All systems are a go for Nick Walker, who wields considerable momentum in the Men’s Open after claiming a second New York Pro title. In a recent Mutant and the Mouth Podcast, Walker addressed criticisms surrounding his waist and laid out his ‘full-throttle’ game plan for the 2024 Mr. Olympia show.
Since picking up his second New York Pro ring, Walker has steadied his focus on the biggest event of the year. In 2023, he was forced to withdraw from the Mr. Olympia due to career-altering hamstring and calf tears. In his absence, Derek Lunsford emerged as a two-division Olympia titleholder, defeating his teammate Hadi Choopan in a close-fought battle.
A week before Walker won his last contest, he guest posed alongside Lunsford and a crop of other Open stars at the annual Pittsburgh Pro. Although Walker presented his patented freaky physique, he received widespread criticism due to the size of his waist. In pursuit of the coveted Sandow trophy once again, Walker opened up the game plan he’s implementing to dethrone Lunsford this October.
Nick Walker Going ‘Full Throttle’ for 2024 Mr. Olympia, Responds to Wide Waist Criticisms
Having increased the intensity of his training efforts, Walker plans to capitalize on his rebound phase before going full throttle for his 2024 Olympia prep.
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“I just kicked up the training intensity as of last week so we’re about to go full throttle I believe next week or so and that’ll be like 16 weeks out.”
“We’re on a roll. My body–I always make sure I execute the rebound phase as best as possible while also trying to enjoy food when I go out with the family.”
Before he reaches a new level of intensity in preparations, Walker discussed eating out at a restaurant with his family, sharing that if he has to, he brings a pre-made meal in a container to accommodate his strict diet.
“Not even to eat shit right? For once, my family, they don’t care if I bring a meal out, they just want me to come out but sometimes after a show, I want to also just be able to enjoy a meal and not bring a container if I don’t necessarily have to sometimes. That doesn’t mean eat like a dickhead but get a quality meal but it’s just not out of a fucking container,” shares Walker.
Walker revealed that his calories are steadily increasing as he takes prep ‘day by day’ for the 2024 Mr. Olympia.
“Right now, it’s just Fridays [I update Matt Jansen]. Then it turns into two days a week and then it kinda turns into every day. Right now, we’re just increasing calories, very slowly. Managing training fatigue, cardio fatigue whatever you want to call it, and literally taking it day by day. That’s really what it is.”
He values the relationship he has with his coach Matt Jansen, adding that they always come to a middle ground when disagreements arise.
“Again, I think that is also because of the relationship me and Matt built. He knows if I have an issue with something or if I don’t like something it’s obviously for a reason, right? So, he accepts my feedback very strongly and we and sometimes I give him my opinions on shit and he’ll be like ‘Nah, I don’t like it.’ We combined everything and come to that middle ground.”
Walker addressed concerns about his waist and said that even if he performed a vacuum pose on stage, he would still have people who criticize the size of his midsection:
“I just think that when you’re at the top now, it’s just, unfortunately, negativity gets views. So, they are just going to nitpick every–I mean nowadays, people can know if you’re just being dumb, like okay, that’s stupid.
But with me and the waist, I’ll never–that’ll be my nickname forever basically. I could come in, I feel like I could practice getting a vacuum, hit it on stage, and everyone would be like, ‘Oh, his obliques were still wide though.'”
He believes he will have to deal with criticisms about his waist for the remainder of his career.
“I feel like no matter what I do, that’ll be by my side for the rest of my career. I feel like even if Samson comes in peeled, some people are probably going to be like ‘I wish he was a little tighter.’ It’s like listen bro, this was his fucking best, cut him some slack, you know what I mean? So, it’s just — nothing — it’s kind of like life, nothing is ever good enough.”
Having watched the sport evolve for decades, former eight-time Olympia winner Lee Haney has given his candid assessment of top athletes in the Open today. He emphasized that the sport is ‘not all about size,’ and criticized bodybuilders for focusing on mass more than symmetry, balance, and muscle maturity, adding that ‘it takes time to build a masterpiece.’
With less than four months until competitors meet for 2024 Mr. Olympia, Walker intends to utilize his time wisely, shoring up his waist, while ensuring that he brings a proper balance of fullness and conditioning to the stage from October 10-13.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Doubtful of Nick Walker Making Top 3 at 2024 Mr. Olympia: ‘He Has to Step Up’
Watch the full video from The Mutant and the Mouth YouTube channel below:
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