Samir Bannout – The Workout of a Mr. Olympia!
Samir Bannout – The Workout of a Mr. Olympia! Known as the “Lion of Lebanon,” Samir carved out one of the most artistic physiques in bodybuilding history, leading to his Mr. Olympia victory in 1983. In the third edition of the Built From Iron Series, we’ll take a look at how he trained. From his take on two-a-day workouts to his nutrition guidelines, here’s what it took to win the Mr. Olympia!
Samir Bannout – The Workout of a Mr. Olympia – A Quick Recap
| Category | Core Philosophy | Detailed Look at Samir’s Training |
| Workout Split | Two-a-day training | 3 days on, 1 day off, 3 days on, 2 days off.Features morning and afternoon sessions. |
| Daily Targets | Muscle group pairings | Day 1: Chest & Back | Day 2: Legs & Abs |Day 3: Shoulders & Arms | Day 4: Rest. |
| Volume & Intensity | Train to failure | 11 sets for large muscle groups and 9 sets for small muscle groups. Uses a mix of compound and isolation lifts. |
| Rep Tempo | Continuous tension | 1-second concentric (lifting), zero pauses at the top or bottom, and a 2-second eccentric (lowering). |
| Form & Focus | Mind-muscle connection | Execute every repetition with perfect form and complete control. Lift heavy enough to fail within the target rep range. |
| Lifestyle Tweak | Single-session option | Reduce it into one daily workout by reducing large muscles to 8 sets and small muscles to 6 sets. |
| Protein | 1g per lb of bodyweight | Divide into 5–6 daily meals. Consume a slow-digesting protein (casein, cottage cheese, or Greek yogurt) 30 minutes before bed. |
| Carbohydrates | 1 to 1.5g per lb of bodyweight | Focus on complex carbs. Consume roughly 50% of your daily carbs in the hours immediately surrounding your workouts. |
| Healthy Fats | 20% of total daily calories | Prioritize nuts, seeds, and fatty fish. Avoid saturated fats, trans fats, and fried foods. |
That Stunning “Christmas Tree” Lower Back – Was Samir The First?
When bodybuilders talk about Samir Bannout, the conversation often turns to his lower back. At the 1983 Mr. Olympia, Samir displayed a level of muscular development and definition in his lower lumbar region that had never been seen before. The striking, symmetrical striations perfectly resembled an evergreen tree, leading to the bodybuilding term “the Christmas tree back.” Achieving this look required immense thickness from heavy rows, paired with the razor-sharp conditioning built by his high-volume approach.
But was he the first? Actually, Arnold displayed a very impressive lower back during his 6-win Mr. Olympia run. But, Samir took it and ran with it to the point that he is often credited with being the first.
Samir Bannout’s Routine
This routine is heavily influenced by the writings of one of Samir Bannout’s 1981 training partners. Rather than just another routine floating around the internet, this comes from a guy that was side by side with the champion himself. Samir used a slight variation of the two-workouts-a day concept that was popular back then. (1)
Day 1 – Chest (morning) and Back (afternoon)
(Morning)
Barbell Bench Press
2 sets x 12 reps (warmup)
1 set x 10 reps (warmup)
2 sets x 8 reps
2 sets x 6 reps
Incline Barbell Press
4 sets x 8 -10 reps
Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes (alternate with Incline Dumbbell Flyes)
3 sets x 10-12 reps
(Afternoon)
Wide-Grip Pull-Ups
4 sets x 10-12 reps
Seated Cable Rows
4 sets x 10-12 reps
Bent Over Rows
3 sets x 10-12 reps
Day 2 – Legs (morning) and Abs (afternoon)
(Morning)
Leg Extensions
2 sets x 10 reps (warmup)
3 sets x 5-8 reps
Barbell Back Squats
1 set x 15 reps (warmup)
1 set x 12 reps (warmup)
2 sets x 8 reps
2 sets x 6 reps
Lying Leg Curls
4 sets x 10-12 reps
Straight Leg Barbell Deadlifts
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Walking Lunges
4 sets x 10-12 reps
Bodyweight Calf Stretches
1 set to failure
Standing Calf Raises
5 sets x 15-20 reps
Seated Calf Raises
4 sets x 15-20 reps
(Afternoon)
Sit-ups
4 sets x 25-30 reps
Hanging Leg Raises
4 sets x 25-30 reps
