New IFBB Pro Sam Sulek Starts His Off Season With An Excruciating Leg Workout

Sam Sulek is no stranger to the bodybuilding world. His crazy fitness challenges and weird dietary approaches have gained him over 10 million social media followers. At 23 years old, he has some of the best bodybuilding genetics ever seen in recent times. 

Over the last few years, his fans have urged him to step on a bodybuilding stage. Many have even compared his physique to classic physique legend Chris Bumstead. He’s often teased about a bodybuilding debut but has never really committed. 

On February 15, 2025, he gave fans what they wanted, making his long-awaited debut and winning the NPC Legends Classic. Following his debut win, he sensationally earned his IFBB Pro card by winning the Arnold Amateur.

After vowing to take the season off to grow, he recently took to YouTube to share his gruesome leg workout. In this, he walked his fans through what he plans to do for the rest of the year.

Sam Sulek’s Off-Season Leg Workout

As Sulek prepared for his bodybuilding debut, he took in the wisdom and training advice of several bodybuilding legends. Notable names include Chris Bumstead, Jay Cutler, Urs Kalecinski, and Mr. Olympia champion Samson Dauda. In his recent off-season leg workout, he seems to have taken their advice on board.

On March 13, 2025, he took to YouTube to share his recent leg workout with his fans. During this, he discussed his plans and future training approach as he looks to grow before his official professional debut.

His leg development was something that many identified as a potential weak point in his initial debut. However, he showed clear improvements when winning the Arnold Amateur, learning how to better activate his quads between poses.

To make significant improvements in his off-season, he eventually plans to split his leg training into quad-focused and hamstring-focused sessions. However, his current training approach is to focus on general leg training sessions. 

“I’m not to the point where I’m really almost ready to start doing a really heavy quad-focused day and more of a hamstring lighter quad day because I’m just not going that heavy on quads yet. Today, it’ll still be a plain lift.”

This is the general leg workout that he took his followers through in his recent video:

• Lying Leg Curls — 3 Sets + 1 Drop Set.
• Smith Machine Romanian Deadlifts — 1 Set.
• Leg Extension Machine (Alternating Legs) — 2 Sets.
• Smith Machine Squats — 2 Sets.
• Leg Press Machine — 2 Sets.
• Alternating Leg Extensions (Superset 1) — 1 Set.
• Sissy Squats (Superset 2) — 1 Set.

His leg session consisted of approximately 13 working sets, hitting each major muscle group more than twice. However, he said that he plans to focus on his quad development in his future leg sessions. This is one of the potential weak points that some eager viewers identified in his initial bodybuilding debut.

“Hamstring first, quads like normal but I am going to begin to transition to having those sort of two individual days scheduled in the week where the first quad day, the first leg day we could say is going to have more sets of heavier quad work, be it heavy Smith, be it heavy leg press, heavy squats, heavy whatever, heavy hip press, which not so much the squats.”

Sulek went on to explain that some machines provide enough of a hamstring workout while others don’t at all. However, he also mentioned that he doesn’t think he needs to kill his hamstrings like he has in the past.

“Honestly, the regular loaded movements like that for leg pressing, squats, Smith squats, and even hack squats and pendulums, not very hamstring-focused. Leg press definitely gets a lot of hamstring involvement.”

“Leg press too, but some of them, like my hamstrings are freaking wrecked afterwards. To the point where I could even pull my hamstring if I jumped into a heavy set of full-on leg press too quickly without warming up.”

Whatever Sulek does in his off-season, all eyes will be on him as a potential future star. After earning one of the quickest Pro cards ever, it’s hard to think that he won’t continue his meteoric rise. However, time will tell just how far he can actually go.

Youtube Fitness Star To Classic Physique Icon

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A post shared by Sam Sulek (@sam_sulek)

Gone are the days of bodybuilders being plastered on the front of bodybuilding magazines. In the modern day, social media has catapulted bodybuilding to a whole new level. A prime example is the incredible rise of social media sensation Sam Sulek.

Over the last few years, Sulek has caught the attention of many notable bodybuilding icons. This includes four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler and six-time Classic Physique champion Chris Bumstead. 

With over 10 million followers across his YouTube and Instagram platforms, Sulek is the hottest new prospect. However, he came from humble beginnings before being thrust into the spotlight.

Growing up in Delaware, Ohio, Sulek was a competitive diver and former gymnast. Throughout his school years and university, he joined the diving teams while studying mechanical engineering. At the time, health and fitness were more of a hobby rather than something he wanted to pursue full time.

As he began posting videos of his gym visits in early 2023, his social media following grew. This led him to transition to a full-time health and fitness content creator before recently stepping on stage.

Looking at his competitive bodybuilding career so far, you’d be forgiven for wondering if there’s been a typo.

• 2024 NPC Legends Classic (Amateur) — 1st.
• 2024 Arnold Classic Amateur (IFBB Pro Card) —1st.

At just 23 years old, he has a physique well beyond his young years. His classical lines combined with incredible muscle maturity is what’s led many to see him as the next bodybuilding star. With the help of former legends, his posing is already up there with some of the best in the sport.

His Arnold win meant that he earned one of the fastest pro cards in history. This only brought him even more into the limelight as a future star. 

All eyes will be on him as he takes the off-season to grow and compete on the professional stage. However, questions continue whether he can actually become a successful pro and just how far he can go.

Can Sulek Become The Next Chris Bumstead?

If there’s anyone who could potentially rival Chris Bumstead, it’s Sam Sulek. While he has a lot of improvements to make, he has the genetics and the social media fame. If he can make the right decisions going forward, he has the potential to go as far as he wants.

With the right people in his corner, Sulek can make the necessary changes while learning more about his body. If recent development are anything to go by, he seems to have his head firmly screwed on. Here at Endomondo, we’re excited to see just how far he can push the Classic Division further into the spotlight.

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