio; a 45-minute walk on the treadmill. He ate a light breakfast of three whole eggs and vegetables. His second meal included 200 grams of sweet potatoes and 200 grams of steak.

Despite a severe calorie deficit, Dauda maintains high intensity while training with his coach, Milos Sarcev, supporting reps to failure each set.

[RELATED: Best Back Workouts]

Superset — Close-Grip Lat Pulldown & Seated Cable Row

Dauda executes lat pulldowns using a neutral and pronated hybrid grip on a W-shaped bar attachment. He supersets them with seated cable rows using a V-bar. Dauda begins with lighter weights, progressively increasing the load with each set.

Initially, Dauda maintains strict form, relying primarily on his lats. However, as the weights grew more challenging, he adjusted his posture for additional leverage; leaning back during pulldowns and forward during rows. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samson Dauda (@samson__dauda)

Dauda completes his cable rows with a paused rep held for 10 seconds. With six seconds remaining, Sarcev assisted the pull to Dauda’s midsection.

Superset — Seated Machine Horizontal Row & Machine Pullover 

Dauda executes the horizontal rows using a neutral grip. To engage his pecs and lats, Dauda pauses briefly at peak contraction before controlling the eccentric for a complete rep.

Dauda transforms the superset into a circuit, moving between machines without rest. Sarcev assists Dauda during the rows. Dauda catches his breath when moving on to rear pulldowns.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arnold Sports Festival presented by KSM-66 (@arnoldsports)

[Related: Urs Kalecinski and Wesley Vissers Tag Team Back Training During 2024 Arnold Classic Prep]

Rear Pulldown & Rack Pull

Dauda performs rear pulldowns via a wide bar attachment that he locks out at his nape to mimic the posture of a rear double biceps pose. He biases his posterior chain — the lower back, spinal erectors, and hamstrings — via rack pulls with three 45-pound weight plates loaded to each side of the barbell.

Dauda concludes the practicing his posing routines. Dauda expressed his exhaustion from being depleted of carbs and calories.

I’m tired…I think I’m in the last bit of my gas.

Despite his fatigue, Dauda feels “good and confident” seeing his progress come together ahead of the 2024 Arnold Classic. Dauda has three more workouts scheduled before he takes the stage in Columbus, OH, and will increase his carbohydrate intake during that time to enhance muscle fullness. (1)

Reference

  1. Barakat, C., Escalante, G., Stevenson, S. W., Bradshaw, J. T., Barsuhn, A., Tinsley, G. M., & Walters, J. (2022). Can Bodybuilding Peak Week Manipulations Favorably Affect Muscle Size, Subcutaneous Thickness, and Related Body Composition Variables? A Case Study. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 10(7), 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports10070106

Featured image: @samson__dauda on Instagram

About Terry Ramos

As a personal trainer and writer, Terry loves changing lives through coaching and the written word. Terry has a B.S. in Kinesiology and is an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. Find out more about Terry's training services here: terrys-training.ck.page/b777772623

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest Reviews

Featured image for the Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review

Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review (2025): Our Expert’s New Favorite FID Bench

Titan T3 Power Rack Review

Titan T3 Power Rack Review (2025): An Expert-Approved Rig Beckoning to Budget-Minded Athletes

Our tester works out at the beach in preparation for the Rogue Resistance Bands Review

Rogue Resistance Bands Review (2025): Tested by a Certified Personal Trainer

Barbend tester Jake Herod works out on a Force USA Trainer

Force USA G3 Review (2025): Our Experts Tested This Compact All-In-One Rack for Small Home Gyms

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2025 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap