I’ve designed this workout plan based on Sam Sulek’s documented training style and videos.
If you’re interested in his training approach, try this Sam Sulek-inspired workout routine. This program follows an 8-day training cycle followed by 1 day of rest.
This program is for serious and experienced lifters who want to gain muscle and achieve their best shape over time.
About Sam Sulek
Sam Sulek (born in 2002) is a popular name in the fitness industry, especially in the United States.
He’s known for his amazing physique transformation in a short time, which grabbed the attention of many people throughout the country, including popular bodybuilders and fitness critics.
Sam started his fitness journey as an amateur bodybuilder and fitness vlogger. But now he has become a professional bodybuilder.
He competes in the IFBB Pro League and even earned his pro card by winning the heavyweight and overall titles at the Arnold Classic Amateur.
He shares relatable, unedited, and authentic workout vlogs on his YouTube channel, where he shows how to train to bring out the best shape.
His consistent workout videos, authentic conversation, and simplicity inspire countless individuals in the fitness realm.
Sam Sulek Training Philosophies
Training to Close to Failure: Sulek frequently pushes his working sets past the point of comfort, training very close to failure. He also sometimes takes isolation and machine exercises to failure.
Focus on Quality, not Quantity: He doesn’t do plenty of reps and sets. Instead, he focuses on lifting moderate to heavy weights and performs about 10 to 12 working sets for a muscle group.
Balance of Machine & Free Weight Exercises: Sam mostly uses machine exercises along with some free-weight movements such as barbell back squats, dumbbell and barbell curls, incline bench presses, and overhead triceps extensions to train all his muscle groups.
Controlled Time Under Tension: He emphasizes the eccentric (lowering phase) of the lift, moving the weight slowly and deliberately to keep the target muscle under constant tension.
Non-negotiable Cardio: Sam has frequently incorporated low-intensity cardio into his training, particularly during cutting phases. The amount and frequency can change depending on his current goal, schedule, and phase of training
Warm-up Before Working Sets: Sam uses light resistance training to activate the muscles he wants to train. For example, he performs a few sets of single-arm cable chest flies and incline bench presses before going heavy on chest day. So, you can also do a few warm-up sets for every muscle you want to hit prior to working sets to ensure you feel the proper contraction.
Sam Sulek’s Workout Routine for Bulking Up
This Sam Sulek workout plan is based on his documented training videos available on his YouTube channel.
Sam is mostly seen following a simple and low-volume workout routine that involves training every day for about 45-75 minutes.
He trains his back and rear delts (sometimes also calves) on day one, arms on day two, legs on day three, and chest and lateral delts on day four, and then he repeats this split.
During the period documented in these training videos, Sam often trained on consecutive days rather than following a fixed weekly rest-day schedule
- Day 1: Back and Rear Delts
- Day 2: Arms
- Day 3: Hamstrings and Quads
- Day 4: Chest and Side Delts
- Day 5: Back, Rear Delts, and Calves
- Day 6: Arms
- Day 7: Hamstrings and Quads
- Day 8: Chest and Side Delts
- Repeat
DAY 1 – BACK & REAR DELTS
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder-width Grip Front Pull-down | 2-3 | 12-15 |
| Wider Hammer Grip Pull-down | 2-3 | 10-12 |
| Machine Low Row | 2-3 | 12-15 |
| Machine Lat Pullover | 2-3 | 12-15 |
| Seated Low Cable Row | 2-3 | 12-15 |
| Lying Face Pull | 2-3 | 10-12 |
DAY 2 – BICEPS & TRICEPS
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Cross Cable Triceps Extension | 2-3 | 12-15 |
| Machine Dips | 2-3 | 10-12 |
| Triceps Press Downs | 2-3 | 12-15 |
| Alternating Dumbbell Curls | 2-3 | 8-10/arm |
| Seated Machine Biceps Curls | 2-3 | 12-15 |
| Standard Barbell Curl | 2-3 | 10-12 |
| Alternating DB Curls | 2-3 | 8-10/arm |
DAY 3 – HAMSTRINGS & QUADS
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Lying Leg Curl | 4 | 12-15 |
| Unilateral Leg Extension | 3 | 12-15 |
| Bilateral Leg Extension | 1 | Failure |
| Heel Elevated Back Squat | 4 | 10-12 |
| Unilateral Leg Extension | 1 | Failure |
DAY 4 – CHEST & SIDE DELTS
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Bench Press | 4-5 | 10-12 |
| Bent-Over Cable Chest Fly | 2-3 | 10-12 |
| Standing Cable Horizontal Fly | 2-3 | 10-12 |
| Machine Lateral Raises | 2-3 | 10-12 |
| DB Side Delt Raises | 2-3 | 8-10 |
DAY 5 – BACK, REAR DELTS & CALVES
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Seated Cable Rowing (Shoulder-width grip) | 4 | 10-15 |
| One-arm Side Straight arm Lat Pulldown | 2 | 10/side |
| Wide Grip Seated Cable Row | 3 | 10-12 |
| Single-arm Lat Pulldown | 1 | 10/side |
| Shoulder-width Grip Cable Rowing | 1 | Failure |
| Lying Face Pull | 4 | 10-12 |
| Seated Calf Raises | 4 | 10-15 |
DAY 6 – TRICEPS & BICEPS
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Cross Body Cable Triceps Extension | 3 | 12-15 |
| Single-arm Overhead Triceps Extension | 2 | 10/arm |
| Machine Dips | 1 | Failure |
| Triceps Bar Press Down | 2 | 8-10/arm |
| Alternating DB Biceps Curls | 2 | 12-15 |
| Standard Barbell Curl | 2 | Failure |
| Single-arm Cable Curls | 2 | 10-12/arm |
| Alternating DB Biceps Curls | 2 | 8/arm |
DAY 7 – HAMSTRINGS & QUADS
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Seated Leg Curls | 4 | 15-20 |
| Bilateral Leg Extension | 2 | 15-20 |
| Single Leg Extension | 2 | 15/leg |
| Heel Elevated Back Squat | 2 | 8-10 |
| Leg Extension | 1 | 10-12 |
| One-Legged Leg Extension | 1 | 10-12 |
DAY 8 – CHEST & SIDE DELTS
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Bench Press | 4 | 10-12 |
| Bent-Over Cable Chest Fly | 3 | 10-12 |
| Standing Cable Horizontal Fly | 2 | 10-12 |
| Bent-Over Parallel Cable Fly | 2 | 10-12 |
| Machine Lateral Raises | 2 | 10-12 |
| DB Side Delt Raises | 2 | 8-10 |
Should You Train Like Sam Sulek?
Sam Sulek’s training sessions often involve frequent training and sets taken close to or to failure. It requires high effort (making it a misfit for beginners) and proper diet.
So, if you’re an experienced lifter and understand the risk and recovery of hard training, you can train like him.
But I’ll also suggest that instead of copying Sam’s exact workout routine, you can learn a lot from him.
For example, a better approach is to (for most lifters):
- Train each set with good technique and high effort.
- Keep most sets around 1-3 reps in reserve (RIR).
- Use failure mainly on safer isolation and machine exercises.
- Adjust training volume based on your recovery and progress.
- Take rest days when needed.
- Focus on progressive overload and consistency, rather than simply training as hard as possible.
Use Sam’s training and consistency as inspiration, not his exact volume, frequency, and intensity.
Download The Sam Sulek Workout Plan PDF
I also suggest exploring Sam’s YouTube channel to better understand how he trains for size and muscle definition.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who Can Follow Sam’s Training Program?
Anyone who is looking for a simple, low-volume, and effective training split for muscle-building can follow a Sam Sulek workout regime. But if you are a beginner, I suggest taking a day off after every two training sessions for the first two months to get your body familiar with resistance training.
Is This Sam Sulek’s Workout Plan Suitable for Beginners?
Not the one you saw above. Because this Sam Sulek’s workout program includes a high frequency and requires high effort. It is better suited to experienced lifters who understand exercise technique and recovery. If you’re a beginner, you can use the same exercise principles and split structure, but should reduce volume, avoid frequent failure training, and include regular rest days.
Does Sam Do Cardio?
Yes, he usually does cardio in the morning to enhance his endurance and cardiovascular fitness. If you can manage it, I also recommend doing 20 minutes of steady cardio at least three times weekly.
What Does Sam Eat for Bulking Up?
Sam Sulek’s bulking diet is built around high calories, high protein, simple meals, consistent eating, and easy-to-digest foods. He focuses more on total calories plus protein intake than on eating perfectly clean all the time.
Sam’s typical diet includes eggs, oatmeal, a protein shake, peanut butter, chicken & rice, ground beef & rice, olive oil, green veggies, sweet potatoes, banana, milk, etc.
