It will take more than muscle for Samson Dauda to reclaim the Mr. Olympia title. Ahead of the event, Dauda took to YouTube on August 20 and showed off a leg workout before breaking down his posing approach.
“Now, we’re in that stage of it’s time to step things up a little bit. It’s time to put the foot down a bit more on the pedal.”
Dauda earned the 2024 Mr. Olympia title with an aesthetic balance of mass and conditioning. He walked into the 2025 Arnold Classic aiming to win a second title, but was denied by Derek Lunsford. They rematched at the Mr. Olympia last year, and the night fell apart for Dauda.
His pursuit of a drier, more conditioned physique backfired. The Nigerian mass monster lacked fullness, and it watered down his back poses. He ultimately took fourth place, leaving him eager for redemption. However, at the 2025 Prague Pro, his bounce-back mission was thwarted. Martin Fitzwater narrowly beat him, which pushed Dauda to take a long off-season. With his return to the stage almost here, he offered an inside look at his preparations.
Samson Dauda Smokes Leg & Chest Workouts, Explains Posing Approach in Prep for 2026 Mr. Olympia
Find his exercises from the video below:
- Seated Chest Press Machine
- Chest Press Machine
- Belt Squat
- Kneeling Leg Curl
- Seated Hamstring Curl Machine
- Leg Press
- Leg Extension Machine
Dauda, accompanied by his wife and trainer Marlena, revealed that they flipped a mental switch in preparations.
“It’s starting to get full-on [the intensity of my mindset]. Always post-six weeks out, after that is the point where your mind starts to go… it’s close, and you can sort of now see the date and the finish line of it.”
Thus far, the most significant change has been dropping calories and scaling back meals:
“In terms of changes we’ve made this week since we’ve been back, obviously, slight food changes. Dropped some calories on there and some of the meals as well.”
To reclaim the Sandow trophy, Dauda believes posing will be crucial, especially since the Mr. Olympia is known for pushing competitors through several rounds onstage, making endurance a top priority.
“Cardio is pretty much staying the same at this point,” he shared. “Morning poses now. Afternoon posing as well. So, basically, being able to go round after round, hold poses, and work on not just mind-muscle connection poses but also the stamina.
“To go round after round and not fade. It’s something you have to be really good at, especially if you’re standing on the Olympia stage. You have to be able to pose, pose, and pose again, and make it look effortless.”
Some bodybuilding veterans have major concerns about Dauda’s preparations. Shawn Ray recently sounded the alarm on his lagging prep and urged the Men’s Open staple to start cardio and a low-carb diet immediately to get in shape.
From diet and training to countless posing sessions in front of the mirror, Dauda is leaving nothing to chance ahead of his next show. The 2026 Mr. Olympia will take over Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 24-27. Fitness Volt will have live coverage.
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