After missing the Mr. Olympia for two consecutive years, Nick Walker is fighting to reclaim his position as one of the world’s best bodybuilders. He recently shared the upper body workout powering his comeback.
Walker won silver at the 2024 New York Pro, his most recent contest. In late December 2024, he confirmed his entry for the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro, showcasing its debut Men’s Open division contest on May 10-11.
The champion will receive a $100,000 cash prize. For Walker, this contest means more than collecting a paycheck; his future at Mr. Olympia depends on it.
Pittsburgh’s lineup is loaded with big-name threats, including 2025 Arnold Classic winner Derek Lunsford, Martin Fitzwater, Michal “Križo” Križánek, and Ugolnikov “Good Vito” Vitalii. The stakes are high, but Walker thrives on being counted out.
I’m looking at this like my little Olympia.
—Nick Walker
Walker’s Upper Body Workout Blueprint
- Cable Flyes
- Incline Press Machine
- Flat Press Machine
- Rowing Machine
- Assisted Pull-Up Machine
- Seated Side Delt Raise Superset 1A
- Dumbbell Shrugs 1B
- Seated Biceps Curl Machine
- Rope Triceps Pushdowns
[Related: Terrence Ruffin’s Upper Body Training With Hany Rambod 3 Weeks Out From Competition]
Walker is fine-tuning his physique via increased weekly training frequency to target his pectorals, back, deltoids, and arms. (1) Walker pushed blood into his chest with three sets of cable flyes in a 10-12 rep range.
Starting with an isolation movement pre-exhausts the muscle fibers with time under tension and, according to data gathered in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, can help promote hypertrophy. (2) It sets the stage for better muscle activation during compound movements that he followed up with, like the incline press and flat press. (3)
With chest and back handled, Walker moved on with delt-focused work to refine his shoulder definition. Lateral delt raises sharpen his shoulder-to-waist ratio, further enhancing proportions.
Shrugs activate the traps, and pairing them with a superset adds intensity with minimal resting periods, pushing Walker toward presenting a denser and more powerful look.
When something just feels right, just go with it.
—Nick Walker
Walker finished with biceps and triceps, using an antagonistic training approach to build his arms evenly. Training opposing muscle groups can improve symmetry and save time, leading to more efficient workouts. (4)
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References
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27102172/
- Trindade TB, Prestes J, Neto LO, et al. Effects of Pre-exhaustion Versus Traditional Resistance Training on Training Volume, Maximal Strength, and Quadriceps Hypertrophy. Front Physiol. 2019;10:1424. Published 2019 Nov 19. doi:10.3389/fphys.2019.01424 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31824336/
- Gołaś A, Maszczyk A, Pietraszewski P, Stastny P, Tufano JJ, Zając A. Effects of Pre-exhaustion on the Patterns of Muscular Activity in the Flat Bench Press. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(7):1919-1924. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001755 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27984499/
- Robbins DW, Young WB, Behm DG, Payne WR. Effects of agonist-antagonist complex resistance training on upper body strength and power development. J Sports Sci. 2009;27(14):1617-1625. doi:10.1080/02640410903365677 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19967584/
Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram
