Bodybuilding sensation Sam Sulek is the first young influencer who became a special guest at the Arnold Classic. He didn’t just appear in the Ohio edition of the show but also traveled to Arnold Classic UK in Birmingham. At Birmingham, the fan-favorite bodybuilder finally revealed his much-anticipated plans to compete for the first time. 

While getting interviewed by bodybuilding veteran and Chris Bumstead’s former coach Iain Valliere, Sam Sulek revealed some extra details of his plan. Although Sulek had the opportunity to pose with 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda, fans have wondered if he could compete against open bodybuilders. It looks like the fans aren’t the only ones who had that thought. Sulek, however, has an answer to that question.

Sam Sulek wants to take it one step at a time

At just 21 years old, the bodybuilding sensation has plenty of time to improve and get bigger. However, Sulek thinks trying to compete in the open category in the beginning is too ambitious. “So, the plan is going to be classic,” Sam Sulek told Valliere at the Arnold Sports Festival UK. Although many want him to gain weight, “a real open bodybuilder that’s a lot of mass,” said Sulek.

The former diver believes he has put on considerable mass. However, he is among the shorter bodybuilders. While shorter bodybuilders like Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford have dominated the Olympia stage in the past few years, they started out in the 212 division. Sam Sulek wishes to go through a similar experience before attempting to move to the open weight class.

The 21-year-old said that the phrase “I’m too big” doesn’t resist in his “vocabulary,” but he is willing to suppress that urge. So Sam Sulek will start in Classic Physique, but that doesn’t mean that finding success in Classic Physique is going to be easy. In fact, the Classic Physique division might just be harder than the Open division.

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The insane competition in Classic Physique

Although Classic Physique might suit Sam Sulek’s height and weight, it won’t be easy to get a foothold on the division, even for a prodigy like Sulek. For the past five years, Chris Bumstead has looked solid in his position as the division’s king. However, he has faced stiff competition from Ramon Dino, Urs Kalecinski, Breon Ansley, and others.

As if this wasn’t enough, Wesley Vissers shook the entire division this year at the Arnold Classic in Ohio and the UK. Vissers won both editions of the show and defeated Dino at Ohio. Suddenly, the man who placed seventh at the 2023 Classic Physique Olympia is Bumstead’s new contender.

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Whether Sam Sulek will be the next Wesley Visser or a future Mr. Olympia is yet to be seen. However, one can’t discount the bodybuilder after how much he has achieved at just 21, even without stepping on to the bodybuilding stage.