Martin Fitzwater broke all the rules at his first Mr. Olympia, including cardio. “The Martian,” 27, made his Olympia debut in 2024, gracing the stage amid what many pros called the most competitive Men’s Open field in recent memory.
- The Mr. Olympia title has changed hands yearly since 2018, with the lone exception of Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay’s two-peat in 2020 and 2021.
Freshman Olympians typically cut their teeth in the division for a few years before cracking the top five (if they’re worthy); even all-time great Ronnie Coleman failed to place at his first “O.”
Fitzwater got 4th at his first-ever Olympia, and he did it while forsaking one of bodybuilding contest prep’s golden rules: Do your cardio.
No Cardio, No Problem?
In the weeks leading up to a bodybuilding competition, physique athletes can be found cozying up to the stair-stepper or treadmill, often for multiple hours per day.
“Bodybuilders in contest preparation may exceed a single training bout per day (e.g., weight-training in the morning, cardio in the evening),” Dr. Eric Helms, PhD bodybuilder and BarBend expert, wrote in a 2022 publication. (1)
Fitzwater bucked convention ahead of his Olympia debut. “I did not do one step of cardio for the Olympia,” he wrote on social media on Oct. 26, 2024. “I didn’t count steps. I train hard as f&$k and have a fast metabolism.”
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Studies tell us there’s nothing magical about low-intensity, steady-state (LISS) cardio when it comes to losing body fat. (2) Changing your body composition is a matter of maintaining a calorie deficit, keeping your protein intake high to retain muscle, and, of course, piles of patience.
However, high volumes of LISS cardio are among the most common prescriptions for bodybuilders approaching stage day. Why?
- LISS cardio is easy to perform in a fatigued state and generally does not put the athlete at risk of losing muscle.
- Cardio workouts flush water and can help an athlete improve their conditioning or beat the scale if they compete in a weight-capped division like Classic Physique.
- Bodybuilding posing is exhausting; in some cases, it can match the difficulty of a light jog. (3) Physique pros need a healthy engine and plenty of endurance to go pose-for-pose on stage.
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Martin Fitzwater: Defying Expectations
Fitzwater made a big splash at his first Mr. Olympia. In the days leading up to the show, four-time Mr. Olympia winner Jay Cutler affirmed his perspective on Fitzwater being the Olympia’s “underdog.”
- “He looks incredible. He’s round — when you have that round, popping muscle and you’re young…” Cutler remarked on Oct. 8.
While the limelight deservedly went to an ascendant Samson Dauda at the 2024 Olympia, Fitzwater commanded attention and respect on stage in Las Vegas, NV.
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Days after the event wrapped, all-timer and eight-time Mr. “O” Lee Haney said on social media, “I like [Fitzwater]. Great lines and balance. He’s going to be a force to reckon with if he stays the course.”
Fitzwater believed he was the most conditioned athlete on stage at the Olympia, and he’s probably right. He’s also set to appear at the 2024 Prague Pro in November. Fitzwater staying the course — you just won’t see him on a treadmill along the way.
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References
- Helms, E. R., Aragon, A. A., & Fitschen, P. J. (2014). Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-11-20
- Bellicha A, van Baak MA, Battista F, Beaulieu K, Blundell JE, Busetto L, Carraça EV, Dicker D, Encantado J, Ermolao A, Farpour-Lambert N, Pramono A, Woodward E, Oppert JM. Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies. Obes Rev. 2021 Jul;22 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):e13256. doi: 10.1111/obr.13256. Epub 2021 May 6. PMID: 33955140; PMCID: PMC8365736.
- Peixoto, D. L., Nacimento, D. C., Moura, R. F., de Moraes, W. M. A. M., Magalhães, B., de Sousa, L. L., Rolnick, N., & Prestes, J. (2024). A quasi-experimental study on the energy expenditure, exercise intensity, and rating of perceived exertion of a male bodybuilding posing training. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme, 10.1139/apnm-2024-0151. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2024-0151
Featured Image: @martinfitzh2o / Instagram
