Known As the Lion of Lebanon, Samir Was Famous for His Dense & Hard Physique
Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, Samir Bannout, also famously known as The Lion of Lebanon, is a Mr. Olympia winner and one of the greatest bodybuilders of his golden era time time and bodybuilding sports history.
Like some IFBB Pro bodybuilders, Samir started his bodybuilding competition career very early, at 18 years. He competed for the first time in the 1974s Teenage Mr. Universe contest. Likewise, that made him understand bodybuilding is the career he wants, and for that, he would have to go out of Lebanon. He also did the same by moving to the USA, where he competed against some of the legendary bodybuilders and ultimately became one of the IFBB Hall of Fame bodybuilders.
Nevertheless, if you want to know about Samir Bannout’s workout routine or want to find out his training philosophy, here we’ve covered one of his workout routines.
Samir Bannout’s Workout Routine
Day 1: Shoulders, Biceps & Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| DB or BB Front Raises | 4 | 6 – 15 |
| DB Side Lateral Raises | 4 | 8 – 20 |
| Bent-Over Lateral Raises W/ Cables | 4 | 10 – 20 |
| Behind The Neck BB Press | 4 | 6 – 15 |
| BB Upright Rowing | 4 | 5 – 15 |
| Alternate DB Curls | 4 | 6 – 12 |
| BB Preacher Curls | 4 | 6 – 12 |
| DB Concentration Curls | 4 | 6 – 12 |
| Triceps Press Downs | 4 | 8 – 15 |
| 1 – Arm DB Triceps Extensions | 4 | 8 – 15 |
| Parallel Bar or Reverse Dips | 4 | 8 – 15 |
Day 2: Legs, Calves & Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Extensions (Last 4 Sets of 5 Reps) | 8 | 10 |
| Leg Curls – Lying | 5 | 10 |
| Straight Leg BB Deadlift (Light) | 4 | 8 – 12 |
| Hack Squats or Walking Lunges | 4 | 8 – 12 |
| BB Back Squats | 6 | 6 – 15 |
| Calf Stretches on Blocks (Bodyweight) | 1 | Till Failure |
| Standing Heel Raises W/ Heavy Weights | 8 | 15+ |
| Seated Heel Raises W/ Heavy Weights | 8 | 15+ |
| Sit-Ups | 4 | 25+ |
| Leg Raises (Hanging) | 4 | 25+ |
| Side Crunches W/ Pulley Machines | 4 | 30+ |
Day 3: Chest & Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| BB Bench Press (Warm-Up – 1 x 20 – 25) | 6 | 4 – 10 |
| Incline BB Bench Press | 6 | 6 – 12 |
| DB Flys (Incline or Flat) | 4 | 8 – 15 |
| Weighted Parallel Bar Dips | 4 | 8 – 15 |
| Chin-Ups (Weighted) | 6 | 8 – 12 |
| Bent Over BB Rowing | 5 | 8 – 12 |
| T – Bar Rowing | 5 | 8 – 12 |
| Seated Cable Rowing | 4 | 8 – 12 |
Day 4 – Rest Day
Day 5 – Repeat from Day 1
Early Years & First Competition of Samir Bannout
Samir was fascinated by bodybuilding from a very early age. He used to admire the physiques of athletes who could carve their bodies, and he was determined to sculpt in the same way.
To make his determination a reality, he joined the gym at the age of 16 and started lifting weights. Likewise, by the age of 18 in 1974, Samir has been able to sculpt his physiques through his hard work. In the mean, he also fell in love with fitness and bodybuilding, which helped him stay devoted to his dream of becoming a professional bodybuilder.
In the same year, 1974, Samir traveled to the USA for his first competition, the Mr. Universe. He was placed 7th in the competition, but the interesting part is that he was the youngest contestant in the show who defeated some of the experienced athletes.
Moving to the USA
After competing for Mr. Universe, he learned that if he wanted to make a career in bodybuilding, he had to move out of Lebanon. So, he did the same by moving to the USA to make his name in bodybuilding, which he also achieved.
Journey of Samir Bannout From IFBB Pro Card to Mr. Olympia
After five years of his debut in bodybuilding, at the end of 1979, Samir made a massive milestone in his bodybuilding career. He happened to win the IFBB World Amateur Championships in 1979 and won his IFBB Pro card.
And after that, for three years, Samir competed in 11 bodybuilding competitions, along with 3 competitions of Mr. Olympia. Later, in 1983, Samir stepped on the Mr. Olympia stage and other famous bodybuilders Lee Haney, Frank Zane, Mohamed Makkawy, Ed Corney, and Bertil Fox. And, surprisingly he managed to secure his biggest success by winning the trophy, and amazingly he was the 6th bodybuilder who won Mr. Olympia in 1983.
Samir competed for 13 years more, and in 1996, at the age of 41, he retired from the sport by getting placed 6th in the Masters Mr. Olympia. And, four years later, after his retirement, Samir’s name got inducted into the most prestigious IFBB Hall of Fame, which gave him elite positions like Larry Scott, Sergio Oliva, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Comeback After Long Retirement
At 56 years of age, Samir made one last comeback in the IFBB Pro World Masters competition, where he rubbed shoulders with other bodybuilding legends such as Andreas Cahing and Dexter Jackson, but sadly, he couldn’t win and placed 11th.
Samir Bannout’s Idols
Samir admires many top bodybuilders, including Chris Dickerson, Tom Platz, Franco Columbu, and Danny Padilla. But, lastly, the most admiration he has for is Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Wrapping Up
Samir Bannout is considered as among the greatest bodybuilder to grace the stage. Nonetheless, if you’ve questions regarding his training philosophy or want to learn about Samir Bannout’s workout routine, we hope that the workout routine covered here may prove helpful.