Side Crunches With Pulley Machine
4 sets x 30-35 reps
Day 3 – Shoulders and Arms
(Morning)
Behind The Neck Overhead Press
2 sets x 12 reps (warmup)
1 set x 10 reps (warmup)
3 sets x 8 reps
Lateral Raises
3 sets x 12-15 reps
Bent-Over Cable Laterals
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
Barbell Front Raises
2 sets of 12-15 reps
(Afternoon)
Barbell Preacher Curls
2 sets x 12 reps (warmup)
4 sets x 6-8 reps
Alternate Dumbbell Curls
4 sets x 8-12 reps
Concentration Curls
3 sets x 10-12 reps
Dips
4 sets x 10-15 reps
One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
4 sets x 10-15 reps
Triceps Cable Pushdowns
3 sets x 12-15 reps
Day 4 – Rest
Day 5 – Repeat Day 1
Day 6 – Repeat Day 2
Day 7 – Repeat Day 3
Days 8 &9 – Rest
Training Philosophy and Performance Notes
It’s difficult to find the exact routines of champions from several decades ago. Many of them wrote books, or sold training booklets in the back of the muscle magazines of the day. Much of that information is hard to find. It’s not everyday you find an article written by one of Samir’s former training partners.
What About Drop Sets and Supersets?
Other internet sources might claim he did drop sets and supersets, but if he did, the above-mentioned article did not mention it. It does mention, however, that Samir liked to train to failure, sometimes a rep shy. He also did 11 sets for large muscles, and 9 sets for small muscles. He did a mix of compound and isolation exercises, and was apparently very strong. In fact, there are reports he did behind the neck presses with as much as 315 pounds,
What Rep Tempo Did Samir Use?
This routine reflects a time when Samir was training with 2 other partners (1981, 2 years before he won Mr. Olympia). So rest between sets lasted long enough for each guy to do his set. Bannout liked to train fast – the tempo used at this time was 1 second concentric, no pauses, and a 2 second eccentric. That’s a continuous tension set, which was very popular at the time.
In fact, the magazines of the day pushed this approach, along with several others, and Joe Weider, who back then was a major player with his magazines and supplements, used to claim continuous tension as one of his “Weider Principles”. He made it seem like he invented all of his principles, but the truth is he observed the champions of the 40s and 50s train, and simply wrote them down into an organized format. (2)
Two Sessions a Day? Really?
This routine also utilizes 2 sessions per day – a reasonably common thing around that time. However, this approach might not fit with the average lifter’s lifestyle. If it doesn’t, I suggest reducing the sets from 11 for large muscle groups to 8, and knocking back the 9 sets per small muscle to 6. Then combine both reduced workouts into one, to be performed whenever you usually train.
Rep Performance and The Mind-Muscle Connection
Samir trained fast but certainly not sloppy. Of course, you will want to perform full, complete, under-control reps. Use perfect form. Make sure you lift heavy enough to fail within the prescribed rep range. Finally, Samir (and most of the bodybuilders from that era) were big believers in establishing the mind-muscle connection for each workout.
To truly master the continuous tension tempo Samir used, you can’t just whip out your reps. Explode the weight up under complete control. On the two-second lowering (eccentric) phase, resist the weight. This creates higher motor unit recruitment, which is the exact secret many old-school legends used to build maximum density without relying entirely on heavy powerlifting movements.
Nutritional Guidelines
Samir Bannout’s diet approach focused on clean, healthy whole food choices.
Protein
No doubt you’re a serious liftier. Therefore, you should be ingesting a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every single day. At that intake level, it’s good sense to spread out your protein consumption over 5 or 6 meals/snacks/shakes. This classic approach to protein timing lets you work in your protein intake with your normal meal schedule.
Plus, you can easily adjust this approach based on your lifestyle demands. Do you lead a busy, time-crunched lifestyle? Then you should take advantage of protein shakes and bars. Maybe your lifestyle is not all that hectic? Then focus on 3 whole food meals and use shakes to help you reach your daily requirements.
While this wasn’t a thing back in 1981, I suggest drinking a post-workout shake right after your workout, then eating a meal an hour or two later.
Strategic Nighttime Protein Intake
With the training you’ll do if you use this routine, I suggest using this nighttime tip: 30 minutes before bed, drink or eat a protein source that focuses on slow digesting protein sources. You can drink a shake, or have a serving of low-fat cottage cheese or low sugar Greek yogurt.
This simple tip helps you stay in a positive protein environment during the night, which is usually the time your body falls into a negative protein state.
Carbohydrates
Limit your sugary carbohydrates and focus mainly on complex carbohydrates. In addition, I recommend a total daily carbohydrate intake of 1 to 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. If you’re trying to build mass, you can go as high as 2-2.5 grams as long as you don’t begin to gain unwanted bodyfat around your waist! If that begins to happen, you should cut your carbs back by 50 grams a day until you stop gaining fat.
Finally, I recommend a Strategic Pre-Workout Nutrition Blueprint: you should be consuming approximately 50% of your carbs for the day (and all of the day’s simple carbs) in the hours before and after your workouts.
Healthy Fats
About 20% of your daily calories should come from healthy fats sources. These sources should include salmon, tuna, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Make sure you avoid saturated fats and trans fats (fried foods, fast food, fatty red meat, high fat dairy products).
Supplement Tips
Back in Samir’s day, supplements were pretty much in their infancy compared to today. With that in mind, every serious lifter should be using a foundational supplement program like the one below:
- Hi-Tech Precision Protein – Protein powder has radically evolved since Samir’s day. Here’s an innovative powder that provides 25 grams of hydrolyzed whey per serving. On top of that, it utilizes a technology exclusive to Hi-Tech that allows the release of the potent EAA/BCAA leucine in the initial stages of protein synthesis.
- PEScience Select – This is a great choice for your strategic nighttime protein intake. One serving supplies 24 grams of fast and slow digesting whey and milk proteins.
- Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode – Beyond any doubt, Gorilla Mode is among the most innovative pre-workouts, bar none. When it was introduced just a few years ago, it exploded onto the scene with dosages that embarrassed the “big boys”. Now, every serious pre-workout has to match or at least come close to Gorilla Mode’s dosing.
- NutraBio Base – Here’s a great “Core” pre-workout. What’s that? It’s a Pre with a streamlined formula at an economy price.
- AllMax Nutrition Creatine – It’s clear – creatine monohydrate is the most tested and proven effective supplement on the planet. This exceptional product features patented CreaSyn® micronized creatine monohydrate that is 99.9% pure!
- AllMax Nutrition VITASTACK – Every serious lifter needs a good multi – no excuses! This one covers all your fundamental nutritional needs with an extremely impressive 7 complex formula!
- EFX Sports Karbolyn – For workouts like this one, I suggest Karbolyn to help you power through. Take it with your Pre and it will quickly load fast-digesting carbs for quick ATP energy – and for 2 workouts a day, you’re going to need it – and it will make a difference!
Summary
In this edition of the Built From Iron Series, we looked at The Workout of a Mr. Olympia – the 1983 Mr. Olympia, Samir Bannout, to be precise. This is a training program that’s very close to how Samir trained in 1981. We also analyzed his training philosophy. Finally, we looked at Samir-inspired nutrition and I provided supplement tips. All that’s left is to apply and take them to the gym – but first, stop by illpumpyouup.com and stock up!
References:
- https://www.ironmanmagazine.com/basic-concepts-for-lean-mass-gains-what-i-learned-from-samir-bannout/
- https://tigerfitness.com/blogs/training/the-weider-principles-a-complete-analysis
By Jim Brewster