Ever since IFBB pro bodybuilder Nick Walker started training with coach Dominick Mutasio, Walker’s training during his 2022 off-season has been extremely heavy. From high-volume leg days to a targeted focus on hamstrings to adding density to his lats to shoulder pressing 165-pound dumbbells for double-digit reps, Walker is not leaving much weight on the racks. His pattern of heavy lifting continued on April 27, 2022, when the 2020 Mr. Olympia fifth-place finisher hoisted 200-pound dumbbells to his shoulders for a set of six incline presses.
The heads of the dumbbells appear so large in Walker’s grip, it would not be unreasonable to confuse them for the heavy dumbbells often seen in strongman competition. Check out Walker’s immensely heavy set in the video below, courtesy of his Instagram page. He followed them up with cable biceps curls, and although Walker’s arms are enormous even at rest, the pump he got from this session is clear:
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Walker wore wrist wraps for the 200-pound dumbbell set but forewent any additional support on his elbows. According to Walker’s caption on the post, this was his third set of dumbbell incline presses. His first set was 18 reps with 160-pound dumbbells, and the second was 180-pound dumbbells for a dozen reps. Across all three sets, Walker pressed a total of 6,240 pounds.
To get a sense of how heavy each dumbbell Walker pressed with each arm, the current heavy dumbbell for reps world record is held by 2020 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Oleksii Novikov of Ukraine. Novikov performed 11 standing shoulder presses with a 100-kilogram (220.5-pound) dumbbell, which was large enough to feel at home in a circus, in 75 seconds. While a 20-pound difference between Novikov’s record and Walker’s training set is still notable, Walker lifted each dumbbell with strict form while Novikov could leverage leg drive while standing. The point is Walker is pressing weight within range of what elite strongmen use in competition during his sessions in the gym.
Walker is currently training for his return to the Mr. Olympia stage at the 2022 Olympia on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV. He told BarBend that he intends to win bodybuilding’s most coveted title in his sophomore year at the Olympia. Suppose he can continue lifting as heavy as he currently is when he enters his prep later this year; he might be able to compete in the call-out against two-time reigning Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay.
Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram