Silvio Samuel

* FULL NAME; Silvio Samuel Saviour

* AGE: 33 * HEIGHT: 5'6"

* BIRTHDATE: March 8,1975

* Birthplace Natal, Brazil

* Current residence Fullerton, California


* Contest weight At the Ironman, I was 222. I'm trying to put on more weight and size, though not much for every show.

* Offseason weight I don't normally have an offseason. It's very easy for me to shift into competition at two or three pounds lower than the offseason weight. I weighed 230 in January, but after the Olympia, I was guest posing all around Europe, Venezuela, Hawaii and Oklahoma.

* Marital status I am currently single.

* Early sports experience I started weight training when I was 13 years old, and I started competing in weightlifting when I was 14. I've been weight training all my life. I had a Nigerian national record, which serves as an African record, as well. This qualified me to go to the world championships in Indonesia, and I did win as a junior, because I was 17 then.

* Influences to begin competing Alfonso Gomez, a bodybuilding official in Spain, was the one who introduced me to this game. He insisted that I had a very good physique. I was very shy then, and I thought putting on trunks was like being naked. I felt it was taboo, and my family wouldn't like it, because we were so religious. But he was able to talk me into it and that was how everything started. When I started winning, I started traveling, and it became a really good experience.

I'd like to thank Dexter Jackson. I approached him in 2006 at an expo in Germany. He really inspired me to compete as a pro. I was kind of afraid, since I was a smaller guy. How would I fit in?

He told me they're looking for physique and, after he saw me guest posing, he said I have the physique, I could improve on it, and that I have to come to America. I give him my respect and trust. That goes for Chris Cormier, as well. Their advice gave me the confidence to come to the United States.

* First bodybuilding contest The Francisco Del Yerro in 2001. It was in Spain, a local competition. I won the category, the class and the overall. Then I went on to win the NABBA world championships in the class and also overall. My first IFBB pro contest was the 2006 New York Pro.

* Major wins I won the overall at the IFBB Joe Weider Trophy in France in 2004. That was the win that gave me the pro card to be able to compete in the United States. My first major win since turning pro was the 2007 Europa Super Show last year, where I won the 210-and-under class and the open class. too. I really worked and planned for it. I felt so happy because after six qualifications in all the shows leading up to the Olympia, I needed a win. The win really boosted my own morale for the Olympia.

* Biggest career disappointment Actually, here in the United States, there is none at the moment. The biggest disappointment was in Spain. Bodybuilders didn't get enough support. There was no encouragement, nothing to help you move ahead. I had to work in something else like security, 13 hours every day, to be able to raise money. But I did so for the love of this sport. I had the patience to do that, but it was a great disappointment to me, because I needed help then. I wanted somebody to know that I love this game and I could be something in this game. There were people who could have helped in Europe, but they told me that nobody made a living from bodybuilding. At that point, I had to think of coming over to the United States when I had my pro card.

* Bodybuilders whose physiques you most admire A bodybuilder who I thought I could be similar to because he was smaller and was always sitting in the top five was Shawn Ray. At this moment, the kind of physique I like most is Dexter Jackson's. Silvio is a Brazilian native who went from amateur to pro, when he was discovered by MuscleGallery in 2005 and received pro status in 2006.Silvio moved to Nigeria at a young age and joined the Nigerian national weightlifting team at age 14. Over the next few years he set powerlifting records for Nigeria and Africa that still haven't been broken.

Contest history



* World Championships 2002 - NAC, Medium, 1st
* World Championships 2002 - NAC, Overall Winner
* Universe 2003 - NAC, Medium, 1st
* Universe 2003 - NAC, Overall Winner
* World Championships - NAC, Medium, 1st
* World Championships - NAC, Overall Winner
* World Championships - WABBA, Short, 1st
* New York Pro Show IFBB 2006 14th
* Ironman Pro IFBB 2007, 4th
* Sacramento Pro IFBB 2007, 2nd
* Arnold Classic, Pro IFBB 2007, 6th
* New York Pro Show IFBB 2007, 5th
* Mr Olympia 2007, 7th
* Mr. Olympia 2008, 7th
* Mr. Olympia 2009, 12th (tie)
* Bodybuilder whose personality you most admire Jay Cutler. He is very encouraging for any upcoming bodybuilders.

* Best bodypart Chest.

* Worst bodypart I wouldn't say I have a worst bodypart, but rather that I am working on most of my parts and muscles to fit into the world of bodybuilding perfection.

* Favorite exercise Deadlifts with a barbell and Olympic weights, then T-bar rope pulls.

* Least-favorite exercise Even while I was in weightlifting, I never thought of not doing any exercise. I believe bodybuilders need more work on all the parts of the body, so that means you cannot exempt any exercise. I like every part of training with weights.

* Favorite city I believe Southern California is the best place to be. I also like Miami.

* Traits you admire most in others I like people who are outspoken. And respectful, because I try to respect people.

* Traits you admire most in yourself I am a very easygoing person. I like to treat people just the way I would like them to treat myself, with respect and honesty.

* Favorite book Become a Better You by Joel Osteen. I would recommend you to get it; it will be very very useful.

* Favorite TV show I watch mostly truTV now, which was Court TV before. I want to know the wrong things that are going on, and how I should be living my life here in order not to get in trouble. I like truTV, to see what is really happening.