Tag: Mr. Olympia
Michal Krizo Endures a Punishing Back Workout 3 Weeks From 2023 Empro Classic Pro Spain
Bodybuilder Michal ‘Krizo’ Krizanek is pushing his limits to bring home the 2023 IFBB Empro Classic Pro Spain trophy. The event is an Olympia qualifier, and Krizo will look forward to securing the direct invitation to the 2023 Olympia with a statement win at the show.
Krizo is a Slovakian bodybuilder that has captured the imagination of bodybuilding fans and emerged as a hot prospect in the Men’s Open division of the IFBB Pro League. After making a name for himself with a series of dominant performances in the IFBB Elite Pro League, Krizo switched to NPC to kick off his Olympia campaign. He became an instant sensation due to his massive and aesthetically appealing physique, musculature, and insane vascularity.
Krizo earned his IFBB Pro card with a thumping victory at the 2022 Amateur Olympia Italy and returned to the stage a few weeks later to compete at the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro. Although he won the pro debut and secured a direct qualification to the 2022 Olympia, the Slovak’s conditioning was heavily criticized.
He returned to the drawing board and worked hard to perform on the grandest stage of bodybuilding. Krizo finished 12th at the 2022 Olympia and admittedly failed to beat the most elite competitors the Men’s Open division had to offer.
However, he is now training hard to secure the second Olympia qualification of his Pro career within a year of turning pro. Under bodybuilding coach Alexander Hlobik’s watchful eye, Krizo performed an intense back workout to build his back. So without further delay, let’s see how the coach guided Krizo through the training session.
Michal Krizo goes through a back workout
Assisted Pull-Up
Krizo started the training session with this machine exercise. The pull-up is an excellent compound movement that helps improve upper body strength and muscle mass. While it is an advanced movement, a professional athlete like Krizo is expected to perform the exercise unassisted. However, the application of assisted pull-ups goes beyond just the inability to perform them unassisted.
Assisted pull-ups take the momentum out of play and help focus more on the back muscles. The two-time 212 Olympia champion Shaun Clarida is one of the huge proponents of performing assisted pull-ups over regular bodyweight pull-ups.
Krizo performed a few sets of assisted pull-ups under coach Hlobik’s guidance and got the blood flowing into the muscles for the heavy workout that followed.
Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown
The 2022 EVLS Prague Pro winner performed the reverse-grip lat pulldown as the next compound exercise of the day. A reverse grip engages the lower lats more since the arms are closer to the body. Additionally, you tend to pull the weight using your biceps, which allows you to lift more weight.
Krizo got a few sets of reverse-grip lat pulldowns under his belt and followed his coach to the next exercise.
Seated Row
Coach Hlobik instructed Krizo to perform the seated rows next, and he did this exercise to work the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, and erector spinae muscles. After doing some solid sets of rows, Krizo moved on to the next exercise.
Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded Low Row
Krizo took to the low rows on an iso-lateral plate-loaded machine next. Low rows work the rhomboid, lower trapezius, and latissimus dorsi muscles in the back. Focusing on these muscles is important not only for athletes but also for an average person who spends long hours at his work desk every day. (1) Together, the target muscles of low rows are important for maintaining a good upper body posture.
The mass monster performed a few unilateral sets of this exercise and jumped into the next exercise.
Reverse Pec Deck Fly
Posterior deltoids, or rear delts, are a small muscle group on your back. It is one of the most difficult muscles to activate as there is always a possibility that more dominant muscles like lats and rhomboids might take over the movement. Reverse pec deck flyes are one exercise that can target the rear delts effectively. Krizo got a few sets of this movement under the belt and went on to perform the next exercise.
Neutral-Grip Unilateral Lat Pulldown
This lat movement on a plate-loaded machine followed next. The close grip heavily stimulates the upper back muscles and rhomboids and also emphasizes arms and biceps brachii.
After pushing through some heavy sets of the movement to fatigue the lats and upper back muscles, the Slovakian bodybuilder moved on to the day’s final exercise.
Bent-Over Straight Arm Pulldown
Krizo put an end to his workout with this lat-building exercise. In addition to building the lat strength and size, straight arm pulldowns also increase scapular strength and stability. It is essential to maintain a safe lifting posture. (2) Apart from the lats, this exercise also works the posterior deltoid, teres major, and triceps muscles.
The 2022 EVLS Prague Pro winner annihilated some sets of bent-over straight-arm pulldowns with rope attachment to add the last bit of stimulus to the back muscles. Following this, he called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
Krizo will look forward to elevating his career to the next level in the 2023 competitive season. Empro Classic Pro Spain will take place on June 18th. It will be interesting to see how he paves the way to the top of the Men’s Open division.
You can watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Michal Krizo’s YouTube channel:
Published: 30 May, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT
Dexter Jackson Maintains Herculean Chest With This Training Routine
Veteran bodybuilder Dexter Jackson has transformed his physique into a lean and athletic one from the heavily muscled Mr. Olympia body in recent years. He is now sharing the training regimen that helps him stay in shape at 54. Recently, Blade posted a video of his chest training session on YouTube.
Jackson is a retired IFBB Pro bodybuilder from the USA that competed in the Men’s Open division of the IFBB Pro League. In a career spanning over two and a half decades, he has won several Pro shows including the prestigious Mr. Olympia competition. Jackson hovered around the top three space for a long stretch of his bodybuilding career and gave dominant Mr. Olympia champions like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler a run for their money.
Dexter’s sole Mr. Olympia win came in 2008 when he dethroned 4-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. Apart from that, he has secured the Arnold Classic title a whopping five times in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015.
Since retiring from the sport after a ninth place finish at the 2020 Olympia, Blade has been prioritizing health and shed a significant amount of muscle mass in favor of long term health. Arthritis of the back was keeping him from going hard in the gym for a while. However, the Jacksonville native is now able to lift heavy after receiving stem cell therapy in Columbia a few weeks ago.
The former Mr. Olympia is active on social media and gives insights into his training routine through workout videos. Recently, he familiarized the followers with his chest training routine. So let’s check out which exercises help Dexter Jackson look lean and mean at 54.
Dexter Jackson’s Chest Training Circuit
Jackson is slowly increasing the amount of weight in his exercises after the stem cell therapy. Additionally, he has inclined more towards machine exercises off late to take the stress off the joints. The 54-year-old’s chest workout is an efficient combination of pressing and flying movements for complete development. He likes to keep the rep range between eight to twelve but ends up doing ten reps on most of the exercises.
Hammer Strength Iso Flat Bench Press
Jackson’s chest training circuit starts with this compound exercise on the plate-loaded machine. The exercise primarily targets the pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, and triceps muscles. Both arms and weight stacks of an iso-lateral machine move independently, which helps eliminate strength imbalances.
Machine chest press activates only about 79 percent of muscles compared to the bench press, which is ranks at the absolute top. However, chest press machines provide a much more stable environment. Also, they reduce overall workout time as the setup does not require elaborate preparation.
Additionally, studies have found that machine and free-weight exercises are equally effective in increasing muscle thickness and strength over long periods of time.
Jackson performs 4 sets of iso flat bench press with incrementally heavier weights and takes up the second and final pressing exercise of the day.
Machine Incline Chest Press
Incline chest press targets the clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscles, commonly known as the upper pecs. As per popular belief, an incline in the bench angle helps emphasize the upper pecs more than the other parts of the pectoralis major muscles. However, there is conclusive evidence which shows that the upper pecs experience higher muscle activity when the bench is inclined at an angle of 30 degrees. Additionally, incline press also increases anterior deltoid engagement.
Dexter Jackson performs four sets of incline chest press maintaining a ten rep range. After finishing with the exercise for filming the video, he spoke about the effects of competitive bodybuilding training on his joint health and what he did to prevent further deterioration. Jackson said:
“All the free weight stuff with heavy weights that I used to do, really really tore my joints up. So if you guys got joint pain and you’re looking to ease the pain, make sure you try and do some more Machine work. That’ll take a lot of stress off the joints versus free weight.”
Following this, he took to flyes and performed two variations of machine flyes.
Arsenal Strength Incline Flyes
While chest press improves the pushing strength of the upper body muscles, flyes contribute significantly towards developing the adduction ability of the upper body. Although flyes come nowhere close to the chest press in terms of pectoral, triceps, and anterior deltoid muscle activation, they stimulate biceps brachii to a far greater degree. Jackson performs the arsenal strength incline flyes maintaining a similar rep range of ten for four reps and moves on to the final exercise of the day.
Decline Cable Flyes
The 54-year-old performs four more sets of standing decline cable flyes. This exercise adds the final bit of stimulus to the chest muscles. It is an isolation movement that distributes the load evenly throughout the range of motion. Decline cable flyes serve as the fisher to Dexter Jackson’s training routine. He wraps up the training session after pushing through this exercise.
The chest training circuit follows this exercises sequence and rep range:
Hammer strength Iso Flat Bench Press (4 sets of 10 reps)
Machine Incline Chest Press (4 sets of 10 reps)
Arsenal Strength Incline Flyes (4 sets of 10 reps)
Decline Cable Flyes (4 sets of 10 reps)
Dexter Jackson has set a positive example for the young bodybuilders to follow when they eventually walk away from the sport. His admission about transitioning to machines to preserve joints, downsizing to a more normal human size and revelations about PED use will certainly help others realize the need to make changes in time.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Dexter Jackson’s personal YouTube channel:
References
Rodríguez-Ridao D, Antequera-Vique JA, Martín-Fuentes I, Muyor JM. Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 8;17(19):7339. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197339. PMID: 33049982; PMCID: PMC7579505.
Schwanbeck, Shane R.1; Cornish, Stephen M.2; Barss, Trevor3,4,5; Chilibeck, Philip D.1. Effects of Training With Free Weights Versus Machines on Muscle Mass, Strength, Free Testosterone, and Free Cortisol Levels. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 34(7):p 1851-1859, July 2020. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003349
Top 3 Most Effective Chest Exercises (Solely funded by a grant from American Council of Exercise) (Authors – Whitnee Schankee, John P. Porcari, Emmanuel Felix, Charles Hendrix and Carl Foster)
Published: 17 May, 2023 | 10:48 AM EDT
Nick Walker Demolishes an Arduous Push Day Workout
Nick Walker is training like a man possessed to take the 2023 competitive season head-on. “The Mutant” is constantly experimenting with new machines and trying to get the most out of his workouts.
Walker is one of the select few IFBB Pro bodybuilders who wasted no time running through the division and established themselves as top-notch competitors. The Men’s Open division bodybuilder won the 2021 New York Pro and secured a direct qualification to the 2021 Mr. Olympia. Shortly after, he returned to the stage and emerged victoriously at the 2021 Arnold Classic, considered the second most prestigious bodybuilding competition in the world after Mr. Olympia. Remarkably enough, Walker achieved this within a year of turning Pro.
Walker secured a fifth-place finish at his Olympia debut in 2021. However, he felt he needed to improve his physique further to compete against the top crop.
The longest off-season of The Mutant’s career followed. He returned to the 2022 Mr. Olympia in December, and a strong performance warranted him a third-place finish at the show.
The 2023 Arnold Classic was Walker’s most recent competitive appearance, and he missed the second Arnold’s title by a razor-thin margin to Samson Dauda. Walker now trains to achieve the ultimate goal of winning the Mr. Olympia title in 2023. Recently, he went through a push-day training session with an emphasis on shoulder training.
The workout video was posted on The Mutant’s YouTube channel. Walker walked the viewers through the workout and shared some important bodybuilding tips that would greatly benefit professionals as well as fitness enthusiasts. So let’s see what Walker has in store for us.
Nick Walker goes through a push-day workout
Walker shed light on the nature of this training session before starting and explained:
“There will be a lot more shoulder movement. We’re gonna do about three chest movements for this workout, probably do about three shoulder movements, and we’ll probably do one tricep for this one.”
He revealed that he is no longer doing too many arm exercises but is satisfied with the growth anyway. This explains the reason for having only one triceps exercise in the entire session.
Chest Workut
Pec Deck Fly
Walker started the training session with chest exercises first and performed pec deck flyes on the M Torture machine. According to Walker, doing chest flyes at the beginning of the workout helps him build a better mind-muscle connection. He explained:
“I always feel like I’m able to connect better throughout the rest of the workout with my chest. I know they say, ‘Oh, it’ll affect the pressing’ whatever… But in my opinion, I’m still pretty strong even when I do fatigue a little on the flyes… And again, I’m just worried about the contraction. So if I start with pressing, the contraction is not as strong for me if I started with the flyes to really get the blood flow.”
Walker did a few warm-up sets and then proceeded to do the working sets of pec deck flyes. Before moving on to the next exercise, The Mutant gave an essential chest training tip to budding bodybuilders and said:
“I’m a big believer… When you get in that stretch(ed position), you want to hold that for a quick minute because, in my opinion, when you hold the stretch even for the back, it helps you flare out even more and even for the chest… To hold the stretch creates the width within the chest as well. So those are the cues I always incorporate, including the very slow eccentric reps.”
Walker added that lifting heavy can get you to fatigue the muscles as well. However, lifting heavy is not everything that the bodybuilder should focus on.
“The goal is to contract as hard as we can and as fast as we can and get the f*** out to get the recovery process started,” He added.
Following this, Walker performed the working sets with a 10 to 12 rep range and moved on to do some free weight exercise giving in to popular demand from his fans.
Incline Dumbbell Press
This compound dumbbell exercise was the only free-weight movement in The Mutant’s training session. He performed the warm-up sets with 110-pound dumbbells and slowly worked his way up to the top set of eight to ten reps with 132 pounds. The 28-year-old hit a back-off set of 10 to 12 reps with 110-pound dumbbells to focus on the movement and took to the next exercise.
Machine Chest Press
Walker employed a Newtech plate-loaded machine next to perform the chest press. While speaking about the movement pattern of the machine and how it affects the pectoral muscles, Walker stated:
“The way this press is set up, it kind of goes down like a decline, but it closes in to really squeeze (the pecs). So we’re actually going to do more neutral grip on this one.”
By this time, Walker’s muscles had been sufficiently warmed up, and he did not need to do as many warm-up sets. Therefore he performed a heavy working set after one quick warm-up set.
Walker believes it is essential to recover completely before the next training session for the same muscle group. Therefore he would not train chest for at least the next two to three days. After wrapping up the chest exercises, he shifted his focus to working the shoulders.
Seated Machine Shoulder Press
Starting with the anterior/front deltoid movement, Walker performed the seated machine shoulder press. The Mutant shed light on his preferred volume to get the most out of shoulder exercises and stated:
“I think for me, the shoulders really get the most out of the 10 to 15 range. So as for the real delts and sides, I don’t like to go any lower than 12.”
After a couple of warm-up sets, Walker subjected himself to straight working sets of machine shoulder press, maintaining a 10 to 15-rep range. He continued further and annihilated a back-off set before taking up the next exercise.
Machine Seated Lateral Raise
This medial deltoid exercise followed next, and Walker used a plate-loaded machine to put in the work. Slight modifications in posture can drastically affect the outcome of this exercise. The Mutant voiced his opinion that leaning forward a little bit can engage the posterior deltoid muscles during machine lateral raises, and keeping your head low can activate the traps. Therefore, he assumed an upright stance and kept his head high to keep the focus on medial/lateral delts.
Conventional wisdom states that raising the arms above shoulder level defeats the purpose and engages other muscles. However, Walker feels:
“I get a better workout going a little higher with a little lighter weight than, kind of, just stopping here (at shoulder height).”
A few solid sets of machine lateral raises found their place in Walker’s workout. The 2021 Arnold Classic winner took to a posterior deltoid movement next.
Cable Rear Delt Fly
Posterior deltoids need a dedicated exercise to bring them to par with other shoulder muscles. Although they are activated during many back exercises, it is essential to include exercises that specifically target them. Walker performed his favorite rear delt exercise next — the cable rear delt fly.
His philosophy for shoulder development is fairly straightforward, and he laid it out while doing this exercise. The Mutant explained:
“I believe pressing plays a huge role in obviously huge shoulders but when you’re pressing for chest, especially on the incline, you’re incorporating the front delt a lot. So I think the main thing for shoulders is to really murder the side and the rear delts.”
The New York native cranked out two sets of the exercise and wrapped up shoulder training.
Walker shifts focus to triceps
Seated Machine Overhead Triceps Extension
Overhead exercises work the triceps from a lengthened/stretched position and put more emphasis on the long head of the tricep. Machine overhead triceps extension was the only triceps exercise in Walker’s workout, and he utilized a plate-loaded machine for the same.
After annihilating a working set of overhead triceps extensions of 15 reps, The Mutant finished the training session with the second set of nine reps to failure.
The entire chest, shoulder, and triceps training session saw Walker ‘push’ through these exercises:
Chest Workout
Shoulders Workout
Triceps Workout
Walker updated his fans about his weight during the workout and stated that he is gaining weight pretty effortlessly without retaining a lot of water.
“Weight is now starting to skyrocket pretty high. Woke up this morning (and weighed) 277 pounds, and I like to think this is probably my leanest without holding on a sh** tons of water too which is really good for me.”
Right now, the goal for the 28-year-old is to manage his diet and training in a way so that he feels energized. Therefore he is in a caloric surplus but not overdoing it.
Many experts believe Walker is a future Mr. Olympia. If he irons out a few things and continues on the path that he is on, it could very well become a reality sooner than later.
You can watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Nick Walker’s YouTube channel:
Published: 5 May, 2023 | 9:13 AM EDT
Jeremy Buendia Announces Comeback Battle for 2023 Olympia
American bodybuilder Jeremy Buendia boasts one of the most impressive records of any competitor in the Men’s Physique class. Although he stepped away from professional competition a few years ago, he never ruled out the possibility of a return. In a recent Instagram post, Buendia announced his plans to make his comeback at the 2023 Olympia and teased a battle with reigning champ Erin Banks on June 8 with a special collaboration.
Jeremy Buendia grew up playing football in his high school days. He found his passion for bodybuilding after suffering injuries to his neck and back. He earned his IFBB Pro card in 2013, the same year the Men’s Physique division was added to the Mr. Olympia competition. Buendia turned in a strong performance but fell short of the inaugural winner Mark Anthony Wingson.
Having narrowly missed out on the win, Buendia worked hard in the off-season and came back stronger than ever for the 2014 Mr. Olympia. He exacted revenge by dethroning Wingson to secure first. Then, Buendia managed to ward off the new crop of talent and went on a dominant run that saw him become a four-time Men’s Physique Olympia. His last appearance came at the 2018 Mr. Olympia, where he dropped the title to three-time winner Brandon Hendrickson.
Buendia teased a comeback to the Olympia stage in the final quarter of 2019. He teamed up with former Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry to get ready for the event. In July 2020, he offered a jacked physique update ahead of his anticipated return and later shared some of his best tips on training rear delts for muscle growth. Ultimately, his comeback was put on ice again.
The 32-year-old stunned with an impressive physique update in April last year. Buendia presented an improved package that sparked speculation about a potential move to the Classic Physique category. He confirmed his plan was to get back on stage bigger than ever before. Specifically, his goal was to bulk up to 225 pounds.
Jeremy Buendia and reigning Men’s Physique Olympia Erin Banks traded verbal jabs ahead of the 2022 Mr. Olympia last September. Buendia took issue with Banks disrespecting other contenders and Hendrickson stepped in to cool things down. As of late, Buendia opened up on his ambitions to win another Olympia contest following Banks’ victory in December. He believes the competition was razor-close and doubled down on his eventual return.
Jeremy Buendia announces comeback for the 2023 Mr. Olympia, teases battle with Erin Banks in June
In a recent Instagram post, Jeremy Buendia shared his plans to make a comeback for the 2023 Mr. Olympia. He also teased a battle with reigning Men’s Physique champ Erin Banks next month.
