Martin “The Martian” Fitzwater is looking to make a better showing of himself after a disappointing fifth-place finish at the 2025 Mr. Olympia final. And, with an early qualification to the 2026 event in Las Vegas, Fitzwater is building momentum by leaning into novel moves such as the cable Nordic curl. While this exercise requires some setting up, the big man says that it has become his favorite hamstring go-to. So here’s how to try it for yourself.
“Cable Nordic Curls? Romanian Chair Hamstring Curls? I don’t know what you call it, but this is a new favorite of Brett Wilkin and I’s,” explained Fitzwater in a recent Instagram post for his almost 320,000 followers.
While standard Nordic curls target the hamstrings by anchoring the lower legs, requiring an individual to use their upper legs to raise and lower the torso, Fitzwater’s hack also utilizes a cable hookup to rack up the intensity.
How Martin Fitzwater Performs Cable Nordic Curls
To produce a force that requires more than his bodyweight to make the curl, Fitzwater installs himself on a hyperextension / Roman chair. He’s wearing a cable belt attachment just under the armpits, and the cable is out in front.
The Martian then anchors his ankles and pushes his knees firmly into the pads so that his lower body is fixed in place. “Ankle and knees firmly pushed into the pad don’t hyperextend, but rather pull hips straight back, curling at the knee,” notes Fitzwater of the proper form. “You want to keep upper body in a straight line and try to keep movement out of your low back.”
How Cable Nordic Curls Improve Strength and Muscle Development
The hamstring is made up of three muscles (biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and the semitendinosus) and by reducing accessibility to the lower legs, the hamstrings, hips, and lower back take on more of the load instead. This hammers the hamstrings and builds mass in the upper leg. So, by adding additional weight via a cable, the potential for hypertrophy becomes even more intense. Some people use a barbell for additional weight but a cable can be a sensible option, because the path of the exercise is fixed, meaning there is less chance of injury and more opportunity to target the hamstrings.
Martin Fitzwater qualified for the 2026 Olympia with an impressive physique at the EVLS Prague Pro last October, but he will be sharing the stage against the likes of current champion, Derek Lunsford, and previous Mr. Olympias like Samson Dauda and Hadi Choopan. It makes sense then, that he would incorporate even the most novel of moves as he tries to edge out the competition. To replicate these cable Nordic curls for yourself, “Start light,” advises The Martian. “It’s very heavy and humbling.”
To follow Martin Fitzwater on Instagram, click here.
