Nick Walker is changing gears. After his last-minute withdrawal from the 2024 Olympia and subsequent divorce from renowned bodybuilding coach Matt Jansen, “the Mutant” seems to have found a new mentor in Kyle Wilkes.
- “I got Kyle handling my diet and Jared [Feather] handling my training, and they’ve been in contact with each other,” Walker said on Nov 7, 2024.
The 2021 Arnold Classic champion pulled out of this year’s Olympia mere days before he was scheduled to appear at bodybuilding’s biggest show.
Nick Walker & Co. Eye 2025 Comeback
Walker talked a big game ahead of the ’24 Olympia, which included claims of his being discounted as a serious contender for a top-five finish. “Keep counting me out, I love it,” Walker said in August.
It was not to be, as Walker and Jansen collectively announced that his body was not “ready” to go pose-for-pose with the world’s best bodybuilders at the time. The pair parted ways shortly after the “O” wrapped in Las Vegas as Jansen signaled his intent to move away from coaching at the pro level.
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Enter Wilkes & the Renaissance Periodization (RP) outfit. “We’ve been making great progression here,” Walker remarked of the plans laid out by his newly-staffed war room.
Kyle Wilkes & Jared Feather
Wilkes maintains a robust clientele of bodybuilders across the sport’s various divisions, focusing largely on top performers in the National Physique Committee (NPC). He’s also worked with prominent personalities in the fitness industry like influencer Jesse James West.
Feather, an IFBB pro bodybuilder and M.S. in Exercise Physiology, is part of Renaissance Periodization alongside Dr. Mike Israetel. Walker indicated on social media that he’s followed curated workouts from Feather on the RP app since mid-October.
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Nick Walker: What’s Next?
Walker, who has clung to his fan-favorite reputation, is looking to make a big splash in bodybuilding in 2025. He’s not yet said when he’ll be seen on a stage again, though on Nov. 1 Walker mentioned passing on the 2025 Arnold Classic.
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Featured Image: @nick_walker39 / Instagram