“I’m all in we are only 6 months away from the comeback!” he wrote. “Olympia Battle June 8th be sure to tune in to OlympiaTV.”
Jeremy Buendia gave his take on the current state of the Men’s Physique division four months ago. He recognized the danger presented by Banks’ height and believes that added size and conditioning could help him claim gold.
In addition, Buendia laid out a gigantic 4,600-calorie bulking diet he utilized to pack on 19 pounds in a span of two weeks last October. The off-season diet consisted of seven massive meals to keep him energized while still adding muscle mass.
RELATED: Jeremy Buendia to Flex Lewis: To Beat Erin Banks at 2023 Olympia, I Have to Bring a ‘Flawless Package’
It remains to be seen whether Buendia will follow through with his plan to step on the Olympia stage later this year, but all signs point to his return in November, where he’ll face off with Erin Banks.
Published: 4 May, 2023 | 11:12 PM EDT
Brett Wilkin Crushes A Hypertrophy-Inducing Back Workout
Bodybuilder Brett Wilkin is all set to elevate his career to the next level under Coach Joe Benett AKA the Hypertrophy Coach’s guidance. Wilkin announced the association in the latest video on his YouTube channel. The client and his new coach are now in the process of formulating the new training program for the year 2023.
Wilkin is an American professional bodybuilder that calls the Men’s Open division his home. Although he won the IFBB Pro Card in the Classic Physique division, the 35-year-old never competed in the weight class professionally. Instead, he made the pro debut in the 212 division. But following a couple of humbling performances at the 2019 Puerto Rico Pro and 2019 Toronto Pro Supershow, he took an extended break from the competition to work on his physique.
After a two-year hiatus, Wilkin returned to the stage but in the Men’s Open division. His divisional debut at the 2021 Chicago Pro resulted in a runner-up finish and Wilkin became a hot prospect of the division. However, he could not capitalize on the momentum built in 2021 and the 2022 competitive season yielded moderate success.
After a sixth place finishes at the 2022 Arnold Classic, Brett Wilkin’s hope to compete at the 2022 Mr. Olympia relied solely on winning the 2022 Romania Muscle Fest Pro as per the qualification criteria. However, he secured a runner-up finish at the show and called an end to the 2022 competitive season.
Brett Wilkin is now getting ready for this year’s challenges and Joe Bennett’s presence can certainly make a huge impact in making leaps in terms of progress. The famed coach is widely praised for his hypertrophy inducing training methods and has worked with big names like Terrence Ruffin and Dave Bautista. Under Bennett’s guidance, Wilkin went through a back workout. So let’s take a look at how Bennett’s guidance shaped Brett Wilkin’s workout.
Brett Wilkin demolishes a back workout under Joe Bennett’s guidance
Brett Wilkin has trained by himself for the majority of his workouts. However, he feels that ‘Hypertrophy Coach’ can really level him up with his expertise.
“I’ve somebody who’s looking over the shoulder at everything I am doing, somebody providing feedback… He’s gonna be watching my training just to level me up,” Wilkin said in the beginning of the workout.
One Arm Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown (Machine)
Coach Bennett started Wilkin’s back training with this movement on the plate loaded iso-lateral front lat pulldown machine. Bennett advised Wilkin to bring the arm down and press the triceps against the lats to line up most of the muscle fibers and contract the lats more effectively. He suggested going at a really slow pace to become more aware of the mechanics of the movement and increase the pace only after he was familiar with it.
“Warm-up sets in general, go slow, feel what you’re trying to feel and when you’re going the working sets just go after it,” Bennett added.
Speaking about the benefits of the Hammer Strength machine used for this exercise, Bennett added:
“The most important part of this machine or the range of motion is that stretch… The stretch that you get here, you’re not going to get it on a row, right? So a row doesn’t fully stretch your lat. You have to bring your arm up here somewhere (in the starting position of lat pulldown).”
“It’s probably good for almost everyone to pause for a second and make sure that it’s the lat and not momentum (that pulls the lever down again).”
Wilkin pushed through some heavy sets of this exercise under Bennett’s watchful eye and performed the last set with both arms. He then followed the coach to the next exercise.
Chest Supported T-Bar Rows
Bennett instructed Wilkin to take up the chest supported T-bar rows next to build the upper back muscles. While it is good to have a dedicated machine for this exercise in the gym, The Hypertrophy Coach stated that you can almost always get the same results as long as you can get the similar grip and position. So for example, doing the dumbbell rows using an incline bench for chest support can accomplish the exact same goal as a dedicated T-bar row machine.
“This exercise is going to pretty much train everything when I say upper back form shoulder to shoulder. So there’s going to be rear delts involved, traps involved… rhomboids involved… Pretty much your entire upper back musculature… But yeah, you’re going to get some lats working as well too…”
“Now what I want you to do is feel like you’re keeping the spine position. So slow everything down just a little bit so as everything pulls forward, you don’t do any spinal flexion. This (The spine) stays still and everything just kind of moves around that.”
After getting a few sets of chest supported T-bar rows under the belt, Wilkin curiously went to the Prime chest supported rows machine for the next exercise.
Prime Chest Supported Rows
This horizontal pulling movement followed next and Coach Bennett set up the machine in such a way that it targeted the latissimus dorsi muscles more than other back muscles.
“He (Coach Bennett) turned this Prime chest supported row and set it up so it’s fully isolating the lats, especially the lower lats. So our body’s in the position and all we have to do is keep our elbows tucked to our side, drive down, keep your traps lower. Don’t scrunch up,” Brett Wilkin added.
With this set-up, the resistance profile was harder in the beginning and got easier as the arm was pulled back. Wilkin started out with the warm-up sets to understand the movement and performed a few working sets. Following this, he did a couple of drop sets before taking up the next exercise.
Chest Supported Straight Arm Pulldowns
Straight arm pulldowns increase the scapular strength of the muscles and stability. These attributes are necessary for maintaining a safe posture while performing heavier compound movements like deadlifts, pull-ups and bench press etc. Coach Bennett guided The Butcher through a few sets of this exercise. Wilkin performed it using a banded attachment to the cable machine.
Weighted Back Extensions
Bennett instructed Wilkin to position himself in such a way that his hip crease was blocked. This way, he could bend forward and extend back up using only the lower back.
“All I want you to think about is – some of it’s obviously rounding and folding over the front. But while you’re doing that I actually want you to feel like you’re pushing your lower back to the ceiling as well.”
“So it’s a combination… So obviously as you go down, because your hips are blocked, everything’s going to half the round but by overdoing it, you’ll get even a little more rounding from that. That’s what we want here… As much rounding as we can and then as much extension as we put on the way up,” Bennett explained.
Wilkin performed a few reps without the barbell to get accustomed to the movement as Bennett watched over. He then cranked out some sets using the barbell which summoned the end of the training session.
The training session comprised of exercises in the order mentioned below:
Brett Wilkin’s training program heading into the 2023 Mr. Olympia competition will be documented on his YouTube channel and will be available on Joe Bennett’s app as well. So those looking forward to elevating their own performance can stay tuned to his YouTube channel to take its advantage.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Brett Wilkin’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 3 May, 2023 | 12:56 PM EDT
Dexter Jackson Demolishes A Back Workout, Addresses A Health Problem
Veteran bodybuilder Dexter Jackson has created a lasting legacy in the sport with some spectacular performances throughout his competitive career. A few years into retirement, Jackson is still pushing himself in the gym to an extent where he has to remind himself it is not as serious anymore!
One of the most prominent names in the 2000s and 2010s bodybuilding era, “The Blade” has five Arnold Classic titles to his name, winning this second-most prestigious bodybuilding competition in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015. He was also a perennial Mr. Olympia contender that pushed dominant champions like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler the way only a handful of other competitors could. In 2008, Jackson even managed to push Cutler off the pedestal and take home the sole Mr. Olympia title of his bodybuilding career.
The 53-year-old is one of the rare athletes that have enjoyed performance longevity and competed well into his late forties before deciding to call it quits. A ninth-place finish at the 2020 Mr. Olympia marked the end of his 22-year-long pro career. Although there was speculation about him competing in the returning Masters Olympia competition, Jackson has made it clear that he has no intentions of wearing the posing trunks again.
Staying in shape and maintaining overall health is the primary goal of his training. However, he is a passionate bodybuilder all the way down to his core, and that nature was on full display in Jackson’s recent back training session. So let’s check out how he trained in this workout.
Dexter Jackson goes through a back workout
Hammer Strength Machine Low Row
Jackson admitted to not having trained his back seriously in quite some time. He started the training session with low rows on the Hammer Strength plate-loaded low-rows machine to get a good warm-up. After packing a few serious sets of the movement using incrementally heavier weights, Jackson went on to take on the heavier lifts of the session.
Seated Row
The five-time Arnold Classic champion next worked the back muscles on a plate-loaded machine with a swivel handle which enables a more natural movement of the arms during the exercise.
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
After putting up with the two horizontal pulling movements, the legendary bodybuilder trained his lats with this compound movement. After performing the first set of the exercise with furious intensity, Jackson made a conscious decision to tone it down a notch as he sometimes has to remind himself that it’s not competition anymore.
“Sometimes, I still find myself training too hard. I have to tell myself to back off a little bit homie – it ain’t that serious no more! But I’ve been doing it for so many years… over 30 years of training like this. So I get why some people can’t let certain things go, you know. I can let it go. That’s why I can tell myself to back off, and I listen to myself. Some people don’t listen to themselves,” Jackson said.
After getting a few sets of lat pulldowns under his belt, Jackson jumped into the next exercise.
Seated Cable Row
Another variation of rows followed next, and the 53-year-old bodybuilder performed the movement on the cable machine with swivel handles. This movement added the last bit of stimulus to the back, as Jackson called it a day in the gym after a few sets of the exercise.
In totality, Dexter Jackson’s back workout consisted of:
Jackson revealed that he has been suffering from arthritis of the back for a while now. However, he will head to Columbia soon to get stem cell therapy to address the problem.
“I’m gonna be 100 percent 20 again…!” Jackson stated.
Jackson has set a positive example for younger bodybuilders in his retirement. A huge and muscular physique is an integral part of a bodybuilder’s identity. Many of them carry the colossal muscle mass into the later years of life despite being aware of its health risks. However, The Blade has let go of the heavy physique and significantly downsized in favor of longevity and quality of life at this stage of his life. Fitness Volt wishes Jacson luck with his upcoming stem cell treatment.
You can watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Dexter Jackson’s YouTube channel:
Published: 28 April, 2023 | 10:22 AM EDT
Nick Walker Pushes Through A Beastly Chest & Triceps Workout
A narrowly missed second Arnold Classic win in 2023 marked the end of a stressful competitive session for Nick Walker and he is now able to focus on making off-season gains without worrying about the timeline. Recently, Walker trained his chest and triceps and experimented with innovative equipment that the Torture gym had to offer.
Walker is one of the most dynamic young talents in the IFBB Pro League’s Men’s Open division. He debuted with a fourth place finish at his 2020 Chicago Pro. Soon after, the dominant wins at the 2021 New York Pro and Arnold Classic turned him into one of the highly touted prospects.
Walker achieved all of these accolades within one year of earning the IFBB Pro card. He finished fifth at his Mr. Olympia debut in 2021 and decided to take a break to improve his physique further. Walker hoped to take his physique to the next level and beat the top crop of the division.
The longest off-season of his career bore fruits as The Mutant improved his standing at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and finished third. He made a quick turnaround after the show and went after a second Arnold Classic title in 2023. However, he lost to the surging Samson Dauda by a razor thin margin and walked away with a runner-up finish.
Nick Walker now trains to cross the final and toughest phase of his career where a competitor beats the absolute best and establishes himself on top of the food chain. His recent chest and triceps workout was a part of this effort. So let’s follow Nick Walker through this workout and see how he is packing some serious muscle mass.
Nick Walker goes through a chest and triceps workout
The Mutant’s actual off-season is yet to start and he is experimenting with different gym equipment to see which suits him the best. This exercise is an attempt to iron out the training routine when the competition prep starts ahead of the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
“I’m still trying out new equipment and seeing what I like the best so when my ‘prep’ actually starts, I know exactly what I like, what I want to keep using for the remainder of my prep for the most part.”
Walker primarily worked the chest and triceps in this training session and also sprinkled a deltoid movement in the mix as well.
Pec Deck Flyes
Walker got going with this pec isolation movement. Pec deck flyes help improve the adduction ability of the upper body muscles and rank among the top three exercises in terms of pectoral muscles activation.
Walker did the first set for ten reps and increased the weight in the second set to get a good and hard squeeze in the pectoral muscles. After wrecking some solid sets to get the blood flowing into pectoral muscles, the 28-year-old went on to do a few compound movements.
Machine Incline Bench Press
Incline bench press on a plate-loaded iso-lateral machine followed the pec deck flyes. Both weight stacks of an iso-lateral machine move independently which facilitates removing strength imbalances. Walker admired the piece for the benefits it offered and said:
“Here’s what’s cool about this machine. It’s got two different grips – one a little lower and it still hits the incline , (the second one) is a little higher and it hits the upper chest and a little bit of shoulder too.”
Complying with slow and controlled movements, he carried out a solid set of the exercise and targeted seven to eight reps with rest pause method for the second set. After finishing a few sets, the New York native shared his opinion on high volume training and how his body responds to it. He opined:
“I think everything has its place but I just feel like for better muscle recruitment, so to speak, with longer rest periods. If you’re going faster, you won’t be able to get the most out of it which means… less growth in my opinion. I think it’s good to do volume at the end of the workout just to create that volume and a little bit of roundness. But I just don’t think it’s something you should do for the whole workout.”
With that, the 2021 Arnold Classic winner took to another pressing movement next.
Seated Machine Chest Press
Walker next performed the seated machine chest press for stimulating the pectoral muscles further to improve the pushing strength. After getting a few sets of the movement under his belt on a plate-loaded machine, he closed on to another chest isolation exercise.
Standing Cable Chest Flyes
This cable machine exercise is often stereotyped as the final pump-inducing movement at the end of a chest training session. However, this could not be further from reality. Cable flyes activate the pectoral muscles to an extent where only a handful of exercises like bench press and pec deck flyes can. Additionally, the cable machines keep the muscles under tension throughout the duration of the rep, making them far more effective in bringing about hypertrophy.
Walker performed this exercise on a machine that has a supporting pad to rest the back against it and maintain an erect posture without slouching forward.
“So now, I can put my back and really flye instead of worrying about wobbling back and forth. I can really focus on the stretch here.”
He pushed through some hard sets of standing cable flyes and jumped into the final chest movement.
Chest Dip Press
Walker performed the chest dip press on the machine to wrap up the chest exercises and shifted his focus on training the triceps next.
Always a good finisher,” Walker exclaimed after doing the dip press.
Cable Triceps Pushdown
The Mutant’s triceps workout kicked off with this isolation movement. The cable tricep pushdowns work all three heads of the muscle and they are one of the most common exercises in the gyms around the world.
Nick Walker performed a few sets of the exercise with a straight bar attachment before taking up the second and final triceps exercise.
Machine Overhead Triceps Extensions
Walker next performed the overhead triceps extensions on a plate loaded machine. Unlike the pushdowns that work the tricep muscles from a neutral position. The overhead triceps extensions work the muscle from a stretched position. According to many studies, this contributes more towards strength gains and muscle hypertrophy.
Machine Lateral Raises
This lateral / medial deltoid movement served as the only shoulder movement of the session and Nick Walker included some sets of the exercise in the session.
Overall workout
The chest and triceps session comprised of following movements:
Chest
Triceps
Shoulders
Walker shares his current weight and training update
Nick Walker is training at a fairly comfortable pace at the moment. However, he is slowly ramping up the training and diet to start the off-season training. It will subsequently transition into the competition prep for the 2023 Olympia.
Giving an update on his current weight and training progress, Nick Walker spoke at length and explained:
“It’s another day forward to getting ready for the actual off-season to begin which will lead into the Olympia prep. Weight is around… 268 or 270ish (lbs)… I was as high as 274-275 (lbs) and that was after a night of eating too much cheesecake. So I think the cheesecake is finally out of my body now. So I feel good.”
He added:
“Yeah, things are now moving in the right direction. Strength is now really starting to progress quickly. Food’s pretty high. So I’m trying to have some fun, enjoying the process. Just fortunate enough to be in the situation that I am. Just gonna keep grinding,” Nick Walker stated.
The 2021 Arnold Classic winner has brought a massively improved physique every time he has stepped on stage. Nick Walker has to fend off up-and-comers like Andew Jacked and Samson Dauda at the 2023 Olympia while getting past the reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford. He is planning his off-season and competition prep in advance to bring the best version of himself on stage which is a good sign, to say the least.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Nick Walker’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 26 April, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT
Urs Kalecinski And Jay Cutler Wreck A Potent Back Workout
Urs Kalecinski is leaving no opportunity to learn from the greats and recently partnered with Jay Cutler for an off-season back workout in Germany. Kalecinski is Germany’s flag bearer in the IFBB Pro League’s Classic Physique division. His emergence in the top end of the division has been astonishing and quick. After a few respectable performances, ‘The Miracle Bear’ finished the 2021 competitive season with a surprising 4th place finish at his Olympia debut.
He kicked off 2022 with a third spot at the 2022 Arnold Classic and secured a win at the 2022 Boston Pro, earning direct qualification to the 2022 Olympia. He also competed at the 2022 Kuwait Classic Pro to bag another win and walked away with a third-place finish at the 2022 Olympia.
Kalecinski last competed at the 2023 Arnold Classic Physique and managed to get a runner-up finish in spite of having to deal with food poisoning a few days before the show. He is now working relentlessly to build a more refined version of his body for the next competitive season.
Recently, he partnered with legendary bodybuilder Jay Cutler for a training session. A 4-time Mr. Olympia, Cutler is revered for his mindful approach to training. As a result, he was able to lead a much healthier life in retirement without having to put up with the consequences of an arduous bodybuilding lifestyle. He has accustomed well to the age of the internet and social media and remains one of the most prominent voices of the sport.
Cutler and Kalecinski did a back workout together. So let’s delve into the magical world of bodybuilding and see how they maintain their impeccable physiques with training.
Urs Kalecinski and Jay Cutler go through a back workout
The back workout was Kalecinski and Cutler’s second joint training session with each other. They partnered for a shoulder workout back in December 2022. Reminiscing the experience, Cutler stated:
“Last time we trained together… you were very depleted and it was one week out (of the 2023 Arnold Classic). So now we’re actually spending time together when we’re both in our off-season because I start my transformation on May 1st.”
With that, the duo jumped into the workout and pushed each other to do better throughout the session.
Lat Pulldowns
Cutler and his companion commenced the training session with lat pulldowns for stimulating the latissimus dorsi muscles. The duo worked with a plate-loaded iso-lateral machine to warm up the upper body posterior muscles and executed a few sets.
Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
Performing this compound movement is a crucial component of developing mass and strength in the upper posterior muscles. Bent over dumbbell rows engage all the pulling muscles and help with complete back development.
The bodybuilder duo pushed through some heavy sets of the movement as The Miracle Bear could not help but marvel at Cutler’s infectious enthusiasm.
“I love his work ethic. Close to 50 and still don’t give a s***” Urs Kalecinski exclaimed.
Machine Pullovers
This variation of pullovers has similar benefits as the cable pullovers. It has several benefits like improved mind-muscle connection, trunk and scapular stability, increased strength and muscle hypertrophy. Pullovers primarily work the lats and pectoral muscles. Cutler has spoken about the efficacy of pullovers for back development on many occasions. While Explaining the benefits of this exercise this time, Jay Cutler said:
“This is an ideal exercise to really bring out the v-taper which a lot of gyms don’t have.”
