Samson Dauda is just weeks out from the most important bodybuilding competition of his career so far, and thanks to a recently shared video on Instagram, we now know one method that he’s using to help build such a huge back.
Pullups are the perfect move for constructing thick lats and an enviable, V-shaped back, but due to the sheer mass of bodybuilders in the Men’s Open division, pullups are not a move that are generally repped by these big behemoths. Enter Samson Dauda, who obviously didn’t get the memo. “He is not pulling himself up. He’s pulling the world down,” joked one of his 685k Instagram followers upon seeing the seriously impressive feat. “Be willing to do the things that you haven’t done before, to get the results you’ve never had before,” explained the “Nigerian Lion.”
In his video, posted on September 10, 2024, Dauda, who played rugby before entering the world of bodybuilding, can be seen comfortably knocking out 9 solid pullup reps. Impressive stuff for a man that competes at around 275 pounds. He drops down deep, legs crossed, and raises his head cleanly over the bar. “Nobody putting this out there,” said another follower, clearly impressed by the novelty. Pullups not only build big backs, but they also improve grip strength, meaning that they can improve other lifts too.
Dauda entered his first Olympia, in the Men’s Open, in 2022 coming sixth place. In 2023, he got even closer to bodybuilding’s most coveted prize by taking third place, only behind Hadi Choopan and winner Derek Lunsford. Standing at 5’ 11” , Dauda had towered above both men on stage that fateful night. Will 2024 mark the year that he gets to grips with the trophy? We will find out in just a few weeks.
