The bodybuilding community is still processing Nick Walker‘s silver medal finish at the 2026 Arnold Classic. On March 18, 2026, Guy Cisternino discussed assisting Walker for the event and shared that the biggest change was lowering his use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Columbus, Ohio, delivered an unpredictable showdown between Walker and Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea. After going pose-for-pose, Jacked narrowly secured the victory and the $750,000 winner’s purse. Despite coming up short, Walker labeled the experience a ‘win in itself.’ He also celebrated a career milestone, beating Hadi Choopan for the first time.
Speculation about Walker’s physique grew after the 2025 Mr. Olympia. He dropped his ex-coach, Kyle Wilkes, after they mistimed his peak, which resulted in a sixth-place finish. “The Mutant” opted to navigate his Arnold prep without a coach, but now it appears he had a second pair of eyes helping him come in at his best.
Guy Cisternino Says Biggest Change With Nick Walker for 2026 Arnold Classic Was “A Lot Lower PEDs”
In the video, Guy Cisternino was asked about Walker’s biggest change for the 2026 Arnold Classic. According to Cisternino, it was ‘a lot lower PEDs,’ and he added that diuretics were minimally used as well.
“A lot lower PEDs,” he replied. “I gave him sprinkles of diuretic. If we even used a full one I’d be shocked. I think we probably used three-quarters of one total. That wasn’t all at once. A little there, a little here, just to keep the water moving.”
Cisternino also revealed that Walker followed an aggressive carb-up strategy for Ohio:
“I’d ask him, are you still peeing, are you peeing good, because as soon as his pee slowed down, just a little bit, and keep it going. He ate Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday… he ate 1,100 grams of carbs a day. He was eating a lot of food.”
Since the Arnold Classic wrapped up, plenty of big names have offered Walker advice. Judge Terrick El Guindy implored him to find another coach. Meanwhile, Shahriar Kamali, better known as King Kamali, urged Walker to improve his transitions and keep his midsection under control. Head judge Steve Weinberger also shared this sentiment and suggested Walker add size to his legs moving forward.
As of this writing, Walker has yet to reveal his next bodybuilding contest. The qualification period for the 2026 Mr. Olympia ends on August 30, and the event is set to return to Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 24-27.
RELATED: Dennis James Had Hadi Choopan Winning 2026 Arnold Classic and Nick Walker Battling For 3rd Place
Watch the full video from the Fouad Abiad Media YouTube channel below:
Follow the 2026 Arnold Classic live – prejudging breakdowns, event recaps, expert analysis, and complete results as they happen. Get full coverage at our Arnold Classic hub: FitnessVolt.com/arnold-classic
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