Cutler and Kalecinski absolutely wrecked some heavy sets of pullovers on a selectorized machine to bring that v-taper out and took to the next exercise.
While chatting with Urs and his associates during the workout, Cutler opined that Urs can definitely become an Olympia champion in future. He further stated that even if he doesn’t win right now, Urs is a fan favorite and has already captured the sport fans’ imagination.
“All it takes is for him to deserve it even if he doesn’t win or if he’s already winning. What I mean is he’s right there, he’s a fan favorite and if he spends more time in the US, he’s gonna dominate the US market too with popularity. He just needs to be there more,” Jay Cutler said.
He added:
“Here I see it. This is the first time I came to Germany for this interaction and every fan was there for him. I said who’s the best bodybuilder in Germany and they say Urs! And for that not to be an Open guy is a different world for me.”
T-Bar Rows
This compound movement contributes significantly to building a thick back. T-Bar row is a complete back exercise that works all the pulling muscles in the back. Cutler and Kalecinski cranked out a few high-volume sets of this exercise to stimulate the back muscles more before taking to the next movement.
Seated Machine Rows
The training partners next performed a few sets of machine seated rows to work the back muscles. It is an excellent way to build the back as stabilization is not required to perform the movement. Seated machine rows work all the major muscles like latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, erector spinae and trapezius. After going through some grueling sets of the movement, Cutler and Kalecinski worked with a vertical pulling movement next.
Bent Over Cable Straight Arm Pulldowns
The duo wrapped up the training session by getting some solid sets of this exercise under the belt. Straight arm pulldowns stimulate the latissimus dorsi, posterior deltoids, triceps brachii and teres minor muscles. Additionally, they activate the levator scapulae during the eccentric phase of the movement.
After performing a few sets of the movement, Jay Cutler and Urs Kalecinski called it a day in the gym.
The workout included following exercises:
Jay Cutler and Urs Kalecinski forced themselves to come to the gym in spite of having been through a tiring long day. Their growth and success can be attributed to the mindset of discipline and consistency. The 2023 competitive season is getting closer and looking at the intensity in training, we can certainly expect big things.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Urs Kalecinski’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 25 April, 2023 | 8:48 AM EDT
Jay Cutler, Milos Sarcev Compare Eras: ‘Dorian Yates/Ronnie Coleman Would Be Super Competitive Today’
Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler still follows the sport closely since retirement in 2013. In a recent Cutler Cast episode, Cutler joined Milos Sarcev to break down how every former Mr. Olympia winner would fare against today’s Open class.
While building a successful career in the IFBB Pro League, Cutler reached the top of the sport in 2006 after dethroning the eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. Inspired by his rival’s training practices, Cutler revealed some of the sacrifices it took to catch up with Coleman. He utilized high-volume training and ate 140 egg whites a day to maintain his Olympia-caliber physique.
Given the recent changes to the Men’s Open division, Cutler believes the category is moving back into an era similar to 90s bodybuilding. He supported the claim by pointing to the success Samson Dauda and Andrew Jacked enjoyed at the 35th annual Arnold Classic, where shape and beauty prevailed against mass and size.
In their latest endeavor, Cutler and Sarcev took a closer look at all former Mr. Olympias, and whether or not they would be competitive against today’s crop of Open talent.
Jay Cutler & Milos Sarcev Share Opinions on How Former Mr. Olympias Would Fare Today
Before assessing each Mr. Olympia winner, Sarcev touched on Lou Ferrigno’s chances of success.
“I was there in ’92 [for Lou Ferrigno] and he was just not competitive. And then, they thought maybe in ’93 he was going to do better but he didn’t. Then, finally, in ’94 they told him to do the Masters you know, he had the good enough condition and size but not good enough for the 90s. I doubt [he would do better today]. It’s still – proportionally when you think, width x-frame, conditioning, eh.”
Despite the dominance of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sarcev isn’t convinced he’d shine on today’s Olympia stage. However, they both agreed Coleman and Dorian Yates would be ‘super competitive’ if they contended in the current era.
“Well, listen, he [Arnold Schwarzenegger] was so dominant back in the day right, but I think even you mentioned, I watched your Jay Walk the other day and there was a year maybe where Sergio could have beaten him. In 1972 in Germany, yeah,” Milos Sarcev said.
“Arnold, he defended his title against no one at one point right?” says Jay Cutler.
“Sergio Oliva, if he would come in crazy shredded condition that he never probably knew back in the day how to do it, but that physique, shredded and dry would be super competitive in any era including now,” Sarcev explained.
“We know Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman these guys would all be competitive right,” said Cutler.
“After Dorian it was Ronnie, Ronnie at his best, which I think is ’98, but ’98, ’99, 2001 Arnold Classic, 2003 Olympia – yeah he would be super competitive. Yeah [he’d win], okay, yeah,” Sarcev confirms.
Sarcev believes three-time Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva and eight-time champ Lee Haney would have held their own against today’s Open talent as well. Though, he dismissed the chances of Larry Scott, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbo, Frank Zane, Chris Dickerson, and Samir Bannout.
“Sergio Oliva would be, Larry Scott wouldn’t, of course. Sergio Oliva would, Arnold — I don’t think he’d be competitive. Honestly, we all love Arnold he did the most for the sport. Physique-wise, if you don’t know the name and you see his physique, he wouldn’t be in the top. Next was Franco Columbo, after him, he wouldn’t be competitive. Frank Zane, unfortunately, I love Frank, he was my idol, but he was not big enough. He would be very good in Classic Physique of course, but not in the Open.
Then, in 1980, Arnold again, ’81, again Columbo, ’82 was Chris Dickerson, he wouldn’t be available. Then, ’83, Samir Bannout, no, he wouldn’t be – he was great, we love his physique but that was for that era. Then comes Lee Haney, Lee Haney would be competitive. I do believe so. It’s amazing when you actually look at Lee Haney.”
Additionally, Sarcev listed Cutler, Dexter Jackson, and Phil Heath as former Mr. Olympias who could stand their ground against today’s Open lineup.
“I loved your 2001 Olympia, your 2001 Iron Man, I was absolutely blown away. I was sitting next to Chris Aceto, you created the illusion of being 280 pounds full shredded dry,” Sarcev tells Cutler.
“Dexter Jackson, he would be very competitive,” Cutler said. “Phil Heath.”
“Phil Heath would be super competitive, especially,” Sarcev agreed. “You [Cutler] and Phil Heath at your best?”
“We never were at our best, I mean obviously I won the battles at my best, I mean I was never at my best when I competed against him when he came into his own right,” Cutler shared. “If he was here he’d say he wins, If I’m here I’d say I win.”
“Phil Heath at his best could win the title of course,” Sarcev added. “Legs [on Brandon Curry] need to come up. If his legs come up, he was beating Hadi Choopan every time.”
Before ending the discussion, Sarcev and Cutler agreed Brandon Curry and Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay still had the potential for redemption.
“Big Ramy, he came after Brandon.”
“I still think he can come back and be competitive,” says Jay Cutler.
“I think so too. Especially the pictures from Instagram on Saturday at the Arnold Classic, he looked – that was impressive. Friday I didn’t get exactly that impression. He was still not the best Ramy but questionably Saturday, maybe the best Ramy I’ve seen. Okay, minus arms, he had the better arms before and maybe back also.”
The last time a popular bodybuilder compared eras was four-time Classic Physique Olympia Chris Bumstead. In a recent Full Send Podcast, Cbum was asked how a battle with Arnold Schwarzenegger would play out. If Schwarzenegger faced him at the 2022 Olympia contest, Cbum said he would have defeated the bodybuilding icon.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Talks Mike Mentzer Quitting After losing to Arnold Schwarzenegger at 1980 Mr. Olympia
While they don’t believe every former Mr. Olympia could push into the first call-out, Cutler and Sarcev are confident a handful would likely assert themselves as Olympia title contenders in the modern era.
Watch the full video below:
Published: 24 April, 2023 | 12:05 PM EDT
Samir Bannout Tells Nick Walker to Hire Frank Zane as Posing Coach for 2023 Mr. Olympia Win: ‘Fix Front Lat Spread’
Nick Walker has become one of the most exciting names in the Men’s Open division. In a recent Muscle Maturity Podcast, Samir Bannout explained why posing is the key to Walker winning his first Sandow in November.
Fans expect another exciting contest appearance from Walker later this year judging from his last two shows. He proved himself against a fierce lineup of talent in Las Vegas at the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest. Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay, the two-time defending champion, failed to bring his best and was thrown off the podium. Instead, 212-turned-Open competitor Derek Lunsford finished runner-up and Walker placed third in addition to snagging the Olympia Peple’s Champ Award.
As the highest-ranking Olympian heading into the 2023 Arnold Classic, Walker was considered the on-paper favorite in Columbus, Ohio. Despite the momentum, Samson Dauda defeated Walker. Fans and bodybuilding veterans found the results surprising, such as Samir Bannout, who questioned Dauda winning with perfect scores.
Athletes rep Bob Cicherillo named Dauda and Lunsford as Hadi Choopan’s biggest threats, but Bannout believes Walker could also make a push for the title in a few months. Bannout specified that Walker would need to make some drastic changes to his posing routines to contend for gold, however.
Samir Bannout Says Fixing Front Lat Spread and Posing Key to Nick Walker Winning 2023 Mr. Olympia
According to Bannout, if Nick Walker wants to win an Olympia title, he needs to master the front lat spread pose.
“Yeah, he needs help. Nick Walker can do it all, believe me, believe me, I know exactly what he needs. Nick Walker could be much better yet if he posed properly but Phil Heath that that ability to do an incredible lat spread, Phil Heath has it.”
“I don’t think he [Nick Walker] is hitting it the right way. When I do my lat spread I release the pressure from my chest I don’t pull, I like – I don’t flex everything, sometimes you have to sometimes unflex the area to let it look better.”
“Yeah Nick needs to work mostly on – he needs to make it flow. Nick, he bends his legs a little bit and he makes himself look shorter because his lower body, the more you bent the knee slightly and hunch a little bit, it’s going to take away – it’s going to make your upper body and your torso look a lot bigger and a lot longer.”
As far as body mechanics are concerned, Bannout suggested that Walker learn how to flex his legs when they are pushed together. In addition. he said curving the toes and twisting the torso could result in better muscle separation in side poses.
“Much more than that, he needs to know how to flex his legs when they are together. This is going to be difficult for him. You have to understand that when your legs are close together like this and you don’t understand how to flex them, you’re going to lose the separation if you don’t find the way to pose them when they’re straight. This is another thing. So, he might need to put his toes like that and flex from his hips and bring in the separation in his side and let it happen and oblique and waist, wow… he’s going to look way better if he can do it. It’s doable.”
Similar to the late Mohamed Makkawy, Bannout urged Walker to get a ‘psycho’ coach who can elevate his posing to the next level. He believes he or bodybuilding legend Frank Zane would be suitable posing coaches for the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest.
“You have to have the eyes. If he was with Vince Gironda two days, he’ll fix that problem for him. But we can’t bring Vince Gironda from his grave. Those guys are psychos. They will go crazy on you, ‘What are you doing!?’ I mean, that’s how Mohamed Makkawy got better you know. You noticed Makkaway with his hands, every little thing flowed. Now, these guys do the shit, the – so many jungles out there [on stage]. It is [painful to watch].”
Boasting over 40 years of training experience, Samir underlined the importance of teaming up with someone with a proven track record.
“I don’t want to be biased but if Nick Walker wants to be Mr. Olympia; I’m going to tell you what’s his medicine, if he listens to this, he’ll go, I don’t care how much Frank Zane is going to charge him, but Frank may not charge him. But you need to take someone who is fully aware of the flows and how to flex certain things and make it flow. It would be worthwhile for Nick Walker to do.
Or Maybe he’s not going to go to Lee Labrada because Labrada is helping Hunter, he’d show him how to do it the wrong way maybe or he could come to me, I’ll make sure that I feed it to him by the spoon within 48 hours,” Bannout explained.
“Remember, he hasn’t been around for too long. So, he’s improving every year. He’s getting better and better. So, when you know, when you talk to someone that’s been there done that, I only have over 35 years of training, maybe 40 [over Nick Walker] and posing experience and all this. So, it would pay off for him to do that.
Given the artistic nature of posing, Samir Bannout says Walker will only improve if he sees a specialist who understands how the body flows.
“You cannot dwell on ‘My nutritional coach is going to help me do it.’ No. That’s wrong. You have to go to specialists to treat certain areas. If you have health issues you go to a specialist. If you have a hormonal problem you go to endocrinology, not the dentist. This is what Nick needs to do. He needs to go to a specialist in this area [posing and presentation].”
Reflecting on his last two competitions, Walker is carrying resentment as he felt he should have won the 2023 Arnold Classic. He’s made it clear that he plans to use the off-season to bring a package that matches the fullness of his Olympia look while retaining the conditioning that saw him reach second last month.
You can watch the full video below, courtesy of the Old School Labs YouTube channel:
RELATED: Samir Bannout Recalls 1990 Olympia Drug Testing: ‘I Failed the Test’
Given the experience and posing expertise of Frank Zane, Bannout believes the collaboration could be the difference-maker for Walker heading into 2023 Olympia, where he will look to knock off the newly minted winner Hadi Choopan.
Published: 21 April, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT