• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Testosterone Boosters
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Multivitamins
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Tasting Protein Powder
      • Best Vegan Protein
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Trap Bars
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Concept2 RowErg Review
      • Hydrow Wave Review
      • Best Jump Ropes
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
News

Samson Dauda Trains Shoulders and Calves During 2023 Mr. Olympia Prep

The 2023 Arnold Classic winner wants another major title.

Written by Roger Lockridge Last updated on Jul 5, 2023

Samson Dauda captured his first professional title at the 2023 Arnold Classic in March. Now he’s able to solely focus on the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, taking place in Orlando, FL on the weekend of Nov. 2-5, 2023. He will already be one of the biggest men, both in height and weight, when he steps on stage with the rest of the field, but he is focusing on getting even bigger and wider. To that end, Dauda showcased his hard work in a recent workout that blasted his shoulders and calves, which he shared on his YouTube channel.

Calves & shoulders workout | Samson Dauda

More from Breaking Muscle:

  • The Best Bodybuilding Workout for Each Body Part
  • The 15 Best Shoulder Exercises for Width and Strength

Calf Presses and Donkey Calf Raises

He performed this workout at CHF Gym in Braintree, UK, and he began with calves by performing calf raises on a leg press, followed by donkey calf raises in superset fashion — an intensity technique Dauda used throughout the training session. He commented about trying to keep a soft bend in his knees on the leg press to emphasize the soleus muscle of the calves. Dauda explained that the donkey calf raise, an Arnold Schwarzenegger favorite, targeted the gastrocnemius. The exact reps or weight weren’t shared, but he performed three supersets on camera before moving on.

How to Do the Calf Press: Sit on a leg press machine with the heels of your feet hanging slightly off the bottom of the sled. Your toes should be securely set on the sled plate. Once the weight is released from the safety pins, keep a soft bend in your knees. Use only your toes and flex your calves to move the weight. Once your calves are fully flexed, slowly lower the sled plate until you feel a stretch in your calves — your heels should be “forward” farther than your toes. Press again to perform the next rep and repeat.

How to Do the Donkey Calf Raise: Bend your upper body forward with your hips at a roughly 90-degree angle. Keep your back straight and set your calves hanging off of secure a platform. Have someone sitting on your lower back when you prepare to start the movement or you can hang weight from a dip belt attached to your waist. Flex your calves and lift your heels up so your hips drive toward the ceiling. Once your calves are fully flexed, slowly return to the starting position and repeat for desired reps.

Seated Machine Shoulder Press and Seated Lateral Raise

The opening superset of his shoulder training featured seated machine shoulder presses followed by seated lateral raises with dumbbells. The first movement focused on the anterior (front) deltoid head while the latter movement isolated the middle head of the shoulder area. Dauda said he wanted to focus on quality contractions, which is why performed each repetition relatively slowly and with calculated movement. Dauda was shown working up to 110 kilograms (242 pounds) for 12 repetitions on the press before concluding with 11 repetitions using an undisclosed weight for his final sets of lateral raises.

How to Do the Seated Machine Shoulder Press: Sit on the machine and grab the handles with your palms facing forward. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your back straight, supported against the pad. Press the handles up until your arms are straight overhead. Lower them back down slowly, but don’t let the handles reach the very bottom position. Your elbows should be slightly below shoulder-level at the bottom. Repeat for the desired reps.

How to Do the Seated Lateral Raise: Sit on the edge of a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand — allow your arms to hang down at your sides with palms facing each other. Keep a slight bend at the elbow as you lift the dumbbells out to your sides until your elbows are at shoulder-height. Pause briefly before lowering the weights back to the starting position. Pause briefly at the bottom before performing the next rep.

Reverse Cable Flye

Following that superset, Dauda moved on to target his rear deltoids with rear delt cable flyes at a dual cable station. The cables allowed him to maintain tension throughout the entire range of motion. He extended that range of motion by holding onto the cables themselves instead of a handle attachment. 

How to Do the Reverse Cable Flye: Stand in between two cable pulleys set higher than eye-level. Grab one pulley on each side with the opposite hand so they can cross in front of your body — take the left cable in your right hand and the right cable in your left hand. Step back so your arms can be straight while the pinned weight doesn’t touch the rest of the stack. This is the starting position. Pull the cables back while keeping your arms straight to contract your rear delts. Once you’ve pulled back as far as you can, slowly release the tension and return to the starting position. Repeat for the desired reps.

Standing Machine Shoulder Press and Single Arm Cable Lateral Raise

“The Nigerian Lion” then performed a second overhead pressing movement but, unconventionally, he used a squat machine to provide resistance. Pressing it forward at an angle worked the front delts in a similar manner to a landmine press. This was paired up with another lateral raise variation — single-arm cable lateral raises, which provided one last source of focused stimulation for the side delts. On his final set of single-arm cable laterals, Dauda was shown using three weight plates for 11 repetitions, per arm, after pressing 150 kilograms (330 pounds) for 13 reps.

How to Do the Standing Machine Shoulder Press: Stand in front of a squat machine and place your hands on the pads that would rest on your shoulders. Lift the machine up to release the safety handle and take control of the weight. Using the force in your shoulders, press the machine up and forward as far as you can. Resist the urge to use leg drive to build momentum. Once your arms are straight, pause briefly before lowering the machine back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired reps. If you have a tall Smith machine or a specific standing shoulder press machine, you can perform a similar exercise by following the instructions as they are described on the machine.

How to Do the Single-Arm Cable Lateral Raise: Stand beside a cable station with a low pulley and a single handle attachment connected to the cable. Grab the cable attachment with your opposite hand — if the cable is to your right, grab it with your left hand and vice versa. Begin with the cable in front of your body with your arm in front of your hip. Using the strength in your shoulder, lift the handle up toward the working (farthest from the cable pulley). Once the handle is just above shoulder-height, pause briefly before lowering back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired reps, then switch sides to work the opposite shoulder in the same form.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samson Dauda (@samson__dauda)

More from Breaking Muscle:

  • Try This Beginner Bodybuilding Routine If You’re Looking To Build Mass
  • How to Build Muscle: The Training and Diet Guide for Lifters

Samson-Sized Shoulder and Calf Workout

If you want to try a workout like this for yourself, you can follow the sample routine below.

  • Superset: Calf Press and Donkey Calf Raise — 3 x 15 per exercise
  • Superset: Seated Machine Press and Seated Lateral Raise — 3 x 10-12 per exercise
  • Reverse Cable Flye — 3 x 12
  • Superset Standing Machine Press and Single-Arm Cable Lateral Raise — 3 x 15 per exercise

Dauda finished the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest in sixth place. The five men that placed ahead of him are defending titleholder Hadi Choopan, runner-up Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker (3rd), 2019 champion Brandon Curry (4th), and 2020-2021 winner Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (5th). Dauda defeated both Walker and Elssbiay when they shared the stage at the 2023 Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH. All six of those men are among the elite bodybuilders qualified to compete in the Olympia in November.

Featured Image: SAMSON DAUDA on YouTube

About Roger Lockridge

Roger "Rock" Lockridge has been writing professionally for 10 years and has been training for 20. His work in the fitness industry has been seen in numerous outlets and has been a part of coverage for several events including the Mr. Olympia, Arnold Classic, the CrossFit Games, and the Olympics. He's also shared his own personal success story in several interviews and articles. Lockridge lives in West Virginia with his wife and son.

View All Articles

Related Posts

Samson Dauda celebrates winning the Men's Open division title at the 2023 EVLS Prague Pro show.
2023 EVLS Prague Pro Results: Samson Dauda Dominates Second Straight European Show 
Mitchell Hooper performing preacher curls.
Mitchell Hooper Tackles Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Back and Biceps Workout
World's Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper performs an 800-pound deadlift.
Mitchell Hooper Attempts 3 of Ronnie Coleman’s Heaviest Lifts Ever
Team USA and Team UK take a photo together after competing in the 2023 Giants Live World's Strongest Nation competition.
Team USA Topples Team UK for 2023 World’s Strongest Nation Title

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

New Year’s Fitness Sales (2025)

XWERKS Motion BCAA Review (2025): A Registered Dietitian’s Honest Thoughts

Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X Review (2025): Assault’s Best Bike Yet?

13 Best Exercise Bikes for Home Gyms (2025)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review (2025): The Key to Post-Workout Recovery?

Latest Reviews

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Review (2025)

Omre NMN + Resveratrol, Lifeforce Peak NMN, and partiQlar NMN on a red background

Best NMN Supplement: Fountain of Youth in a Bottle? (2025)

The Titan Series Adjustable Bench on a red background

Titan Series Adjustable Bench Review (2025)

A photo of the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Dumbbells on a red background

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Review (2025): Are These Value Dumbbells Worth It?

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About