Samuel Hartman's NPC debut was about more than just bodybuilding. The French competitor honored his father by recreating a 30-year-old posing routine. The tribute left his father, Bernard Hartman, in tears.

From being the title holder at the WNBF championship event in 2024, the French bodybuilder Samuel Hartman debuted in the NPC in 2026, securing second place. However, during his stage appearance, he surprised his fans with a massive physique and sharp conditioning, also setting a new benchmark in the father-son relationship.

During his debut at NPC France around April 4-5, he created an emotional moment by reattempting his father, Bernard Hartman's posing routine.

On April 6, Hartman Jr. shared an emotional yet proud moment on his Instagram, in which he was seen posing in front of his father, who was sitting in the audience with others.

He captioned the video as:

“Father & Son: Legacy Posing Routine ⚡30 years apart.”

So, 30 years ago, in 1996, his father performed the same posing routine at the IFBB France Finals, and, according to him, it was the “routine that led him to victory 🏆.”

He continued, “30 years later, I stepped on stage to recreate that same choreography”.

The bodybuilder also revealed, “My father was in the crowd… his reaction is at the end of the video. He broke down in tears, pride, emotion, everything in one moment ❤️.”

And that pride was visible in his father's face.

In the meantime, Hartman also admitted that he had been preparing for this moment for years, and when he finally reached this milestone, he said, “This time, I made it happen. A moment I’ll never forget.”

The moment is also unforgettable for his father because Senior Hartman shared many Instagram posts featuring the same pose his son took at the NPC event.

In another post, Samuel also opened up about the bonding between him and his father.

He said, “My father has been more than just a role model throughout my childhood; he was the one who introduced me to the gym. 🏛️

He was there for my first diets, my first workouts, and the achievement of my first goals. Step by step".

In the post, he also shared some photos from over the years showing how his father has always been a strong presence by his side. For example, in one image from his first show in 2020, Samuel was seen with his father.

Then, when he won his first show in the junior category in 2021, his father was also with him, sharing the moment proudly. Again, in that year when he earned his first WNBF Pro card, his father quickly rushed onto the stage and hugged him. The same situation happened in all those years, whether it was 2022 or 2024.

While Hartman Jr. made his father proud, this win at the NPC is a stepping stone toward his biggest dream.

Reason behind Samuel Hartman’s move from WNBF to NPC

During his appearance on the BTS TV podcast on December 29, 2024, the host asked him why he switched from WNBF to NPC.

In response, he said, “Answer is very simple. It's just because I reached my first dream that to be the world champion in natural federation so WNBF.

I always have this second dream to come on the stage of the Mr. Olympia”.

He also revealed that he's been very surprised by his performance in the competitions he's been competing in for several years.

He also added that before winning the WNBF champion title in 2024, his only dream was to achieve that victory. Now that he has achieved that goal, he is focusing on his next aspiration: Mr. Olympia.

So, only time will tell when he will achieve his second goal, but one thing is certain: Hartman Jr. knows how to convert a dream into reality.

Follow Bodybuilding Bros for more

Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil