Episode 20 of The Mike O’Hearn Show was published on Generation Iron‘s YouTube channel on Oct. 21, 2022. O’Hearn sat down with the fifth-place finisher of the 2021 Mr. Olympia, Nick Walker.
Walker will return to the Olympia in 2022 in an attempt to dethrone two-time reigning Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. Check out the entire interview in the video below:
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Childhood Trauma
O’Hearn inquired about Walker’s immense rise in popularity since his successful Olympia debut in 2021. Walker admitted that 2022 was a bit more of a “mental battle” because the public eye is ever-present in his daily life.
The world is talking about you!
Walker’s size seemed to inspire O’Hearn to wax poetic about the Golden era of bodybuilding, where he touted that bodybuilders like Frank Zane all “lifted heavy…all power lifted” — an aspect he feels is absent from the programming of modern-day lifters.
Walker has found his body responds well to machines in his current prep. However, when he was an upstart bodybuilder in his youth, his training comprised almost all free weights. Walker shared that one of the reasons he began lifting as a kid was after he was molested at age 12 and went down a path of hard drugs.
I got in a lot of fights — became an angry individual. Working out was a way to escape everything for me.
Walker’s support system when starting his bodybuilding career was his parents. While his mom was skeptical of bodybuilding at first, she has grown to love it as much as Walker, who said, “she thinks she’s a judge.”
Walker’s parents have been at every competition he’s ever stepped on stage for.
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The Value of Pictures
Pictures capture progress. Even though Walker is a contender for the Mr. Olympia title, he notices the differences a physique can undergo in just a few days. Pictures are a means of measuring those changes, given that bodybuilding is a visual sport — athletes are rewarded for aesthetics, not work ethic.
O’Hearn: How much does a mirror lie to you?
Walker: Every day.
Having a team around Walker helps him balance his insecurities about his physique. His coach “is real” with him regardless if Walker is on point or looking off. That is a valuable asset for Walker to stay on track.
Although Walker gets a lot of attention for being one of the athletes at the top of the sport, he takes all the compliments with a grain of salt.
I embrace it, but it doesn’t stop me from what I do.
Walker isn’t oblivious to any negativity thrown his way — after all, bodybuilding is filled with judgment and opinion — but he doesn’t let it affect him.
Walker began lifting at 13 years old, first competed at 17, and turned pro when he was ready in his mid-20s. His rookie season in 2021 included wins at the New York Pro and Arnold Classic.
Lifting Heavy and Macros
Walker prefers lifting heavy in the gym, even if it comes at the expense of better contraction. Even though the weight is heavy, Walker still moves the weight with clean form. He finds lifting heavier to be enjoyable, and having fun is part of what keeps his training fresh.
At nine weeks out from the Olympia, Walker doesn’t track his calories but does have a grasp on his macros:
- Carbs — 300-350 grams
- Fats — 40-50 grams
- Protein — 224 grams
Three of Walker’s meals are comprised of beef as the fat source. The two outstanding meals each contain 20 grams of almond butter.
Walker’s consistency is based on a foundation of timing. His cardio, bedtime, meals, and training are at the same time every day “no matter what.” Even in the off-season, when Walker is more lenient, he still tends to maintain a schedule. The only exception for breaking the schedule is never missing a meal.
I’ll stay up until 3 a.m. if I have to. I won’t miss a meal.
While Walker could miss a meal and likely be fine, given his physique, he refuses to do so because he believes that skipping a meal equates to losing progress. Part two of the interview with Walker is scheduled to release on Oct. 28, 2022.
Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram
