Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and with the world seemingly on his shoulders, Samson Dauda is making sure that he hits his peak physique to retain his Olympia title. To that end, the 2024 trophy winner is finding ways to win that are both smart and safe, revealing two genius shoulder blasting moves just days removed from Las Vegas.
Samson Dauda shocked many critics when he beat both Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford to win the jackpot in Sin City last year, taking the iconic Sandow trophy all the way back home to Britain. This year, however, Dauda is hoping to prove a back-to-back win would be no surprise, thanks to a detailed training program that has seen the big man invest blood, sweat, and tears into his own gym known as “The Cave.”
When it comes to his shoulders, Dauda is hoping to outshine his opponents but this close to the competition, he’s adopting a smart strategy that allows the titleholder to push himself to the limit while not risking injury with excessive free weights, instead leaning towards machines. “War ready,” exclaimed the Open division champion in a recent Instagram post for his 1.5 million followers, revealing the two shoulder blasters that could make all the difference to Dauda while on stage.
Smith Machine Single-Arm Seated Shoulder Press
Samson Duada sits side-on for this smith machine assisted shoulder pressing move that works one shoulder at a time. This close to the Olympia final, using a smith machine but still going heavy is a great way to avoid injury through unwanted movements, instead following a predestined track. Here, Dauda drills down and works the upper body, targeting the trapezius, deltoids, and even the triceps. He will also engage his core to stay balanced while undertaking a unilateral approach to bolster his strength and symmetry in each limb.
Machine Front Raises
Front raises can be executed with a dumbbell and are great for dialling in the anterior deltoids, taxing the front of the shoulder. They also recruit the side deltoid, trapezius, and upper pecs to provide shaping. Dauda’s gym includes a state-of-the-art Standing Side Lateral / Side Shoulder Multi-flight machine, that offers some serious features. The smooth, constant resistance can be set to match muscle strength, eliminating unwanted side-to-side movements and instead focusing on effective muscle activation.
For those who don’t have access to the same machine as Dauda, heavy dumbbell work is a great alternative but don’t overload yourself. You can still replicate the Olympia champ’s technique by maintaining a controlled range of motion and making the most of time under tension to really tear those muscle fibers and force them to build back bigger. Dauda’s dedication has been clear to see in the past weeks and months as he readies to defend the Olympia crown, but many feel that this year marks one of the most stacked finals in history, with the likes of Hadi Choopan, Derek Lunsford, and Nick Walker looking to dethrone him. Who will reign as the 2025 Mr Olympia? There’s not long to find out.
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