Shahriar Kamali, better known as King Kamali, is offering advice to bodybuilding star Nick Walker. On March 17, 2026, he urged Walker to improve his posing transitions, or he’ll be called out for having a bubble gut.
The 2026 Arnold Classic reshaped the Men’s Open class. Despite being counted out, Nick Walker presented arguably the greatest physique of his career. While fans thought he could end up winning the event, he took a close second place behind the newly crowned champ, Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea.
Presentation played a significant role in the results. As noted by IFBB Pro League judge Tyler Manion, Walker lost the most muscular pose because he chose a hands-on-hip variation, which exposed his thicker waist and obliques. According to King Kamali, these minor details ultimately dictated the show’s outcome.
King Kamali Calls Out Nick Walker’s Posing Transitions, Says ‘You’re Up There for 15 Minutes, Suck It Up’
In the video, Kamali shared that Jay Cutler urged Walker not to forget about his posing transitions.
“I was watching the Cutler Cast, and he was actually making a good point. He was saying that a lot of people are forgetting the transitions,” King Kamali shared.
He added that when Walker executes a front double biceps pose and switches to a side shot, he needs to exercise midsection control.
“He was talking about how he told Nick Walker a thousand times that when you go from the front double biceps or the front lat spread into the side shots, you can’t relax, no. You have to be in a transitional motion. It is almost like a dance.”
Kamali argued that the moment Walker relaxes his midsection onstage, fans or spectators take a photo and label it bubble gut:
“You know they are going to pick you apart. They are going to take a picture of you relaxed, and they are going to post it, and say bubble gut. You can’t let them. You’re up there for 15 minutes, 15 minutes… suck it up.”
Although Walker didn’t secure the crown or the $750,000 champion’s purse, he left Ohio feeling like a winner. He shared that his midsection control, posing, and conditioning helped him defeat Hadi Choopan for the first time in his career. Forging ahead, Walker has implemented a Dorian Yates-style training split to make improvements.
Posing sometimes gets overlooked in the Men’s Open, but it evidently had a huge impact on the Arnold Classic results. Should Walker practice more midsection control during transitions, Kamali is confident he could win another major bodybuilding title.
Watch the full video from the Iron OGs 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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