In this article, I’ll share a complete bodybuilding program inspired by 1983 Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout.
Samir Bannout, also known as The Lion of Lebanon, is the first Middle Eastern bodybuilder to win a Mr. Olympia title, defeating Mohamed Makkawy, Lee Haney, and Frank Zane.
His proportional, defined, and aesthetic physique helped him win several titles in his career.
If you want to train like Samir Bannout, you can this workout plan that is highly inspired by his training strategies.
Samir Bannout Workout Strategies
| Born Date & Place | November 7, 1955, in Lebanon |
| Profession | Bodybuilding |
| Best Title | 1983 Mr. Olympia |
| Also known as | The Lion of Lebanon |
Split Type: Samir Bannout used to follow a 3-1-3-2 split routine that involved training for three days followed by one day rest, then again three days of training and two days off.1 Basic Concepts for Lean Mass Gains – What I Learned from Samir Bannout by David Young, Published on November 16, 2010 – Iron Man Magazine
Number of sets per body part: 11-12 working sets total per body part for large muscle groups and about 9-10 for smaller groups.
Rep Ranges: Samir Bannout’s workout plan involves performing 10 to 12 reps in the first set and 6-8 reps in the final set. He maintained 6-12 rep ranges and tried to reach failure in each set.
Working out till failure: He worked until muscle failure during each set with little rest between sets. According to Bannout, the idea was to focus on performance and form instead of having a fixed number in mind, which he believed was unnecessary.
Splitting Sessions: Bannout used to split his workout into the morning and afternoon sessions to focus on each muscle effectively.
Enjoy Your Training: If you want to do something, do it from the heart. If you do it from the heart you will succeed. If you enjoy it, you will succeed. If you push yourself too hard with the feeling that you have to do it, it won’t work. You want to do it with joy.2 An Interview With The Lion Of Lebanon, 1983 Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout – Bodybuilding.com
9-Day Split Inspired by Samir Bannout Bodybuilding Routine
- Day 1 & 5: Chest and Back (You can also train your chest in the morning and back in the afternoon to focus on these areas more effectively.)
- Day 2 & 6: Thigh, Calves, and Abs (Train your abs in the morning and thigh and calves in the afternoon to avoid feeling drained)
- Day 3 & 7: Delts, Biceps, and Triceps (Keep your delts workouts in the morning and arms in the afternoon for an efficient workout).
- Day 4, 8, and 9: REST
- Repeat…
Day 1 – Chest and Back
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Barbell Press (warm-up) | 2 | 12-15 | 45-second |
| Incline Barbell Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 | 2-minute |
| Flat Bench Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 | 2-minute |
| Horizontal Cable Fly | 3 | 10, 8, 6 | 90-second |
| Wide-Grip Chins (warm-up) | 3 | 10-15 | 1-minute |
| Seated Cable Rows | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 | 2-minute |
| Nautilus Machine Pullover | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 | 2-minute |
| One-Arm Dumbbell Rows | 3 | 8-10/side | 1-minute |
Day 2 – Thigh, Calves, and Abs
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg Extension (warm-up) | 3-4 | 15-20 | 1-minute |
| Barbell Back Squat | 5 | 12, 10, 8, 6, 6 | 3-minute |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 8-10 per leg | 2-minute |
| Lying Leg Curl | 4 | 12-15 | 1-minute |
| Straight Leg Deadlifts | 4 | 8-10 | 2-minute |
| Standing Calf Raises | 3-4 | 15-20 | 1-minute |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3-4 | 15-20 | 1-minute |
| Sit-ups | 3-4 | 15+ | 45-second |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 3-4 | 15+ | 45-second |
| Cable Side Bends | 3-4 | 15 per side | 30-second |
Day 3 – Delts, Biceps and Triceps
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behind The Neck Press (front & side delts) | 4 | 8-10 | 2-minute |
| DB/Cable Lateral Raises (side delts) | 3 | 10-12 | 90-second |
| Bent-over Lateral Raises (rear delts) | 3 | 10-12 | 90-second |
| Barbell Upright Rows (upper traps) | 3 | 8-10 | 90-second |
| Barbell Preacher Curls (Biceps) | 4 | 10-12 | 90-second |
| Alternate dumbbell curls (Biceps) | 3 | 10-12 | 1-minute |
| Concentration curls (Biceps) | 3 | 10-12 | 1-minute |
| Bench/Bar Dips (Triceps) | 3 | 12-18 | 2-minute |
| Overhead Extensions (Triceps) | 3 | 10-12 | 1-minute |
| Cable Pushdowns (Triceps) | 3 | 10-12 | 1-minute |
Day 5 – Chest and Back
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Barbell Press (warm-up) | 2 | 12-15 | 45-second |
| Flat Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 | 2-minute |
| 15-Degree Incline Dumbbell Fly | 3 | 8-12 | 2-minute |
| Weighted Bar Dips | 3 | 10-12 | 2-minute |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 3 | 8-12 | 2-minute |
| Wide-Grip Chins (warm-up) | 3 | 10-15 | 2-minute |
| Clean and Jerk | 4 | 10-12 | 3-minute |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | 4 | 6-12 | 3-minute |
| Close Grip T-Bar Row | 4 | 8-12 | 2-minute |
Day 6 – Thigh, Calves, and Abs
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg Extensions | 3-4 | 15-20 | 1-minute |
| Barbell Back Squat | 5 | 10-12 | 2-minute |
| Hack Squat | 3 | 8-12 | 2-minute |
| Lying Leg Curl | 4 | 12-15 | 1-minute |
| Good Mornings | 4 | 8-10 | 2-minute |
| Standing Calf Raises | 3-4 | 15-20 | 1-minute |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3-4 | 15-20 | 1-minute |
| Hanging Knee Raises | 3-4 | 15+ | 1-minute |
| Roman Chair Sit-ups | 3-4 | 25+ | 1-minute |
| Seated Barbell Twist | 3-4 | 15 per side | 45-second |
Day 7 – Delts, Biceps, and Triceps
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell/DB Front Raises | 4 | 8-10 | 90-second |
| DB/Cable Lateral Raises (side delts) | 3 | 10-12 | 90-second |
| Bent-over Lateral Raises (rear delts) | 3 | 10-12 | 90-second |
| Barbell Upright Rows (upper traps) | 3 | 8-10 | 2-minute |
| Barbell Preacher Curls (Biceps) | 4 | 10-12 | 90-second |
| Alternate Dumbbell curls (Biceps) | 3 | 10-12 | 1-minute |
| Concentration Curls (Biceps) | 3 | 10-12 | 1-minute |
| Barbell Skull Crusher (Triceps) | 3 | 12-18 | 90-second |
| Overhead Extensions (Triceps) | 3 | 10-12 | 1-minute |
| Cable Pushdowns (Triceps) | 3 | 10-12 | 1-minute |
Who Can Follow This Workout Plan?
Anyone who wants to build muscle, gain strength, improve aesthetics, and enhance endurance can follow this Samir Bannout-inspired exercise plan. However, it suits those who have been exercising for a while, not for beginners.
You can also make some changes to this program based on your fitness level. For example, reduce the number of exercises, reps, or sets or replace those exercises which are difficult to perform.
Download The Samir Bannout Inspired Training Program PDF
References
- 1Basic Concepts for Lean Mass Gains – What I Learned from Samir Bannout by David Young, Published on November 16, 2010 – Iron Man Magazine
- 2An Interview With The Lion Of Lebanon, 1983 Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout – Bodybuilding.com
