Open Bodybuilder Samson Dauda is locking in preparations to become the first UK native since Dorian Yates to win the Mr. Olympia. In a recent offering shared on August 30, 2024, to his YouTube channel, ‘The Nigerian Lion’ gave a prep update, revealing that his mentality has taken a shift in the lead-up to the biggest event of the year.
It wasn’t by chance that Samson Dauda made it this far in the IFBB Pro League. His potential was evident from the start. With layers upon layers of mass, aesthetics, and impressive stature, he possesses a unique combination of factors that have helped him develop into a premier force within the Men’s Open.
In his first Mr. Olympia showing in 2022, Samson Dauda finished sixth place with many assuming that once his conditioning reached Nick Walker-levels, he’d be a shoo-in to win the Sandow trophy. Fast forward to 2023, and those presumptions still hold true. For his sophomore Olympia appearance in 2023, Dauda’s physique was one of the biggest shocks of the show, which led to him finishing in third place.
As one of the biggest and most well-rounded threats to Derek Lunsford’s Mr. Olympia title, Dauda will aim to make history in October. While he no longer works alongside coach Milos Sarcev, he intends to produce gold under the tutelage of his wife, Marlenka Dauda.
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Bodybuilder Samson Dauda ‘Hungry and Tired,’ Discusses His New Approach to Prep for the 2024 Mr. Olympia
We are six and a half weeks out from the 60th Mr. Olympia anniversary. Despite being tired and hungry, Dauda believes he’s in a fantastic position to make a statement on stage.
“Quick update in terms of where we’re at six and a half weeks out from the Olympia. Obviously, with the changes that have been made, the big food cuts, the cardio, everything else that has gotten up to the point where it’s hitting me quite hard.
The last two weeks have dug in, it’s definitely been more tiredness and more painful, just in general. Low energy will do that to you and not having enough calories will bring that tiredness, consistent tiredness.”
Unlike preps of the past, Dauda stressed that he’s not letting hunger or tiredness affect his mental outlook.
“The difference this time to every other prep we’ve had where normally, you can tolerate. I’ve done this a freakin long time man. You can tolerate being tired. You can tolerate being hungry. That’s nothing new. You got to this level somehow. Being tired and hungry is nothing new.”
“Where we’ve always had a problem and where the approach this time has been so nice and so different, is that that shouldn’t make your personality change. That shouldn’t make you more aggressive, more irritable, irritable, yes, but not so much to the point where it’s out of control. It shouldn’t make you feel ill.”
Dauda insists that his mindset and training alongside his wife for the Mr. Olympia could be the difference-maker in October.
“This is normally the point where we know that the body is trying to tell me something is not right and when you choose to ignore that, either the look will suffer or the it will affect that. So this prep, obviously, working with Mel, she’s seen me at all points. She knows my emotions. She knows when I don’t feel good and I’m feeling that way.”
“Making sure that my mindset matches the look and everything is all in an even keel, everything is all where it needs to be. I am who I am and I’ve stayed that way throughout. That causes me to be happier, enjoy this prep, and be more aggressive in the gym training, and be more inclined to push even deeper because I feel good. I feel like me,” he shared.
With that in mind, Samson Dauda believes he’s on track and ‘taking things to a level we’ve never taken things before.’
“Because of that aspect, this prep we are taking things to a level we’ve never taken things before,” said Dauda. “Honestly, in six and a half weeks, I can’t wait to show you what we mean when we actually stand on that stage. This is something we’ve never paid attention to before.”
Samson Dauda has received widespread criticism due to his lack of dry conditioning levels. Many believe this was one of the wedges that prompted him to separate from coach Milos Sarcev. His performances at the 2024 Arnold Classic Ohio and UK contests, while impressive, indicated to the bodybuilding community that he had yet to reach the conditioning levels needed to overwhelm bodybuilders Hadi Choopan or Derek Lunsford.
Dauda will also have Andrew Jacked to worry about on stage. Jacked recently claimed gold at the 2024 Texas Pro, which was perhaps the most dominant performance of any Open competitor this season. Since Jacked boasts comparable height, some believe the three-time Texas Pro champ could spoil Dauda’s party when it’s time to compete in Las Vegas, Nevada.
With plans of bringing something unprecedented, Dauda will enter the 2024 Mr. Olympia as a clear frontrunner. Don’t miss live coverage from Fitness Volt of the 2024 Mr. Olympia October 10-13 to see if he can become the first Open champion to emerge from Europe since Yates.
Watch the full video from Samson Dauda’s YouTube channel below:
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