Tag: Nick Walker
Nick Walker Reveals Training Structure, Role of Science & Drugs in Bodybuilding
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.
Nick Walker / Instagram
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.
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.”
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’
Published: 9 May, 2023 | 8:16 PM EDT
Nick Walker Signals Intensity Shift in Training/PEDs for 2023 Mr. Olympia: ‘Growing Now, Strength is Up’
Nick Walker has set his sights on the 2023 Mr. Olympia title as his off-season efforts are well underway. In a recent Mutant and the Mouth podcast, Walker discussed his diet and game plan to take the title from the reigning champion Hadi Choopan in November.
“I feel great. Now that recovery is better, oh my God, fantastic,” Walker said regarding the next stage of his off-season.
Impossible to ignore, Nick Walker emerged as a Men’s Open frontrunner after winning the 2021 New York Pro and Arnold Classic consecutively. His freakish muscle mass, size, and hardness set him apart from his contemporaries. Though perhaps his massive arms were his biggest claim to fame, so much so, his biceps have even been compared with icon and Mr. Olympia kingpin Ronnie Coleman. With considerable momentum, Walker entered his first Mr. Olympia and finished fifth.
Instead of defending his Arnold Classic title, ‘The Mutant’ stuck to the sidelines in favor of making improvements to his physique, most notably to his waistline. Having taken full advantage of his 2022 off-season with an appearance at the Pittsburgh Pro guest posing spectacle, it was evident Walker was a favorite at the Olympia contest, which was hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Hadi Choopan would raise gold above his shoulders at 2022 Mr. Olympia, but Walker still left with his head held high after earning third place and the Olympia People’s Champ Award. In a quick turnaround, the 28-year-old made a splash at the 2023 Arnold Classic and despite his status as a favorite, he lost to Samson Dauda, which admittedly, was a difficult outcome for Walker to accept.
Nick Walker Targets 20-Week Prep But ’12-Week Mark, That’s When It’s Really Game Time’
Typically, Walker’s preps start at 20 weeks but says the intensity of his diet and training change at 16 weeks, and then intensifies again at the 12-week mark.
“I usually always start the prep 20 weeks out which is kind of just like getting in the groove. Okay, not necessarily strict exactly but this is kind of where we’re headed, 16 weeks out, we dry up a little more, and then you get to the 12-week mark, and that’s when it’s really game time.”
“My waist honestly can say I don’t think my waist has changed much at all,” Walker said regarding his progress. “I’m not overeating, I’m trying – I don’t feel the need to where I have to eat so much food to pack on size and I think that plays a big role. Like I said, we’re eating enough where it’s going to put me in a surplus to give me the energy I need to get stronger make improvements in the gym that need it but not just blow up everywhere. I don’t need that anymore. I think that it keeps the waist obviously a little tighter. It just helps.”
“I’d rather start prep and my weight barely budges… you know, because you know you’re in a good fuc**ng spot right now.”
Nick Walker said his strength is rising and his physique is growing. He specified that his food intake hasn’t drastically changed but they are reintroducing supplements and steroids.
“Off-season really just kind of officially started now, so just training, growing now,” said Walker.
“Now officially means what did you start incorporating the drugs, did you increase the food?” asked Guy Cisternino.
“Yeah, pretty much. Supplements got incorporated now, food is a little bit higher. Training volume is starting to increase a little bit for me. Weight, right now, I’m 280,” added Walker. “My protein doesn’t really change, like after the Arnold even after the Olympia when we did a quick little rebound, it’s 224 grams, which is like eight oucnes, it doesn’t change.
Honestly, since we did start the off-season now, incorporating supplements, the food hasn’t drastically changed from what it was prior because he kind of wants to see what does what and then we’ll start going up in the food. The food is already… you know I’m eating enough to where my recovery is fine, training performance is fine, strength is going up, food wasn’t necessarily the issue but I’m doing say average 5, 600 grams of carbs a day right now for me. My fats are around 80 [grams] he’s pretty big on fats right now. Strength is going up,” said Walker.
At his heaviest weight where he pushed over 300 pounds, Walker said it wasn’t that bad, but he didn’t feel great. This season, however, his focus is not on acquiring more muscle tissue.
“Even when I was 300 and that was pretty fuc**ng heavy for me, I felt like crap, but it wasn’t that bad,” said Walker. “I definitely had moments but it wasn’t that bad.”
Guy Cisternino and Walker hope to train with Dorian Yates in Canada in the next few weeks after Nick guest poses in Pittsburgh.
“We live Wednesday to Pittsburgh because I guess I’m guest posing at the Pittsburgh Pro. She’s going to fly back here, but I’m driving back down with them to Canada – it’s a 5-hour drive, I’m going to be there for like two weeks when I get there that following weekend it’s that Fit Log, or some big thing in Canada, a fit expo or something, we’ll stay another week and doing a lot of content for them [HD Muscle] and then I’ll come back.”
“I was thinking maybe you and Dorian and those guys were out there, I really wouldn’t want to drive, if I was going to go do it I’d take a quick flight over there,” said Cisternino. “I thought that would be pretty cool, me and you could link up and do that to [train and do content with Dorian Yates].”
Walker hasn’t stopped training even though he’s competed at two shows in the last six months. He recently demonstrated a grueling chest and triceps workout that involved seven different movements. Just last week, the Open star demolished a push day workout where he offered insight on how to maximize gains during the training session.
RELATED: Samir Bannout Tells Nick Walker to Hire Frank Zane as Posing Coach for 2023 Mr. Olympia Win: ‘Fix Front Lat Spread’
As one of the most popular and beloved Open bodybuilders in the league, fans would love to see Walker push the current champion Hadi Choopan at the next Mr. Olympia contest, which is slated to take place November 2-5 in Orlando, Florida.
Watch the full YouTube video below, courtesy of Nick Walker’s Channel:
Published: 9 May, 2023 | 11:46 AM EDT
Fouad Abiad, Hany Rambod Talk Nick Walker’s ‘Fuc**ng Crazy’ Mindset: ‘He Lives Bodybuilding 24/7’
Hany Rambod and Fouad Abiad joined forces for a special sit-down discussion recently. On The Truth Podcast, Rambod and Abiad examined Nick Walker‘s championship mentality and overall impact on the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division.
Nick Walker’s influence on the category was impossible to ignore from the moment he stepped on stage. In 2021, he gathered momentum with back-to-back victories at the New York Pro and Arnold Classic. In his first Mr. Olympia appearance, Walker proved his physique was more than just hype as he finished fifth.
Instead of defending his Arnold Classic title in 2022, Walker opted to make improvements on the sidelines, specifically to his waistline and v-taper. Before taking his talents to a second Mr. Olympia contest, Walker and Derek Lunsford stole the show at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro, where they guest posed alongside Brandon Curry and Hunter Labrada.
Despite his status as the overwhelming favorite, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay was unable to defend successfully. As a result, Hadi Choopan claimed the 2022 Mr. Olympia title with Lunsford and Walker leaving in second and third, respectively. Walker returned in March at the 2023 Arnold Classic but finished second behind Samson Dauda.
Even though he came up short in Ohio, Walker is confident months before his next Olympia. In a recent Mutant and the Mouth podcast, the 28-year-old made it clear he doesn’t think Choopan will repeat as champion. With the bodybuilding season picking up, Rambod and Abiad took a closer look at Nick Walker and his career trajectory.
Fouad Abiad and Hany Rambod on ‘Insane’ Nick Walker: ‘I Never Took His Confidence as Arrogance’
Abiad, who led a successful career himself, said he was shocked by Nick Walker’s determination and loyalty to the sport from the moment he met him.
“He can look at a lineup and really believe what he says when he says – some guys look at a lineup and they are like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to win.’ You’re thinking to yourself there’s no way you’re going to win. I feel like that’s disingenuous also, it’s great to be confident, but are you real with yourself? You know,” said Fouad Abiad.
“You have a relationship with Nick Walker, how do you feel about – what’s his personality do you feel compared to like an Iain?” asks Rambod.
“Here’s the thing, the first ever podcast I did with Nick was before I ever knew him and we did a one-on-one, and he was like, ‘I’m going to win the Mr. Olympia in two years.’ In my head, I was like this kid is fuc**ng crazy. But it was also what drew me to him, it didn’t seem arrogant. It just seemed like this kid’s got a lot of fuc**ng confidence, I don’t know if he’s insane but I like it, that’s kind of how I saw it,” replied Abiad.
“It was crazy for me to hear it. But then when he started competing and he won New York and then he fuc**ng won the Arnold, I’m like, ‘This kid could be fuc**ng right.’ That’s why I never took it as arrogance. I took it as a really firm belief in his own abilities.”
Given Walker’s accomplishments, Rambod believes the hype behind him was/is justified.
“I think that the bottom line is he’s backed it up,” said Rambod.
Rambod, Abiad Compare ‘WWE Character’ Blessing Awodibu & Nick Walker’s Mindsets
According to Abiad, Walker’s confidence is more genuine than Blessing Awodibu‘s. At times, Abiad suggested that ‘The Boogieman’ prefers to entertain whereas Walker is 100% committed to improving as a bodybuilder.
“On the flip side of that, do you feel Blessing does the same thing though, how is he different? Obviously, his placing isn’t there but because they’ve gone back and forth, he sounds very similar to that, but do you feel that it’s different and take aside the fact that he hasn’t been able to live up to that standard that he’s set. In general, do you feel like it was the same or that it was different?” asks Rambod.
“I hope Blessing doesn’t take any offense to this because I think Blessing is a very good bodybuilder. I think Nick lives bodybuilding 24/7 and nothing can interrupt that, not money, not girls, not work, nothing. It’s like, this is all I am here on earth to do, that’s Nick right? Blessing, is like, ‘I’m a really good bodybuilder and I think I can be great but I also like to be an entertainer.’ So, I think he’s playing a part to a certain degree. But also has a belief in himself.
But it’s not the same as Nick. At least from what he portrays, he’s not living the same way Nick is. Maybe this year, this last off season it looks like he’s made incredible progress, but more what I think Blessing is doing when he talks about winning Olympia, I think he’s kind of playing a WWE character to a certain degree,” added Abiad.
“Nick actually believes what he says, it’s not just an act.”
Following his second-place finish to Samson Dauda, Nick Walker has been open with fans about the outcome. He can understand why the judges favored Dauda’s package but underlined that his conditioning levels were enough to win on the scorecards. Walker later called for a revamp to the judging process and requested more transparency.
RELATED: Nick Walker Demolishes an Arduous Push Day Workout
Despite the setback, Nick Walker is focused on the 2023 Mr. Olympia competition, which is scheduled for November 2-5 in Orlando, Florida, where he will once again meet the two men who placed above him last year: Derek Lunsford and Hadi Choopan.
You can watch the full video below courtesy of Hany Rambod’s YouTube channel:
Published: 6 May, 2023 | 2:54 PM 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
William Bonac: ‘Hadi Choopan Will Repeat as 2023 Mr. Olympia, He’s Going to Take Another Title’
William Bonac continues to deliver as a Men’s Open bodybuilder, competing twice in four months. In a recent The Menace Podcast, Bonac predicted Hadi Choopan would win 2023 Mr. Olympia and discussed what measures Nick Walker needs to take to become champion.
The Men’s Open division has endured major changes since 2022 Mr. Olympia. Hadi Choopan won his first title after outlasting a slew of threats in prejudging and the finals. Shockingly, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay was unable to retain his throne in fifth whereas Derek Lunsford and Walker found themselves in second and third. Bonac, however, finished ninth, respectively.
At the 2023 Arnold Classic, Bonac redeemed himself with an impressive package, showcasing a blend of fullness and conditioning. While Bonac hoped to secure his third title in Columbus, Ohio, the veteran settled for seventh, proving himself against a lineup that saw Samson Dauda come out on top.
In light of his last two performances, Bonac suspended his current season. He set his sights on 2024 and plans to focus on rest and recovery. Looking ahead, ‘The Conquorer’ said his next show would likely be the Arnold Classic. Refusing to dismiss his Olympia ambitions, Bonac stated if he ‘brings his all,’ he could still retire with a Sandow trophy in the next two years.
In his latest endeavor, Bonac laid out who he believes might win the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, scheduled for November 2-5, in Orlando Florida. Additionally, Bonac touched on what improvements Walker needs to make to reach the next level in his career.
William Bonac Says League ‘Going Away from Mass Monsters,’ Expects Hadi Choopan to ‘Repeat’ as 2023 Mr. Olympia
According to William Bonac, he’s ‘sure’ Hadi Choopan will win another title and believes he can definitely repeat at 2023 Mr. Olympia.
“I think definitely Hadi can repeat it, definitely. I think as you see… a lot of 212 guys are doing very good in the Open class. That’s something that I’ve noticed. They’re extremely good, maybe because they don’t look as big as Big Ramy, those mass monsters. I think they’re trying to go away from that. Not to say they are little guys, you understand. I also see that they are rewarding the taller guys. The few taller guys we have with beautiful aesthetics. That’s a good thing as well. No bloated guts you know, that’s what I see,” said William Bonac.
“We’ve seen him [Hadi Choopan] on the stage and he’s ripped to pieces. How are you guys backstage, you see more than we do. When you see Hadi, he is next level right?” asks Sarcev.
“He’s next level. Even with the pump up, when you stop pumping up, then he will come alive. The more he pumps up the freakier he gets. So, you know, I think honestly… last year or the year before the Olympia that he didn’t win — he looked way better. If he came even with that shape even now, that wasn’t even his best shape and he won it. So, I’m sure he’s going to take another title. If he brings the condition that he brought the year before, yeah,” Bonac shared.
Can Brandon Curry Regain the Mr. Olympia Title? Bonac Says ‘I Don’t Think So.’
Bonac believes his rival Brandon Curry will struggle to regain his Mr. Olympia title because he loses size in his legs when he shreds down before a contest.
“Brandon [Curry] is my dude man. I hope so [he takes another title]. I hope he can fight for the title like the direction that they are going — I think – I don’t think so,” Bonac added. “No because if he does that, he will lose the size then he doesn’t look so impressive. They have to play the size game a little bit because when he dials in too much, he will lose the size of his legs again.”
Bonac Says Nick Walker Needs Improved Quad Sweeps to Contend for 2023 Mr. Olympia Title
Milos Sarcev, Dennis James, and William Bonac agree that Walker needs more outer quad sweep for 2023 Olympia.
“Bigger legs, bigger chest, and I think his chest improved dramatically already,” said Sarcev.
“It’s just the legs, the sweep of the legs,” clarified Bonac.
“That quad sweep, that could be a genetic thing. I’m sure it’s not because he’s not working hard enough or he’s not doing what he’s supposed to,” Dennis James said.
Chris Cormier and Bonac also shared that Walker would benefit from some posing adjustments.
“From the side, he looks good, from the back he looks good, it’s just from the front or maybe maybe the way he stands on his legs, maybe he should turn it more like Brandon does, so you get more of the inner thighs [in the abdominals and thighs pose].”
“I would try to utilize my legs differently in those poses. The way he’s doing them is not helping him right now,” Chris Cormier explained.
Before confirming his one-year hiatus from the sport, questions about Bonac’s retirement circulated online. Bob Cicherillo, who serves as the announcer of the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia shows, said he would like to see Bonac receive a special invite for 2024 Mr. Olympia so he could retire on top.
As for Nick Walker, he recently argued that Choopan wouldn’t be able to successfully defend his title later this year. He believes the 2023 Olympia winner will be determined following a battle between himself and former 212 Olympia Derek Lunsford.
RELATED: William Bonac ‘Taking Measures’ for Inflamed Kidneys, Stops Oral Steroids In Prep for 2023 Arnold Classic
The 2023 Pittsburgh Pro takes place May 12-13 and serves as a teaser for bodybuilding’s ultimate destination. Given how unpredictable 2022 Olympia was, fans are looking forward to seeing their favorite competitors make a play for Hadi Choopan’s title.
You can watch the full video below from the Muscle and Fitness YouTube channel:
Published: 1 May, 2023 | 7:32 PM EDT
Seth Feroce Says Nick Walker ‘Allowed to Be Fuc**ng Pissed’ After Samson Dauda Loss at 2023 Arnold Classic
Seth Feroce, a bodybuilding standout from the 2000s, is known for his boisterous personality on the microphone. In a recent HWMF Podcast, Feroce discussed the public reaction to Nick Walker‘s loss to Samson Dauda at the 2023 Arnold Classic.
The Men’s Open division underwent major shifts since last December. At the 2022 Mr. Olympia show, Hadi Choopan claimed gold. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay fell to fifth place whereas contenders Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker moved up to the podium in second and third.
Weeks after his Las Vegas performance, Nick Walker announced his entry into the Arnold Classic after the promoters increased the Men’s Open prize money to $300,000. Despite his status as a heavy favorite, ‘The Mutant’ was denied a second title in Ohio. Nigeria’s Samson Dauda ultimately won the show and secured his invitation to this year’s Olympia contest in November.
The results of the competition were met with controversy online. In a Mutant and the Mouth podcast, Walker, joined by Guy Cisternino, Seth Feroce, and Nick Trigili, discussed whether judging should be more transparent in the IFBB Pro League. While some fans disagreed with Walker losing to Dauda, athletes rep Bob Cicherillo cleared the air and highlighted that Dauda presented a better combination of aesthetics, size, conditioning, stage presentation, and shape.
Seth Feroce on Nick Walker’s Future: “He Is What I Believe Bodybuilding Is All About”
Seth Feroce thought Walker deserved to defeat Dauda in Ohio last month. He added that Walker is allowed to be ‘fuc**ng pissed’ following the outcome.
“At the end of the day, if you took second place and you gave your absolute best, and be like, ‘Not going to lie, I really fuc**ng wanted to win, I’m happy with where I’m at because I’m proud of myself I got to this point, however, I wanted the title.’ I think everybody feels like that. Everybody like Nick Walker when he lost to Samson at the Arnold; I thought Nick won personally.
I thought Nick won and I broke it down from a standpoint, I should have made a YouTube video about it and went off. But, it’s like, Nick is allowed to be fuc**ng pissed. Why would Nick be like, ‘Hey, great job, I’m so glad I took second place to you.’ No, he’s allowed to be mad. What the fuc* is going on with the community about not being pissed whenever Nick was at his – in my opinion, I think that was his best physique to date and people are like, ‘He looked better at the Olympia.’ He did not look fuc**ng better at the Olympia. I thought he looked watery and too full at the Olympia, gave him an awkward shape. I thought he looked incredible at the Arnold and beat Samson,” Seth Feroce shared.
“You’re allowed to say that. Why does everybody think that you have to be such an upstanding young gentlemen and be like, ‘Congratulations to Samson, I’m really happy with second place.’ It’s okay, Nick has a champion mentality, everybody knows that about Nick, you’re allowed to be mad. Don’t tell Samson he’s a fuc**ng piece of shit, you know what I mean, but be like, ‘Congratulations, I’m coming for your ass motherfu**er.”
“Nobody gets to the biggest stage in the world to compete for the top spot and isn’t excited about not being number one, nobody. I don’t think anyone. Whenever you were training, that level was also unique. Very few people even get to that level so to even be able to get inside those people’s heads, you can’t. Like, I use Nick as an example because I’ve been a fan of Nick whenever he was just in Jersey with Condemnned Labs.”
According to Feroce, Walker is an ideal ambassador for the sport because he uses hard work and sacrifice to defeat athletes with better genetic potential.
“He is what I believe bodybuilding is all about. Because Nick is not genetically gifted from a looks standpoint. He has the genetics to be a freak, but he’s not a flowing physique. And Nick is someone who is able to take this non-gifted aesthetic pretty physique and become a top professional. One of the best in the world at bodybuilding through work, through dedication, through sacrifice, that is what bodybuilding is all about.
He’s beaten people that are incredibly gifted and have beautiful flowing physiques with just work. That is work and sacrifice,” Feroce added.
“Nick Walker is a champion mentality person. It’s not a joke, it’s not a facade, and anybody that’s like, ‘Nick is fuc**ng arrogant.’ I’m like, yes, you should have that confidence in yourself when you are the best in the world.”
In addition to keeping tabs on the Men’s Open division, Seth Feroce recently dedicated himself to a physique transformation. Given his status as an elite 212 competitor, it didn’t take long for Feroce’s improvements to be noticed. He shared an intense arms workout and said his plan is to get ‘fuc**ng shredded’ in retirement.
RELATED: Bob Cicherillo Says Big Ramy Not Taking 2023 Off, Talks Nick Walker vs Hadi Choopan: ‘Hadi at 100% Wins’
Walker, who is expected to compete at the 2023 Mr. Olympia November 2-5, believes Hadi Choopan won’t repeat as champion. He anticipates a difficult battle against 212-turned-Open contender Derek Lunsford on stage later this year.
You can watch the full video below courtesy of HWMF Podcast YouTube channel:
Published: 27 April, 2023 | 1:49 PM 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
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
Bob Cicherillo Says Big Ramy Not Taking 2023 Off, Talks Nick Walker vs Hadi Choopan: ‘Hadi at 100% Wins’
Despite initial speculation, athletes rep Bob Cicherillo believes fans will see Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay back on a contest stage in 2023. In a recent interview with Desktop Bodybuilding, Cicherillo said Big Ramy would likely compete at this year’s Olympia and discussed a possible showdown between Nick Walker and Hadi Choopan.
As a two-time Mr. Olympia, fans and bodybuilding veterans expected Ramy to retain his title for the next few years. However, the 2022 Olympia contest was highly competitive and he was unable to defend successfully. Instead, Hadi Choopan secured his first title with Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker taking second and third, respectively. In a shocking turn of events, Ramy dropped to fifth place.
With redemption fueling his next appearance, Big Ramy made a surprise entrance into the 2023 Arnold Classic. Before the event, he received intravenous stem cell injections in hopes of rectifying some of the issues that held him back from success, like his lats, triceps, and lower back. Dr. Khan, who oversaw Ramy’s therapy, believed it would make a difference in the months to come.
And while Elssbiay brought an improved package to Columbus, Ohio, it wasn’t complete enough to stop Samson Dauda from claiming gold. Ramy battled with Shaun Clarida en route to securing fourth. In light of his last two contests, Bob Cicherillo suspected that Ramy’s time on top had come to an abrupt end.
Cicherillo upset fans after admitting Ramy had little-to-no chance of regaining his Mr. Olympia title. He joined Ramy in a one-on-one interview recently, where they discussed the Egyptian native’s future in the sport. During the conversation, Ramy mentioned that he might not return until next year’s Olympia (2024). However, it now appears Cicherillo expects Ramy to make a play for Choopan’s title this November.
Bob Cicherillo Talks Big Ramy 2023 Plans: ‘I Don’t Think He’s Taking the Entire Year Off’
Bob said he misspoke during his recent interview with Big Ramy. He believes Elssbiay will likely compete at the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
“You just hit it. What I meant to say was the next Olympia, not really – I consider next year, we all talk in those same terms, it was really just me misspeaking in the way I was putting it. What I meant to say is we’re probably not going to see you until the next Olympia. Now, I think he was thinking the same thing. I don’t think he’s taking the entire year off.
But, you know, he was pretty candid in that interview as you heard. He’s pretty good. You can see there’s a sense of – he doesn’t really know. He’s in some uncharted waters right now which he was pretty much telling everybody, which is he’s going to have to see how his body responds. There has been some notable changes I think we can all see that.”
“We’ve heard he’s done some stem cells and this and that. Listen, there’s no guarantee with those types of things. If it involves nerves, which I think it does, we’ve seen it with bodybuilders over the year, body parts just start to shrink up. It’s a nerve impingement or whatever. Sometimes that don’t come back. If it don’t come back, he’s going to have a very difficult time.”
Cicherillo suspects Ramy will call it a career if he’s not able to ‘get back to where he was.’
“He may not be able to return to form as he said, which is interesting because everyone got on my ass for saying he can’t return to what he looked like basically, so why would he bother. He said the same thing. If he can’t get back to where he was then he’ll hang them up. What champion wouldn’t? Why would you want to come back at 50%? I don’t want to see that not just with Ramy, but I dont’ want to see that with any champion.”
Can Nick Walker Defeat Hadi Choopan at 2023 Mr. Olympia If Both Are 100%? Cicherillo Says ‘No.’
Despite Choopan’s latest performance, Cicherillo isn’t convinced he’ll remain champion after the next Olympia show.
“Yeah he just did [beat Nick Walker] it was called last year’s Olympia. Well, listen, Hadi can improve too right? So, I mean listen, Nick – anybody can improve okay, but what you can’t improve is your structure or proportions and that’s where Nick is going to have a tough time against a Hadi and not just Hadi because I believe Hadi is going to have a difficult time repeating this year, if I’m making an early prediction.”
With both men at 100%, Cicherillo says Choopan defeats Walker but reserved Samson Dauda as one of his frontrunners to win 2023 Olympia.
“I already put out there that I think Samson is literally the man to beat. I think it will come down to him and Derek Lunsford and you have some other new guys coming on. So, Nick’s got his work cut out but you can never count Nick out because he’s a workhorse and he’ll work himself to death and all he’s done is improved so you don’t ever count him out but by the same token, we got to keep things real and I got to look at what I see when it comes to structure, shape, symmetry, proportions, muscularity, and display of the muscles — all those factors come into play. Is Nick a contender? Absolutely. Do I think he can beat Hadi? If they are both 100%, No,” Bob Cicherillo explained.
Cicherillo compared Walker to bodybuilding veteran Branch Warren due to their conditioning and freak factor.
“You know what, that’s why we play the game and you’re exactly right. Listen, a guy named Branch Warren who I’m pretty good friends with did pretty good in his career I’d say taking runner-up in Olympia; almost won that, and you know, Arnold Classics and every other title you could possibly get. Branch admittedly over the years, he’s very candid, very blue-collar type of a guy. He just simply outworked everybody.”
In Bob Cicherillo’s recent Voice of Bodybuilding podcast, he took aim at biased coaches and trainers. Some fans argued that Cicherillo has never won an Olympia title therefore he’s not qualified to critique the sport. Cicherillo disagreed and stressed that contests can only be accurately judged live, not by looking at a computer screen.
RELATED: Big Ramy Training Partner Dennis James Calls Out Bob Cicherillo for ‘Misleading’ Comparison
The bodybuilding community is excited to see Ramy’s comeback story, and whether or not Nick Walker can take the throne from Hadi Choopan. Derek Lunsford will also be in the hunt to secure gold and was recently backed by Ronnie Coleman as the next Mr. Olympia.
Check out the full video below, courtesy of the Desktop Bodybuilding YouTube channel:
Published: 20 April, 2023 | 7:48 PM EDT
Nick Walker Eyes Derek Lunsford Battle at 2023 Olympia: ‘I Don’t See Hadi Choopan Repeating’
Bodybuilder Nick Walker has ambitious plans for the rest of his current season. In a recent Mutant and the Mouth Podcast, Walker addressed whether or not legs are a weak point and envisioned a showdown against Derek Lunsford at the 2023 Olympia contest.
“The goal for me into this Olympia is to have the Olympia fullness to match the Arnold condition. If I can do that, I think I win hands down,” said Nick Walker.
At last year’s Mr. Olympia, Hadi Choopan claimed gold after his fourth attempt at the event. He dethroned two-time winner Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay, who finished fifth and defeated Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker en route to securing the sport’s most notable achievement.
Walker made a quick turnaround in Columbus, Ohio at the 2023 Arnold Classic, however, was unsuccessful in his quest for a second title. While the outcome was deemed controversial in the eyes of many professionals, Samson Dauda pulled off the victory nonetheless and earned his invitation to the next Olympia. Meanwhile, Walker still believes he should have gotten his hand raised.
Having placed runner-up to Dauda, Walker opened up on results. Even though he thought he brought a winning package, the 28-year-old plans to use the judges’ criticism as fuel for his next competition. With this year’s Olympia taking place November 2-5, Walker set his sights on another battle with Lunsford as he doesn’t believe Hadi Choopan will repeat as champion.
Nick Walker Says He Has Solid Shot of Defeating ‘Comparable’ Hadi Choopan, Derek Lunsford at 2023 Olympia
According to Walker, Choopan won’t be champion by the end of the next Olympia competition. He insisted that the show will be determined following a battle with Lunsford.
“Yeah. I mean look, I think I have a shot of winning any show that I do, for the Olympia, yeah, I mean the two people that were in front of me were Hadi and Derek, and I think they are very comparable; I think that’s why they were one and two.
Listen, I love Hadi but I don’t see him repeating in my opinion and Derek, you know… he could continue to beat me now that he has a full off-season actually to put the work in and put size on now, so we’ll see. But everyone knows I improve drastically show to show. So, it’s just going to really come down to what me and him look like and who is in better shape, honestly,” shared Walker.
“People don’t understand, Derek is not small by any means. Like, he’s a big guy and he’s got great shape right? You know, so, what I was trying to do even for the Olympia and for the Arnold was improve the shape. That’s what I was trying to do. And I think it worked in my favor for the Olympia because I was still very very full, but I think when I came into the Arnold, I wasn’t as full, a lot more conditioned, and the waist was definitely more streamlined but I just didn’t have the pop that everyone likes, I guess.”
Walker Reveals If Legs Are a ‘Weak Point,’ Talks Training Tactics and Useful PEDs in Prep
Reflecting on his last show, Walker said his legs lost volume, which he believes might have been a by-product of over-training.
“Everyone says that my legs are my weak point right? I connect probably the best with my legs. So, I never have to do a ton of volume. I did legs yesterday. I did one set with four different exercises, four sets total, my legs are trashed, like fuc**ng trashed. I’m sore as fu** bro. I just know how to – in my mind, when people say, ‘Oh your legs are small.’ Well, maybe I’m just doing too much. Everyone was like, ‘Oh you need to do legs twice a week.’ It’s like, if I’m getting that sore and connecting so well with just that, I don’t need it; I don’t think I need another [session].”
He explained going ‘too hard’ during cardio could have resulted in his legs being downsized in Ohio.
“I think what happens for me, is when I do cardio, I think I go too hard as well. We’re the same. We go that’s it, we’re cranking. I think when you get in a calorie deficit for so long, you’re cranking the cardio hard – the legs are going to go. It’s the only body part that’s going to go. I think that with training legs and connecting as well as I do on a frequent basis, on top of the hard cardio. The legs are going to go if you’re in a calorie deficit.”
While making improvements in the off-season, Walker credited Romanian deadlifts for being more beneficial than conventional deadlifting. He added that pull-ups are an underrated exercise for building a world-class back.
“I think what’s more beneficial than a deadlift in my opinion… is RDLs [Romanian deadlifts],” said Walker. “You know what I think is the most underrated back exercise, pull-ups. I think in my opinion, pull-ups can build one of the best backs in the world.”
Before calling it a day, Walker revealed he uses T3 as necessary when he encounters a stall point in prep progress. He shared that he’s now taking MPP (nandrolone phenylpropionate) and routinely changes around his stack.
“Needed [T3 use] if necessary. It’s [for] the end of a prep or maybe you hit a stall point – you kind of just – a little dose and it’ll go a long way,” Walker shared. “No, not really [I don’t use peptides].”
“Over the years, you try different shit, you use different – you know. What I use throughout my past four or five years, I don’t really have [acne] breakouts,” Walker said. “I’m pretty good with my joints so knock on wood. I think it [MPP] helps, I do.”
With the next Olympia on the horizon, eight-time winner Ronnie Coleman has kept an eye on the show’s contenders. Earlier today, Coleman backed Lunsford to defeat Hadi Choopan at the 2023 Olympia, stressing that it’s only a matter of time before the former 212 Olympia takes the number one spot.
Since winning his first Sandow, Choopan has been quietly training in Iran. Walker is confident that a balance of fullness and conditioning will be the key to taking out Choopan and Lunsford at his next Mr. Olympia show.
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Published: 17 April, 2023 | 7:00 PM EDT