Nick Walker is heading into the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro with a lot to prove, but if his current progress is anything to go by, “The Mutant” could be headed back to the Olympia stage this year. The bodybuilder recently shared his quad dominant leg day workout, and he’s looking like a true mutant.
Walker last competed at Mr. Olympia in 2022 but he did place first in the 2024 New York Pro before deciding to take some time out to reset. With the Pittsburgh Pro just weeks away, the Men’s Open competitor is all about adding mass to those already humongous quads. Here is his workout, shared via the HD Muscle YouTube channel.
Nick Walker’s Quad-Dominant Leg Day Workout
Aim for 2 to 3 sets, 10 to 12 reps, working with a weight that is 80-90% toward failure.
- Leg Extensions (warmup)
- Hack Squats
- Bodyweight Walking Lunge (aim for 20 strides per leg)
- Abductor Machine
- Calf Raises
Workout Breakdown
“This is the three-week-out leg day,” explained Walker as he walked us through this epic workout ahead of the all-important Pittsburgh Pro. “More quad dominant. We do legs twice a week, Mondays and Fridays. Monday will be more hamstring (focused), today we’re doing more quads.”
For the purpose of limbering up, The Mutant explains that for any of his leg workouts, he always starts with a hamstring exercise. “I just personally believe that helps warm up the knees, get everything activated,” he observes. The warmup weapon of choice here is the leg extension.
Moving on to the working sets, the gigantic bodybuilder begins with the seated leg curl, and then the hack squat. “Slow and controlled, contract hard,” advises the athlete. Walker actually completes a regular hack squat, and then a linear hack squat variation that is more akin to the leg press to crush those quads from all angles. Then it is on to the bodyweight walking lunges. “Never underestimate bodyweight lunges,” says the big man. The abductor machine is next and will add further width and mobility to his hips and thighs.
For his finisher, Walker throws in a final glute movement, “because I just feel like you should,” he says. The Mutant ends on calf raises and says that since he is hitting his legs hard, the workout does not need to be too long, so he keeps it simple. He is also an advocate of training towards failure, rather than fitting complete failure, to avoid injury and “too much fatigue.” The Mutant also likes to cool down with a walk on the treadmill to stay “loose.” Walker says that this leg day workout gave him a pretty good pump, so be sure you try it on your next quad dominant leg day.!
Watch Nick Walker’s full quad dominant leg day workout
