Forced to withdraw from the biggest competition of the season because of a torn hamstring, Walker recently revealed he suffered even more damage than initially thought. In a video posted on his Instagram page on Nov. 6, 2023, “The Mutant” delivered an update about his injury status and his mindset as he embarks on the road to recovery.

After congratulating Derek Lunsford for becoming the 18th Mr. Olympia and the first two-division champion, Walker divulged more details about his health status. Not only did Walker suffer a serious hamstring injury in the leadup to the Olympia, but he also hurt his calf.

“I think it was Friday, we went and got the MRI done and it came back that I do have a partial hamstring tear and a grade 1 strain, little tear in my calf as well,” Walker said. “Nothing crazy, nothing too significant that would require surgery, so that’s great news. I’m very happy, literally very happy about that.”

Luckily for Walker, a grade 1 strain includes mild damage to individual muscle fibers that typically causes a small loss of strength and motion. On the other hand, a grade 3 strain involves a complete rupture of a muscle or tendon and usually requires surgery to reattach the damaged structure. So, even though Walker’s Olympia dream turned into a bit of a nightmare, he avoided the worst-case scenario.

The 2021 Arnold Classic winner noted that his doctors were “very impressed” with how quickly his body started the healing process. Despite dealing with a major setback at the most inopportune time, Walker displayed maturity and humility when discussing his injury.

“I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason, and I can’t seem to find what reason this,” Walker explained. “This was supposed to be a really special moment. I’m just holding on to that saying, things happen for a reason, for greater things to happen, so that’s what we are going to do.”

[Related: 2023 Amateur Olympia Results]

Although Walker can’t crush a leg workout anytime soon, he won’t let that stop him from preparing to compete again in 2024. Focused on training his upper body and testing his limits as he recovers, he vowed to return stronger for next year’s Olympia.

However, whether Walker will have an opportunity to participate in the sport’s tentpole contest is far less certain than his conviction about making a comeback. Due to changes to the Olympia Qualifying System, only the top three finishers from the Mr. Olympia contest automatically qualify for next year’s event.

With Walker already ruling himself out of the 2024 Arnold Classic, he will have to win an IFBB Pro League show to secure a spot in the Men’s Open lineup for the 2024 Olympia. Then again, perhaps promoters will grant “The Mutant” his request to receive a special invite to share the stage with the newly crowned champion and the rest of the Olympia hopefuls.

Featured Image: nick_walker39 / Instagram

The post Nick Walker Reveals He Suffered More Than Just a Torn Hamstring Before Bowing Out of 2023 Mr. Olympia  appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Unfortunately for Nick Walker, his Olympia journey has already come to an end due to a hamstring tear he suffered while training for the most important bodybuilding show of the year. Despite his best efforts, the third-place finisher at the 2022 Mr. Olympia could not overcome an injury that occurred at the worst possible time.

With the 2023 Olympia weekend about to get underway in Orlando, FL, from Nov. 2-5, Walker announced his decision to bow out of the contest via an Instagram post on Oct. 31, 2023.

Although he looked stage-ready on the surface, the 2021 Arnold Classic winner revealed his hamstring remains a major issue.

“I tried to push through it. I tried to do whatever I could and get whatever treatment I could, but it just gradually got worse,” Walker explained. “It did not progress in any way, shape, or form. Me and my team thought it was best that we just pulled out because we knew there was just no shot of us placing top-three at this point, or higher. And we do not want to drop placing.”

Of course, recent changes to the Olympia Qualifying System stipulate that only the top three finishers in the 2023 Mr. Olympia automatically secure a spot in the 2024 contest. Even though Walker finished behind only Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford in the Men’s Open division a year ago, he surely would have faced an uphill battle to fend off the likes of 2023 Arnold Classic champion Samson Dauda and 2019 Mr. Olympia winner Brandon Curry for third place on one fully healthy leg.

After delivering the news to promoters and officials, the 2021 Arnold Classic winner said he received nothing but support from IFBB Pro League president Jim Manion and Olympia owner Jake Wood.

“They asked me if I ever needed anything and that just makes me proud to be part of this organization,” Walker said.

Moving forward, there are major ramifications for everyone involved. Walker faces a tough task to recover from a torn hamstring and remind everyone why he was considered one of the top contenders to take home the Mr. Olympia crown in 2023. Meanwhile, his absence opens the door even wider for someone like Dauda, Curry, or even Hunter Labrada, who took home the 2023 Tampa Pro Men’s Open title in August, to punch their ticket to next year’s show with a top-three finish.

After all, with Walker, two-time Mr. Olympia champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, 2022 Bigman Weekend Pro winner Brett “The Butcher” Wilkin, and 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow winner Ian Valliere all withdrawing for various reasons, the stage won’t be quite so crowded (or competitive) with a few big names missing.

Although it would be easy for Walker to view his setback negatively, he showed impressive resolve and inner strength when speaking about what’s next.

“If I learned anything from this is that anything can happen at any given second,” he explained. “But it’s how you handle it; it’s what you do that defines who you are and the character you will become.”

Featured Image: nick_walker39 / Instagram

The post Untimely Setback Forces Nick Walker to Withdraw From 2023 Mr. Olympia appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The upper body demonstration of strength, performed during a chest/shoulders/triceps workout, is part of the superstar bodybuilder’s ongoing preparation for the 2023 Mr. Olympia. That contest will take place on November 2-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL.

“Nice push day today!”

Walker finished in third place to Hadi Choopan (defending champion) and Derek Lunsford (runner-up) during the 2022 Olympia.

This is not the first instance where Walker has used a pair of dumbbells to showcase his unique power as one of the best active bodybuilders on the planet. If anything, this set was just another example of what Walker is capable of once he gets a pair of weighted “hammers” in his hands and an incline bench to work on. Other specific examples include Walker pressing 83.9-kilogram (185-pound) dumbbells for 10 reps in late April 2022 and the athlete pushing up 90.7-kilogram (200-pound) dumbbells for 10 reps in mid-August 2022.

Walker usually makes it a point to share training updates on his media platforms, and this incline dumbbell press set works is aligned with that precedent.

From a competitive perspective, it’s been a tough year for Walker. After building upon a top-five finish at the 2021 Olympia but failing to secure the title during the 2022 iteration, Walker took home runner-up in his return to the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC). Given that the 2021 AC was originally how Walker burst onto the professional scene, the latter result could’ve been jarring for an athlete of his caliber.

Nonetheless, Walker continues to push forward. He vowed to return stronger after his runner-up result at the 2023 AC and has said he thinks he left something on the table during the 2022 Olympia. If that is the case, Walker might be more of a man on a mission than the rest of the Men’s Open field is prepared for.

Walker faces a tall order to finally break through with an Olympia title later this fall. Beyond Choopan and Lunsford, the Men’s Open class seems more stacked than ever and looks like a greater on-stage challenge than in the past. Walker, like his peers, certainly understands this reality. Nothing ever said climbing bodybuilding’s highest mountain would be easy.

Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram

The post Nick Walker Crushes Incline Dumbbell Presses with 68 Kilograms (150 Pounds) for 8 Reps with Slow Negatives appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On May 12-13, 2023, while champions like Michael Daboul (Classic Physique) were crowned during the official Pittsburgh Pro, Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, Samson Dauda, Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, Hunter Labrada, and Shaun Clarida all guest-posed during the contest. The only notable absence, especially in the current Men’s Open pantheon, was defending Mr. Olympia champion Hadi Choopan. With nothing officially on the line for the slate of elite competitors, these six men still appeared on stage to tease how their sterling physiques are coming along for the 2023 Mr. Olympia in Orlando, FL, this early November.

Amongst the guest posers at the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro, Lunsford might be the presumed biggest contender to Choopan’s title. Lunsford is in the midst of training to improve upon a runner-up result in his first-ever appearance in the Men’s Open division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. One of Lunsford’s main rivals, Nick Walker, believes the former 212 champion (2021) should be favored to win the 2023 Mr. Olympia. Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman has also expressed his faith in Lunsford, anointing him as one of the next big things in the sport after a recent collaborative training session.

Walker’s faith in Lunsford is notable, given his status as one of bodybuilding’s top modern stars. Walker finished in third place at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and followed that up with a runner-up result at the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC). If anyone finally seems poised to break through from this field, it might be Walker.

Meanwhile, the 2023 AC victor, Samson Dauda, has started to receive hype as a legitimate Olympia titan. Icons like Jay Cutler have expressed that Dauda could be one of bodybuilding’s next big stars. It’s a label of high expectations that Dauda has not taken lightly. There’s also Elssbiay, who is coming off a disappointing sixth-place result at the 2022 Mr. Olympia after vying for a historic three-peat. The former two-time defending Olympia champion (2021, 2022) had previously skipped guest-posing at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro and now appeared to be trying to build momentum toward another Olympia victory this November.

Labrada is in a similar position to Elssbiay, though he doesn’t have the resume of past Olympia victories to lean on. The athlete has expressed profound disappointment in his 2022 Olympia performance and vowed to have a more streamlined physique in 2023 in hopes of a huge rebound.

To round out this guest-posing group, Clarida, a two-time 212 champion (2020, 2022), will not be competing in the Men’s Open division at the 2023 Olympia. The athlete wishes to eventually break James “Flex” Lewis’s record of seven 212 Olympia titles (2012-2018) and will exclusively focus his efforts on that mission moving forward.

Discerning the precise favorites for the 2023 Mr. Olympia would likely be impossible off one guest-posing appearance. Nonetheless, some of the top contenders for the tentpole contest made it a point to appear in Pittsburgh and show off what they might bring to the table in November.

With that, one of the unofficial first significant steps en route to this year’s Olympia is now in the rearview mirror.

Featured image: dereklunsford_ on Instagram

The post Derek Lunsford and Other Olympia Contenders Display Their Off-Season Mass Guest-Posing at 2023 Pittsburgh Pro appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

During the Apr. 17, 2023, YouTube episode of The Mutant And The Mouth, Walker discussed the 2023 Mr. Olympia outlook with his co-host Guy Cisternino. Not only did the superstar Walker express doubt in defending champion Hadi Choopan’s chances at a repeat, he painted Derek Lunsford as the athlete to beat in the Men’s Open division.

To explain his rationale and confidence in his chances for the 2023 Olympia, Walker broke down part of the aftermath of the 2022 iteration. Even though he had shortcomings, Walker expressed he believes that Choopan and Lunsford finished at the top because they were ultimately comparable in their respective body compositions.

“I think I have a shot of winning any show that I do,” Walker said. “For the [2022] Olympia, I mean, the two people that were in front of me were Hadi [Choopan] and Derek [Lunsford], and I think they are very comparable. I think that’s why they were one and two.”

For Choopan, at least, this was where the endorsements from Walker ended.

While he respects his peer’s accomplishments, experience, and pedigree, Walker shared a rather frank assessment of Choopan adding another Olympia trophy to his mantel. Even though Choopan finished ahead of Walker and the entire field of competitors at the 2022 Olympia, he doesn’t believe he’ll be a repeat factor in November. That’s because Walker noted that he and Lunsford could be headed for a great battle.

It could be the start of a competitive, back-and-forth rivalry in the modern Men’s Open division.

“Listen, I love Hadi [Choopan] but I don’t see him repeating in my opinion,” Walker said. “And Derek … 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 … People don’t understand, Derek [Lunsford] is not small by any means. Like, he’s a big guy and he’s got great shape.”

Walker might profess that the 2023 Olympia will come down to him and Lunsford, an opinion seven-time Mr. Olympia champion (2011-2017) Phil Heath mostly shares. However, other bodybuilding icons like Jay Cutler and Miloš Šarčev disagree. While they don’t doubt Walker or Lunsford’s individual merits, the pair have talked up Samson Dauda — the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) winner — and his shot at a first Mr. Olympia victory. Dauda himself has similarly bought into his rising hype.

At this point in the competitive calendar, the only assertion that seems clear is that the 2023 Mr. Olympia could shape up to be an all-out battle royale on stage.

Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram

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On Apr. 11, 2023, Heath appeared in a YouTube interview with The Voice of Bodybuilding, Bob Cicherillo, to discuss the upcoming Olympia. In the process, Heath named some of his top contenders for the title, including defending champion Hadi Choopan. The living legend even touched upon what it would take for him to return to the stage in posing trunks.

Before breaking down who he thinks could topple Choopan, Heath gave the athlete a wholehearted endorsement for a repeat title. It’s Choopan’s background, in addition to his elite fitness, that Heath thinks provides the champion with bodybuilder an edge over his peers.

“I think Hadi’s [Choopan] a repeat champion,” Heath said. “… You got to look at someone’s origin. Champions have a specific origin of how they got here in the first place. You think of someone that has grown up in that environment in Iran. Everything matters. This thing means everything to him and his country. There’s a lot of expectations, but he’s met those expectations in a very quick period of time. He’s never really been off.”

As for who could unseat Choopan, Heath likes the potential of Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker. Perhaps not by coincidence, Lunsford was the 2022 Olympia runner-up after transitioning from the 212 class, while Walker finished in third place.

For different reasons, this trio appears to be bodybuilding’s top Cerberus monster of sorts.

“It’s a three-headed monster at this point,” Heath explained. “It’s either Derek [Lunsford] and I can make a case for Nick [Walker]. Nick is an anomaly, he’s very different … It’s going to cancel out a lot of guys because of the density and muscle maturity, because those two [Choopan and Walker] won’t be out-conditioned. The cool thing about Derek [Lunsford] is, now he’s comfortable in that [Men’s] Open body. He’s a hard worker, got a good support system, a good coach.”

As for his own personal competitive prospects, Heath still has no forthcoming plans to return to a bodybuilding stage. The 43-year-old icon never officially retired but hasn’t competed in nearly three years. His last competitive appearance on-stage was a third-place finish at the 2020 Mr. Olympia, when Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay captured his first title.

Heath told Cicherillo that, at the right lucrative price for one of the sport’s biggest names, he might well return to compete soon enough.

“I produce a lot of numbers,” Heath clarified. “I know my worth, it’s worth way more than $100,000 [Heath’s purse for third place at the 2020 Olympia] … There’s definitely a number they [Olympia organizers] have to come up. It would have to make sense … We would have to have a meeting of the minds and actually figure it out.”

Featured image: @arnoldsports on Instagram

The post Phil Heath Names Top 2023 Olympia Contenders, Teases Potential Return appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Mar. 26. 2023, during a YouTube episode of the Cutler Cast, Cutler discussed the state of the Men’s Open with his talent manager Matthew M. Daniels. The discussion saw the four-time Mr. Olympia (2006-2007, 2009-2010) express that he believes the current cadre of Men’s Open competitors is the best shape it’s been in since the 1990s.

Cutler’s thoughts about the 2020s Men’s Open compared to the 1990s are high praise. Some would find it challenging to see similarities to an era that featured eight-time Mr. Olympia (1998-2005) Ronnie Coleman, six-time Olympia winner (1992-1997) Dorian Yates and four-time Arnold Classic (AC) Champion (1993, 1997, 1998, 2000) Ken “Flex” Wheeler.

Cutler doesn’t have such qualms.

He thinks a group led by defending Olympia champion Hadi Choopan, runner-up Derek Lunsford, third-place finisher Nick Walker, and rising star (2023 Arnold Classic winner) Samson Dauda is bound to have more than a few close battles. Especially at the 2023 Mr. Olympia.

“Hadi [Choopan] is going to be very difficult to beat [at the 2023 Olympia],” Cutler said. “People forget quick, man. You guys got to remember, he’s knocked at that door and he kicked that thing in. Not even, you know, a better overall look, but what he is capable of … I think Derek [Lunsford] is going to be tremendously better and Samson [Dauda] peaked once already this year … it’s tough. And Nick Walker is even more hungry now.” 

Choopan, Lunsford, Dauda, and Walker aren’t the only potential top contenders. There’s still former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay to consider, along with 2019 Mr. Olympia and 2022 Arnold Classic winner Brandon Curry. The list of stars capable of winning the sport’s biggest title seemingly never ends.

It’s why Cutler thinks these men are right on par with the time of athletes like Coleman, Yates, and Wheeler.

“We’re falling back into that ’90s era of competitive [bodybuilding],” Cutler said. “We’re still not talking about Hunter Labrada, who I feel could be in the mix … There’s a lot of excluded people that we’re still excited about … We’re excited about an Open class, which I think fell off for a minute because the old guard was going out, and now the new guard has come in and a lot of new guys are solidifying positions now. It’s making it exciting again.” 

The margins of victory can be so slim in a sport like bodybuilding. Every competitor in the Men’s Open division certainly understands that fact. Cutler’s analysis of the state of this class might only be the tip of the iceberg for the coming shows it’ll put on.

Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram

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On Mar. 23, 2023, the National Physique Committee (NPC) organizers of the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro revealed who will be guest posing during this year’s competition the weekend of May 12-13. Here is an overview of big names who are expected to show off an early spring look at their physique with nothing tangible on the line:

2023 Pittsburgh Pro Guest Posing Athletes

• Derek Lunsford — 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up
• Nick Walker — 2022 Olympia third-place finisher
• Samson Dauda — 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) winner
• Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay — Two-time Mr. Olympia (2020-2021)
• Shaun Clarida — Two-time 212 Olympia winner (2020, 2022)
• Hunter Labrada
• Rafael Brandao

Reigning four-time Classic Physique Olympia champion (2019-2022) Chris Bumstead has also been announced to make a special appearance, but he is not expected to guest pose.

Save for the defending Mr. Olympia, Hadi Choopan, this list of guest posers at the latest Pittsburgh Pro is arguably a laundry list of potential contenders for the next Mr. Olympia title. There could always be an unexpected dark horse making a run out of the blue, but one of these names (with Choopan included) will likely be the 2023 Olympia victor.

Assuredly, there is no shortage of storylines leading into this first look at most of the main 2023 Mr. Olympia slate.

For Lunsford, after successfully transitioning from the 212 division, the athlete will now likely be pulling out all the stops to win his first Mr. Olympia title. Taking home a runner-up in his first Men’s Open try might have only been the start of a fruitful career in the top bodybuilding class. When it comes to Walker, “The Mutant” has submitted relatively disappointing performances of late. Two consecutive podium results at the 2022 Olympia and 2023 AC are nothing to sneeze at, but Walker expected to win. That makes what he brings to the stage in Orlando potentially even more exciting.

Elssbiay returns to guest pose at the Pittsburgh Pro after skipping the 2022 iteration. The former two-time Olympia champion has recently dipped a bit, performance-wise, and could be using the Pittsburgh Pro as a way to build some momentum heading into another Olympia appearance in the fall. Dauda surprised the bodybuilding world with his new AC title, but some established icons don’t think any coming victories will be much of a shock anymore. He’s undoubtedly seemed to establish himself as a household name.

Finally, amongst the main pantheon featured at the Pittsburgh Pro, Clarida will likely just be moonlighting guest posing among Men’s Open contenders as he pushes for a 212 Olympia title record. It doesn’t appear “The Giant Killer” will be slaying any of the athletes on stage in a primary competition any time soon. As for Labrada, after finishing in seventh place at the 2022 Olympia, he didn’t seem to be contending well with the outside noise. The athlete has been planning a streamlined physique in 2023, which he might show a glimpse of in the early stages in May.

At the time of this article’s publication, it is unclear what role Bumstead plans to play at the Pittsburgh Pro given that he isn’t guest posing. However, having another superstar on hand is always welcome by fans.

From a competitive perspective, nothing meaningful is on the line for any of these dynamos at the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro. They are merely there to partly provide a public update on their training progress while fulfilling IFBB appearance “obligations” of sorts. That said, seeing the current elite mix of Men’s Open bodybuilders is one rousing way to stir up debate and draw attention before they actually duke it out on stage later this year.

Featured image: @npcifbbpropittsburgh on Instagram

The post Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, And Other Men’s Open Stars Will Guest Pose at 2023 Pittsburgh Pro appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Mar. 10, 2023, Mr. Olympia commentator and former International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League competitor Bob Cicherillo, posted a YouTube video to his Voice of Bodybuilding channel explaining how to judge a bodybuilding contest properly. Within his rationale, he offered specific clarity on why Walker ultimately fell short of a second AC title in three years.

While some have seriously considered the merits of Dauda as a legitimate force in the sport, Cicherillo didn’t have such qualms. He made it readily apparent that Dauda had the best and most balanced physique over the rest of the field. That includes Walker and the “deserved” third-place finisher in Andrew Jacked.

Dauda was simply the most well-rounded of his peers.

“Why did Samson [Dauda] win the Arnold over Nick [Walker], [Andrew] Jacked, and everyone else?” Cicherillo asked rhetorically. “Because he had the best of all worlds: shape, symmetry, proportion, size, conditioning, and presentation. He had it all. Was he the best in every one of them? No, but you can’t make the case for someone else overall … I keep getting a lot of responses, ‘Yeah, but Nick [Walker] won this pose, this pose, and this pose.’ It doesn’t work like that, folks … He loses to Samson, outright, when it comes to shape, symmetry, and proportion. … Overall, Samson had a better physique and that’s why he ended up in the winner’s circle.”

As for Walker’s individualized disappointment, Cicherillo seemed to speak to the athlete directly. The commentator made it clear he believed Walker appeared in tip-top shape. However, he had lost some of the mojo that once made him one of bodybuilding’s fastest rising stars.

“Nick Walker was tremendous,” Cicherillo said. “If he looked like he did at the [2022] Olympia, he probably would have won. But he lost a bit of the ‘freak factor,’ bringing it down a little bit. That was probably a mistake on his part. You’re not going to streamline a physique that can’t be streamlined. Nick, go back to being a ‘freak.’

It might be a little strange to hear that a bodybuilder’s ripped physique was too “streamlined” or too lean, so to speak. Though, with Walker taking home third-place and runner-up results at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and 2023 AC, respectively, it might be a critique he should consider. With enough refinement, perhaps the athlete known as “The Mutant” could find himself on top of a podium again in the coming months.

Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram

The post Bob Cicherillo Explains Why Nick Walker Didn’t Win 2023 Arnold Classic appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Despite an apparently improved training regimen, Walker couldn’t channel his preparation into a victory at the AC. However, rather than dwell on what went wrong, the athlete seemed to focus on the positives first and foremost. After all, a loss doesn’t have to sting for long.

For an elite athlete like Walker, it can and probably should be a useful learning experience.

“We came in better [than] the O [the 2022 Mr. Olympia], improved in all areas we wanted to improve upon,” Walker wrote. “I’m really happy with the package we brought, came up a little short, but you know how I do, when I lose, I only come back better.”

Some ensuing posts would see Walker drop random quotes about what’s next and his current mindset. He maintained that he’ll always prioritize his conditioning first and that he’s a “fighter.”

Eventually, Walker came to a point where he was ready to give credit where credit was due. First, to the Arnold Sports Festival (ASF) for, in Walker’s opinion, running the contest without a hitch. Second, in a display of sportsmanship, to Dauda: for breaking through in bodybuilding’s second-biggest competition.

“I want to give a huge shoutout to the [Arnold Sports Festival] putting on an amazing show!” Walker wrote. “You guys killed it! Awesome production and everything was run smoothly … Huge shoutout to [Samson Dauda] for coming in guns blazing and taking the title win! It was a close battle but it was a well-deserved win! Samson is an awesome guy and I’m incredibly happy for him!

Appropriately, with Walker likely only aiming at big fish moving forward in his professional career, he ended his line of reflections in an expected place. Next in his crosshairs is the 2023 Mr. Olympia. After his recent spate of podium results, he’ll once again be a likely top contender for the biggest title in the sport.

“Time to go back to work! Olympia is only around the corner!”

More Bodybuilding Content:

• Kamal Elgargni Keeps 2023 Masters Olympia In Play During Ambitious Year
• 7-Time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath Looks Jacked in New Training Video
• Eddie Hall Takes Another Step Toward Bodybuilding With an Intense Back Workout

Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram

The post Nick Walker Promises To Return Stronger After 2023 Arnold Classic Runner-Up Finish appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Feb. 14, 2023, Walker posted a photo of himself revealing a defined and vascular set of abdominals on Instagram. In following days, he also shared a side chest pose photo, as well as a pic lifting up his shirt to perform what he called a “quick ab check after training hamstrings.”

Critics have previously knocked Walker for having what they call a “blocky” physique, meaning he lacks symmetry and a narrow waistline. His recent photos, however, have received a fair share of positive comments from his supporters.

While the photos are fairly self-evident, Walker hasn’t shared much else about his progress such as his current body weight. He is working with coach Matt Jansen, who helped him earn his first Arnold Classic win in 2021. Walker and Jansen went on to work together for that year’s Mr. Olympia contest, where Walker placed 5th. That was his first Olympia as a competitor.

Walker and Jansen then went their separate ways briefly in 2022, but they reunited and worked together again for the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest in Las Vegas, NV. Walker would improve from his debut year and place third — higher than 2019 Mr. Olympia winner Brandon Curry (4th) as well as two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (5th). Hadi Choopan would go on to win the 2022 Mr. Olympia title.

Out of the competitors in the 2023 Arnold Classic field, the only two men that Walker has yet to defeat on a professional stage are, coincidentally, 212 competitors. Two-time 212 Olympia champion Shaun Clarida and 2019 Olympia 212 winner Kamal Elgargni are both making the jump into the open for this contest. They will be facing Walker, and other top contenders, for the first time. All 10 contestants will be looking to win the title, along with the $300,000 first place prize which was recently raised from the 2022 contest’s $200,000 award.

Tickets to the Arnold Classic and access to the pay-per-view of the contest, provided by Fanmio, can be obtained through www.arnoldsports.com.

Featured Image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram

The post Nick Walker Shares Physique Update Two Weeks Ahead of 2023 Arnold Classic appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Jan. 27, 2023, Lewis appeared in a podcast episode with Fouad Abiad Media to partly break down what might lie ahead in the 2023 AC on Mar. 2-5, 2023. The fitness icon seemingly spared few details, predicting his top 10 finishers for the major competition.

With the 2023 AC roughly five weeks away at the time of this writing, here is how Lewis sees the contest shaking out for some of bodybuilding’s elite:

Flex Lewis’s 2023 Arnold Classic Top 10 Prediction

1. Nick Walker | Champion
2. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay
3. Andrew Jacked
4. Samson Dauda
5. William Bonac
6. Shaun Clarida
7. Akim Williams
8. Justin Rodriguez
9. Kamal Elgargni
10. Patrick Moore

Lewis viewed Walker as the odds-on favorite to capture his second career AC title in the last three years. However, he did clarify a few names — such as former two-time Mr. Olympia (2020-2021) Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay and rising star Chinedu Andrew Obiekea, a.k.a. “Andrew Jacked” — that he thinks could push Walker and keep the athlete from standing on top of the podium.

“I can’t wait to see if Ramy [Elssbiay] is able to bring a better look next to Nick [Walker],” said Lewis. “Andrew [Jacked] is my dark horse. Samson [Dauda] needs one to two years of added muscle in the right areas, and maturity, and then you’re talking about a completely different monster. I feel like Samson [Dauda] will be a threat in any [expletive] show he steps foot in in the future.”

Notably, Lewis asserted that two-time 212 victor (2020, 2022) Shaun Clarida could make some noise. However, it would seem to be a tall task for the 5’2″ athlete to topple lineup of Men’s Open competitors.

“If they judge and look at Shaun [Clarida] with [blinders] on, he’s [expletive] Ronnie Coleman in a 212 size,” Lewis explained. “He [Clarida] never misses. He comes in on point every time … It’s a hard one for me to see somebody who I have a vested interest in, as a 212 champion, but I just think that he’s going to be lost with the height of what’s there.”

As the AC rises in prominence and prestige as a contest, it’s hard not to imagine the spotlight growing bigger and getting more attention from established titans. Plus, if Lewis is giving Walker his blessing — the second former Olympia mainstay to do so recently — it seems the superstar might use the coming AC as another launching-off point in his young career.

Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram

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