American bodybuilder Nick Walker is one of the frontrunners for the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia competition. After placing third at the previous event, he will look to challenge for the coveted Sandow trophy later this year. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Walker shared the changes in his training structure after the 2023 Arnold Classic, how much science goes into his training, and the role of drugs in bodybuilding.
Nick Walker first gained attention for his freakish muscle mass, size, and granite conditioning levels in the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division. He took home the top prize at the 2021 New York Pro and scored another win at the 2021 Arnold Sports Festival. He concluded one of the best rookie years of his generation with a fifth-place finish in his Olympia debut.
Walker presented a significantly enhanced package with a narrower waistline at the 2022 Mr. Olympia last December. He placed third behind runner-up Derek Lunsford and champ Hadi Choopan. After the result, he set his eyes on the 2023 Arnold Classic title. He went into the show as the betting favorite and the highest-ranked Olympian. In the end, Walker took silver as Samson Dauda pulled off the upset and won the title.
Considering the improved package Walker brought to the stage in Ohio, many thought he performed well enough to get the win. Walker admitted it was a tough reality to accept for him as he came into the show brimming with confidence. Former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout sided with Walker in the matter in his analysis of the competition. IFBB Pro League athletes’ representative Bob Cicherillo argued against their stance and laid out a comprehensive guide on judging a freaky physique against a more aesthetic one.
Two months ago, ‘The Mutant’ opened up on being a hyper-responder to steroids while detailing the evolution of his cycles over time. While he doesn’t push gear as hard as he used to, he indicated plans to dial in on his nutrition for the current season. Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy and Hall of Famer Chris Cormier praised Walker’s potential and backed him as a potential champion if he worked on his legs. Cormier highlighted the intense rivalry Walker developed with Lunsford, which has fans even more enthusiastic about their next meeting.
Nick Walker made his way to Canada for a guest posing appearance at the 2023 Pure Muscle Championships last month. A week later, he voiced his disapproval of his defeat to Dauda at the Arnold Classic. Although he’s not resentful of the outcome, he believes he had the better package and vowed to leave no stone unturned in his preparations for the Olympia. He’s confident he could dethrone Choopan based on his track record of coming in better shape.
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Nick Walker reveals training structure & changes after the 2023 Arnold Classic
Nick Walker shared the structure of his training sessions in a recent appearance on YouTube.
“[Most important movement] is usually first or second movement,” said Walker. “Just for the connection. It’s already pumped it’s warm so now when I go to press I just feel I connect better. It’s the same thing with legs like if I start with the leg press when I go to a squat type movement my legs automatically connect better than anything. If I start with a squat I feel it in my knees a little bit. I got to take for everyone and it’s not the same when I do a leg press I feel nothing.
“There’s no pain. I’m good on that one so when I kill that leg press they’re always pumped. They’re fired up. I go to a squat now. The pump is so big it hurts and it’s just unbearable at that point and then even after that to finish off with leg extensions I’m toasted.”
He laid out the changes he made after the 2023 Arnold Classic.
“I’m all for learning the biomechanics. I was working with Matt. He’s the very low volume high intensity guy that’s also what I’m used to but I kinda steered away from it a little bit. I have the size so I’m going to not go not once they go as intense but more volume without taking a lot more sense to failure to get more round fullness that I think I needed which I do think benefited me for the Olympia. But at the same time I enjoy that low intensity high training, high volume is fun. But there’s just nothing better than picking some heavy sh*t out there.”
“That’s not all because we can all do that but if you’re not targeting the muscle you want to target it becomes pointless and you’re just kind of fatiguing yourself and youre not getting anything out of it.”
“Training with Jared, he’s all about full range. I thought I always was I guess not so my feet actually are a little wider on a platform and a little more put out so I can go all the way down. A lot of people would be like that’s what a duck is doing, more hamstring when I’m done. First of all, my legs, my quads are so pumped outer sweep that everyone thinks are so weak or flaring. I get their point but if it’s working for me it’s working.”
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Walker argued he should’ve defeated Lunsford for second place at the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
“I knew it was going to be between me, Hadi, Derek just the way things were moving around. That’s what I figured out through prejudging. I didn’t think I was going to win just because I was never directly ever in the middle but I did believe I was going to be at least second. Obviously, no disrespect to Derek but I just think I get it and I said this before he has one of, if not the best shape on the stage.
There’s so much more to it and I felt like beside that aspect I feel like I beat him in every other criteria. That’s they want. I do think I should’ve gotten second but again I wasn’t disappointed by any means. It’s a two-place jump.”
Walker talks about the role of science & drugs in bodybuilding
Nick Walker shared his thoughts on how much science goes into his approach to training.
“Zero. When people are trying to preach size to them they shut the f**k up. I’m number three in the world. This works for me. It’s as basic as it would sound from a bodybuilder it’s just I’m a bro and bro stuff and it works. It’s like hiring a coach that’s been through it knows what he’s doing than someone who’s just science. It’s cool to know that I do but if that’s all we’re not going to work.”
He gave his take on the importance of steroids as a competitor.
“Drugs play a role so I do agree with that but to get to that point I’m going to be honest and say I don’t think, growth’s a different story, that’s a different type of animal but I don’t think people need as much as they think they need to progress to where they need. There some people that are not I would say to the genetic elite that I am that may have to push a little harder. Sure, there are those that’s where science doesn’t make sense for someone like me. I can get away with not doing a crazy amount of things and progress haywire and the three major things that will take somebody to that next level as you already stated training, recovery, sleep, body, work.
Consistency, eating, and training hard those are like the three main things and consistency with those things over time. Those are the things that need to be addressed. People are not as disciplined. They can do it for a week, two weeks, maybe two months but if they’re not necessarily seeing what they want to see they’re like yeah it’s all right, then you have the party drugs if you are mixing that with anabolics, you’re just waiting for a big problem to happen.”
Cicherillo favored Hadi Choopan to retain his title against Nick Walker in his early prediction last month. He highlighted the danger Samson Dauda would present to any contender on the Olympia stage, including Choopan.
Walker crushed a heavy push-day training session last week. He offered some vital tips on how to maximize the effectiveness of the chest, shoulders, and triceps workout. He received major praise for his intense mindset from renowned bodybuilding guru Hany Rambod days later.
‘The Mutant’ is confident with the amount of muscle size on his frame. He’s aiming to bring an impeccable blend of the freak factor as displayed at the last Olympia, and aesthetics, similar to his Arnold Classic performance, in hopes of becoming the new champion.
You can watch the full video below.
RELATED: Nick Walker on Using Kratom for Cardio Before 2023 Arnold Classic: ‘I Feel Great and Full of Energy’
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