by Christian Duque
In a current interview “The Mutant” Nick Walker acknowledged that he didn’t like to take action many visitor posing appearances. His take was based mostly on the truth that bodybuilders that do these appearances are oftentimes within the offseason and don’t look their greatest. He additionally talked about how folks gave him a number of crap for his midsection and the way he didn’t assume it was essential for bodybuilders to get on stage and do this type of work. He then tried to make it seem to be an industry-wide factor, by stating that 8 out of 10 occasions there can be distention within the midsections of bodybuilders getting on stage to visitor pose.
He additionally talked about consuming within the low season. He pointed to the wrath of the followers when it got here to their favourite rivals getting onstage and never being in contest situation. And I believed this was attention-grabbing as a result of right here we’ve got a bodybuilder who aspires to be Mr Olympia, who is taken into account a prime contender [on paper], and any person who’s a serious draw with followers all all over the world. I take a look at how he seemed in Pittsburgh this 12 months and final 12 months and it type of begins to make a bit little bit of sense. I feel it’s very attention-grabbing that Walker feels the necessity to make it about all prime rivals. That complete “8x out of 10x” is bullshit. When did Dexter Jackson, Gustavo Badell, or Kai Greene appear like shit once they visitor posed? They could not have been in contest form, however they took their visitor posing appearances severely. The followers solely get pissed when a man appears to be like like trash on stage. Let’s not get it twisted. Nick is telling a half-truth and hoping nobody will name him out for it. That is TEXTBOOK Nick Walker. (Sorry not sorry)
As you guys know, I’m not an enormous Nick Walker fan when it comes to his persona. I don’t like the truth that he has me blocked and I don’t like the truth that he has such skinny pores and skin in the case of criticism. Whether or not it’s constructive criticism or unfavorable trolling, he’s going to dam you as a result of he can’t take it. He can’t settle for anybody questioning him. And that’s not likely a really robust ambassadorial high quality ought to he ever maintain the best title in sport. He has already held the second highest title by successful an Arnold Basic – even when it was a lackluster lineup that 12 months. Nonetheless, he has received the second greatest title in Columbus, and he has received the third greatest title, 3 times, on the New York Professional. That being mentioned, he has by no means held the largest title and he most likely by no means will. That’s as a result of he’s a reasonably dangerous ambassador. And for my part, he isn’t somebody who works laborious sufficient to be #1.
How can I qualify that? How can I, a mere author, say that Nick Walker, top-of-the-line bodybuilders on the planet, doesn’t work laborious sufficient? Over time we’ve got heard this remark made about guys like Chris Cormier and Flex wheeler. “Oh they didn’t work laborious sufficient. Oh they might have carried out this or they might have carried out that.” And often I might say that writers that make these sorts of statements might very nicely fall into the class of being trolls, however with a few of these guys that I simply talked about earlier, they’d the genetics they usually had the stability, so possibly they actually didn’t work laborious sufficient. I take a look at a man like Lionel Beyeke. He had phenomenal construction, lovely muscle bellies, large movement, however one thing about his situation simply didn’t work in his favor when it got here to the competition. So many individuals thought Beyeke might win the Olympia however he by no means did. Perhaps he didn’t work laborious sufficient, possibly it was one thing else. Regardless of the case may need been, the subject of how laborious somebody works comes up with elite stage guys that don’t make all of it the best way. When Nick Walker says that he doesn’t like visitor posings as a result of he can’t deal with the criticism, it makes me assume that he’s lazy. As a result of the followers solely get pissed when visitor posers appear like absolute trash. Don’t are available in trying like a pile of shit, and try to be okay.
Visitor posing appearances for the highest guys may also be a really profitable supplemental earnings stream. Not solely do they receives a commission massive cash, nevertheless it’s money cash. Now I’m not saying that bodybuilders don’t at all times pay their taxes, however when any person fingers you $10,000 in a brown paper bag backstage, who’s to say that everybody pays taxes on each greenback in that bag. And plus, money is king. For those who’ve acquired a competitor going to a present making $10,000 to strut up and down the stage for 10 minutes after which possibly signal some autographs at a sales space after the present, that’s fairly straightforward cash. Not solely that, however a number of rivals will parlay that cash and cost for these autographs, or promote dietary supplements from their sponsors on the cubicles.
I imply there’s simply so many various methods to become profitable by visitor posing appearances. And if rivals are already going to be on the town for a few days on the promoter’s expense, they might additionally promote personal one hour 1:1 coaching packages with their most hardcore followers. A man like Nick Walker might simply cost $500 for some fortunate fan to coach an hour with them after which go get some meals at Chipotle. And in the event you assume I’m kidding, assume once more. And $500 is definitely possibly low ball. Perhaps if Nick actually wished to advertise himself he might cost a grand. Within the sport of bodybuilding there’s at all times a loopy fan keen to spend any amount of cash to really feel like they’re buddies with their favourite heroes.
But when cash isn’t what motivates a star athlete, possibly it’s respect. Visitor posing is an effective way to develop a fanbase. It’s additionally an effective way to place your title on the map with out having to compete. And if you recognize something about working an viewers and dealing a stage, you’ll be able to undoubtedly create an amazing quantity of buzz for your self with out struggling a 16 week prep to compete.
Visitor posing has at all times been a improbable manner for rivals to become profitable and get their names on the market. So for a man like Nick Walker to complain about any doable unfavorable suggestions or any criticisms, will not be solely weak, nevertheless it makes him look lazy. Does he actually need to be Mr Olympia? If he’d relatively keep residence than visitor pose, why is he aspiring to be the sports activities #1 ambassador to the world? You must journey an terrible lot while you’ve received the Sandow, my man. It’s sort of an unstated requirement. Perhaps as a substitute of being Mr O, Nick ought to turn into a full-time podcaster. Then he’d by no means have to depart residence once more. He might order his groceries with Amazon Prime and entertain friends in his lounge. His solely touring necessities would then be restricted to strolling over to the fridge, the shitter, and out to the mailbox.
I hope that the Federation and the judges are studying alongside. Our present Mr O, Samson Dauda, has toured the world extensively. There are nations that he has been to twice and thrice since successful the title. He’s a throwback to Brandon and Flexitron; he’s a throwback to Ronnie and Jay. However think about if we had a Mr Olympia like Nick. The man doesn’t need to visitor pose, most likely doesn’t need to work expos, most likely doesn’t need to do in-store appearances. What sort of a Mr O is he going to be? We don’t have magazines anymore, message boards are relatively useless, so this man goes to point out up in Las vegas, win a shit ton of cash, after which disappear? We already had that with Hadi and Ramy. Do we would like that once more with Nick?
I don’t know who manages Nick and I don’t know who he has in his camp, but when he’s going to make ridiculous statements like those he made on this current interview, then possibly any person ought to get in his ear and inform him to close up. There isn’t a ambassadorial worth to having Nick Walker as Mr O with an perspective like this. You may have a bodybuilder who’s scared to visitor pose – that’s not a bodybuilder that ought to be the face of the game. That’s simply my two cents. I can’t sit right here and say something however the reality.
As at all times, thanks for taking the time to learn my article, right here, at IronMag. I stay up for studying your suggestions within the feedback. Do you agree with me? Do you agree {that a} bodybuilder that’s scared to visitor pose due to constructive criticism or unfavorable suggestions is a man we would like because the face of the game? No matter your opinion could also be, I’ll respect it. Please copy and paste a hyperlink to this text on all of your social media feeds. I assure you it’s going to drum up some fairly full of life dialog.
