💪 9 Smaller Bodybuilders Who Were Absolute "Giant Killers"

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From the days of David vs. Goliath, history has its fair share of "giant killers." And so does bodybuilding! Here are 9 bodybuilders under 200 pounds who earned that nickname.

Nick Walker didn't get another Arnold Classic trophy this year, and he's finally giving his reactions after the competition where Samson Dauda won in an upset.

Plus: Is the pec deck superior to cable flyes? Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford weighs in.

HISTORY

Giant-Killing Machines

Bodybuilding is often seen as a size game, with the biggest competitors on the stage arguably being the most impressive. But pure muscle mass isn’t the only thing judges consider during a competition. Symmetry, proportion, posing, and confidence also matter, and that’s why the most muscular bodybuilders don’t always win.

Though many of the most successful athletes in the Men’s Open division regularly tip the scale at 250 pounds or more, plenty of smaller bodybuilders throughout the sport’s history proved themselves more than capable of toppling their larger rivals. And below, you’ll find nine bodybuilders under 200 pounds who specialized in doing just that.

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COMPETITION RECAP

Walker Bares His Soul

Heading into the 2023 Arnold Classic, all eyes were on Nick Walker. After coming in third at the 2022 Mr. Olympia just months earlier, “The Mutant” was the presumptive favorite among bodybuilding analysts.

But Walker didn’t leave Columbus, OH, as the champ on March 4 — instead, the judges awarded that honor to Samson Dauda, who had placed sixth at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. This left Walker in the runner-up spot and Andrew Jacked in third place.

On March 14, 2023, Walker took to his Mutant & the Mouth podcast to talk about his Arnold experience with co-host and former 212 competitor, Guy Cisternino. Watch the entire interview below.

TRAINING

Best Pec Pump?

Bodybuilder Derek Lunsford hasn’t slowed down in the gym much after finishing second at the 2022 Mr. Olympia back in December — his debut in the Men’s Open division. His YouTube channel is packed with new workouts every week, where he walks subscribers through his latest routines, detailing how and why he trains the way he does.

In a video published on March 14, Lunsford gave pointers on how to attack chest day — more specifically, which he opts for in the pec deck vs. cables debate. Check out his in-depth thoughts below!

THE DROPSET

Yates' Favorite Back Builder

• Mr. Olympia legend Dorian Yates gives insight into his FAVORITE back exercise. And he knows a thing or two about building award-winning backs!

• Love to deadlift? So do we. And you can get more out of those epic pulling sessions by varying up how you're deadlifting. We've got 15 great variations to try.

• The Zercher Squat is an old-school exercise for lower body strength and power. And it's also a tricky one to master. Check out our Zercher Squat Guide to get started the right way.