Check Out Nick Walker and Kamal Elgargni’s Dedicated Hamstring Training

The 2022 Olympia weekend, scheduled for Dec. 16-18, 2022, is fast approaching. Elite bodybuilders who have qualified to compete on the sport’s grandest stage will soon exit their off-seasons and begin their contest preps. That’s what Men’s Open competitor Nick Walker and former 212 Olympia champion Kamal Elgargni are setting themselves up for.

The duo took to Walker’s YouTube channel on June 7, 2022, for a dedicated hamstring training session at the MI40 gym in Tampa, FL. According to a June 8, 2022 post on Walker’s Instagram page, he weighs 295 pounds. He’ll lean out during his prep but will likely bring significant size to the Olympia stage in an attempt to improve upon his fifth-place finish in his Olympia debut in 2021.

Elgargni seeks a physique that will return him to the top of the podium in the 212 division — he assumed the throne in 2019 after Flex Lewis vacated it. Check out their training session below:

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This isn’t the first time Walker and Elgargni have trained together. They’ve previously hit a heavy leg day and an intense back day together. They kicked off their hamstring workout with hamstring curls. Walker chose to go particularly heavy in this exercise and appeared not to achieve as much contraction as Elgargni, though Walker’s legs have far more size than the former 212 champ’s.

The duo continued hammering their hamstrings with standing single-leg hamstring curls. They utilized the standing leg curl machine uniquely by positioning themselves on the outside. So rather than stand with both legs pinned to the pads, they stand with the left leg is where the right leg is intended to go. This allows more freedom on the non-working side, which they can set up for better stability during their sets.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Nick "the Mutant" Walker (@nick_walker39)

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It’s unclear how many sets Elgargni and Walker performed given the video’s edit, but Walker takes an aside to say that 20 reps are the benchmark.

Nothing by 20 reps — that’s the magic number. Jay Cutler would say 12’s…20’s are ours.

The third exercise of the session was seated hamstring curls. Walker pressed his hands against the pad to ensure his back remained aligned with the seat. Elgargni chose to keep his hands on his legs for his first set, presumably to ensure he was contracting the targeted muscle group.

The bodybuilders switched over to free weights for stiff leg Romanian deadlifts. This variation of the movement places a longer stretch on the hamstrings. They worked up to four 45-pound weight plates on each side of the barbell.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Kamal Elgargni (@ifbb_pro_kamal_elgargni)

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Walker and Elgargni furthered their session with a superset of reps on the abductor machine and weighted sumo deadlifts, followed by reps on the adductor machine. They closed with standing calf raises, and seated calf raises.

Both Elgargni and Walker are contenders for the top of their respective divisions. Elgargni will attempt to dethrone Derek Lunsford, who captured the 212 Olympia crown from Shaun Clarida. Walker aims to take the Sandow trophy from two-time reigning Mr. Olympia Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay.

Featured image: @ifbb_pro_kamal_elgargni on Instagram