Nick Walker is in the midst of contest preparations as he sets his sights on a third Mr. Olympia. In a recent Mutant and the Mouth Podcast, he discussed maximizing muscle growth, cheat meals, and why he doesn’t believe in the peptide Ozempic.
Pressure is building for the biggest bodybuilding event of the season, and it holds special significance for Nick Walker, who was unable to compete last year due to a catastrophic hamstring and calf tear. He watched Derek Lunsford become the sport’s first-ever two-division Mr. Olympia champion while healing on the sidelines confined to a wheelchair.
Fully recovered, Walker defeated Martin Fitzwater at the 2024 New York Pro to earn his way back to the Mr. Olympia. With less than 14 weeks till showtime, Walker continues to dial in his preparations for the contest’s 60th anniversary.
Nick Walker Discusses Maximizing Muscle Growth, Not Being a Fan of Ozempic, and Cheat Meals
According to Walker, bodybuilders can only get so big before the flow of the physique is compromised.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
“You can only get so big before things start to fuck up, you know?” says Walker. “I don’t feel I need to be bigger. I feel I’m at a position where I just need to refine everything and grow areas that are needed to grow but not just overall be a bigger person.”
Walker says he can grow ‘instantly,’ however, he and his coach believe refinements to specific areas are most important this season.
“Yeah [I could get bigger]. I could probably be huge. Well, that’s the problem with me, well it’s not a problem, I guess it’s a good thing. I can grow instantly. I can just grow. Even for me, me and Matt are I don’t want to say holding back, but we’re just not doing anything to the extreme. There’s just no need for it.”
“We had some discussions about what you are taking, you’re not even taking GH right now, dosages are fuckin low. I know that you guys are not at all being aggressive and trying to push,” Justin Shier adds.
As for cheat meals, Walker won’t turn down a burger. If weight wasn’t a concern, Walker likes eating at Five Guys. During Olympia preps of the past, he enjoyed food at Barry’s Steakhouse.
“I like burgers. I want a burger [for cheat meals]. He knows I’m not going to eat like an asshole but you know, normally, like I said, for the prep for the Olympia, we went to Barry’s Steakhouse, we ate a lot of food but it was clean so it didn’t really fuck with you versus and I would only gain like a pound but if I went to Five Guys and ate like I did it Barry’s I’d gain like eight pounds.”
“Oh yeah, we get dessert 100 percent,” adds Walker.
Walker isn’t a fan of the weight loss drug Ozempic, calling it pointless:
“I’m not a fan. I’ve never used it. I don’t know nothing about it. I think it’s pointless. I think if you can’t diet hard, you suck,” says Walker.
While training, Walker’s goal is to pump as much blood volume into the muscle as possible.
“I don’t do a lot of drop sets but I am all about blood volume. I like to get as much blood into the muscle as possible.”
Walker relocated to Florida alongside his coach Matt Jansen in preparation for the 2024 Mr. Olympia. He explained that he’s incorporating a Kevin Levrone boot camp-style training routine to prepare his body for showtime later this year. Levrone often shacked up at someone else’s house while readying his body for Mr. Olympia.
Although some retired legends like Jay Cutler doubt Walker’s ability to break into the top three at the 2024 Mr. Olympia, he plans to prove the naysayers wrong in just a few months. Don’t miss the blockbuster event taking place October 10-13 later this year.
Watch the full video from the HD Muscle YouTube channel below:
Relive every moment from the 2025 Mr. Olympia, including prejudging, highlights, expert analysis, and full results. Explore our Olympia hub: FitnessVolt.com/olympia. For minute-by-minute coverage, follow our Live Blog.
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
