STRAIGHT TALK WITH ROGER WALKER (JULY 2025)
Q & A WITH ROGER WALKER - TRAINING METHODOLOGIES, TECHNIQUES AND PRINCIPLES.
As a follow up to the premier edition of STRAIGHT TALK WITH ROGER WALKER we will delve further into Roger’s bodybuilding philosophies by sharing his views on all things training related.
Once again, most of what follows is straight from Herculean Walker’s mouth!
Roger is a class act, a true gentleman and his candid and honest approach is very refreshing.
If you haven’t already read the premier edition of ‘STRAIGHT TALK WITH ROGER WALKER (APRIL 2025)’ I urge you to do so. Another great read is ‘WALK AND DON’T LOOK BACK’ THE ROGER WALKER STORY’ .
STRAIGHT TALK WITH ROGER WALKER
Following is a Q&A session I had with the Roger in 25th of March 2025.
MIKE MENTZER, ARTHUR JONES, HEAVY DUTY TRAINING, NAUTILUS EQUIPMENT AND THE COLORADO EXPERIMENT.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: Roger, there is a lot of hysteria around Mike Mentzer, Arthur Jones, Nautilus Equipment and “Heavy Duty Training” these days. I was wondering what your experiences or views were on this form of training?
ROGER WALKER: Arthur Jones …. A very good marketer. The nautilus stuff was innovative in some ways, they used sprockets instead of just normal cables so you didn’t get any stretch in the movement. You would get 99.9% efficiency from a sprocket and chain over cable driven machines. Nautilus equipment was very expensive however and the stories about the outcomes of using the equipment were largely a big con. The Colorado Experiment for instance, now that was just nonsense. They took a guy, Casey Viator, who was at the end of a serious layoff who just rebounded to his normal state after returning to training. They tried to credit Nautilus Equipment and Arthur Jone’s training theories to his success. The story I heard was Viator would have one of those Arthur workouts, finish it and jump in his car and drive across town to have his real workout. I heard that story from Wag Bennett. He told me the thing was utter, utter bullshit. I’m sure Viator was on performance enhancing drugs, thats how you come back. You have muscle memory and you just go BANG!
Casey Viator becoming the youngest winner of the AAU Mr America in 1971. Viator was considered on of the most genetically gifted bodybuilders of his time.
Casey Viator training on the Nautilus Double Shoulder Machine during the Colorado Experiment. His transformation was incredible, but was it down to muscle memory, secret workouts and performance enhancing drugs?
Casey Viator added 45lbs of muscle to his frame in 28 days. It was said he got there using only Nautilus Equipment with a handful of workouts. How he really got there has always been debated.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: What about you experience with Nautilus equipment?
ROGER WALKER: There wasn’t any Nautilus equipment around in Australia, so I had limited exposure to it. So overall I didn’t have a great deal of experience with Nautilus equipment. I never had the need or urge to use it to any great extent either. I much preferred dumbbells and barbells.
Arthur Jones explaining the concept of his Nautilus equipment range to interested onlookers. The “Blue Monster” was an early Nautilus prototype (Culver City, CA, 1970)
Arthur Jones training on the Nautilus Pullover Machine during the Colorado Experiment. His results were not as impressive as the rebounding Casey Viator.
Arthur Jones training on the Nautilus Double Shoulder Machine during the Colorado Experiment.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: What about Mike Mentzer and his “Heavy Duty Training” theories?
ROGER WALKER: As for Mike Mentzer and his “Heavy Duty Training” once again that was great marketing. Im not sure if it was him or someone else that come up with the story. The problem with bodybuilding is to come out with a magazine every month a variety of stories are required to keep the reader engaged. The publishers needed different stories no matter how valid they were to keep the reader coming back. However, with bodybuilding this is extremely difficult because it is not that complicated despite what many preach. Its the same old story and it could be summarised in a couple of pages. In reality bodybuilding is like telling nursery rhymes. Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, its the same old story no matter which way you spin it. People can come up with all sorts of stories.
So the likes of Mentzer cleverly looked for a perceived point of difference to standout from the rest of us. He was able to monetise his bodybuilding efforts. Very clever. In his case he preached the exact opposite to what every high level bodybuilder was practicing. He sold the story of less work and a diet primarily of carbohydrates. An easier way out reinforced by unfounded “Scientific Methods” to fool the gullible masses.
Mike was another of the “Heavy Duty” advocates that trained in secret with conventional methods. That’s a fact.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: So “Heavy Duty Training” is not for you?
ROGER WALKER: No! It is not optimal for bodybuilding results. Practiced at its purists it is a recipe for injury and a disproportionate and unbalance physique. There are definitely better ways to train for optimal results.
Mike Mentzer takes Boyer Coe through the paces of a “Heavy Duty” training routine. The routine was limited to one to two sets to failure for each body part. Boyer would ultimately return to conventional training methods.
Mike Mentzer completing a”Heavy Duty” set on the Nautilus Pullover past failure. He pushed his “Heavy Duty” system with some cleaver marketing and unfounded “Scientific Methods” to fool the gullible masses.
Mike Mentzer completing a “Heavy Duty” set of barbell curls. Spotters at hand for forced reps to work past failure. Mentzer trained with great intensity but often used higher levels of volume contrary to what he preached.
WEIDER TRAINING PRINCIPLES
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: Lets change direction and talk about Joe Weider and the “Weider Training Principles”.
ROGER WALKER: These principles weren’t his ideas. There all valid for the most part but were plucked out of the mouths of real bodybuilders. He just stole them and claimed them as his own. He done very well in doing so. Most of his innovations came out of bodybuilding gyms not some imaginary made up clinic. Some of these so call principles were used 100 years ago. Nothing is new and nothing has changed.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: What about the principles themselves. I would like your viewpoint on them so we can share them with the readers. Let’s start with “Mind Muscle Connection”.
ROGER WALKER: Mind Muscle Connection is essential and very valid. To exercise properly you really need to focus your mind to the muscle being worked. When you do chins you focus on your back, you get your mind focused on that area. You cant train properly unless you do that. Thats why these silly little people that sit on these silly machines in gyms now never make any progress. They are just going through the motions. They are just going tick, tick, tick. Half these machines almost counter balance themselves, so they work themselves. There is no need for your muscles to stabilise the movement. Does that make sense. You see people that are on their phone and sitting at a machine. What the hell is going on. They are working the machine and reading a text message at the same time! How on earth can you be two places at once, you cant be. How can you do a leg extensions or something and read a text message at the same time and expect to get any real gains. You can’t, its just not possible to be two places at once. So put your phone away and do it properly! Focus on where you are.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: How about the “Continuous Tension” principle?
ROGER WALKER: Yes, very valid, and something that I practiced. It was safer as the amount of weight you can used deploying “Continuous Tension” is less when a set is complete in a controlled manner. You can better target the muscle for optimal results. Yes, definitely something I recommend. Being strong has always been the cornerstone of my training. However, strong to me meant preforming an exercise is a controlled full range motion without the need for cheating movements, forced reps or the like to lift more weight or complete more reps than I was capable of. “Continuous Tension” will ultimately lead to full development and real strength.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: How about the “Super Sets, Tri-sets and Giant-sets”?
ROGER WALKER: Yes, I used them. Everyone was using them. I would definitely employ them to a greater extent during the pre-contest phase. Very hard to do when done properly.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: What were your views on the “Cheating” principle?
ROGER WALKER: Not for me. Always a full movement where possible. Always a full movement. You need to control the weight! When you control a weight there is less chance for injury and ultimately your strength gains would exceed anything possible by cheating.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: How about “Forced Reps”, “Partial Reps”, “Negative Reps” and “Drop Sets”?
ROGER WALKER: Lets start with Forced Reps, no not for me. If you could do another rep you do another rep. No need for forced reps. Increase the weight instead of forcing out assisted reps. I believe those forced reps can be damaging. You are pushing your nerves beyond what is necessary, I have been told you can never use your muscle to 100% of its capacity. Your body won’t allow you. Forced Reps aren’t necessary.
I also didn’t preform Partial Reps and I wouldn’t recommend them. With a partial rep you are making the strong part of the range stronger. You’re not touching the weak part of the range, it increases the imbalance. I have never deliberately done a partial rep. I have never done “Drop Sets” or “Negative Reps” either. No, I didn’t use them. Not for me and wouldn’t recommend them.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: What about “Rest Pause”?
ROGER WALKER: No, never tried it. I would never recommend a brief pause to force out another potentially dangerous rep. Terminate the set if another repetition is not possible. Ideally, more would be grained by taking a shorter rest between sets to increase intensity in a safer manner.
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: Finally, can I have your opinion on the “Pre-Exhaust” method?
ROGER WALKER: Yes, a very good concept and one that should be used during different phases of your training. I used “Pre-Exhaust” training and I think thats it is a smart move. You don’t have to move into the red line area through excessive poundage to get results. You can lower the taco reading by employing a “Pre-Exhaust” set. But don’t be fooled its still just as intense. A very smart way to go. With “Pre-Exhaust” training you will be handling less weight but its not any easier. In fact, if done correctly it is more intense and difficult than almost every other method of training.
The Father of Bodybuilding, Joe Weider was also the Founder of the “Weider Research Clinic”. Unfortunately for us true believes we would ultimately find out the Research Clinic was nothing more than an empty broom closet.
One of many of Weider’s Muscle Courses from over the years. Great information for any inspiring bodybuilding beginner.
Joe Weider and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Without doubt the two most influential and passionate advocates of bodybuilding of all time.
TRAINING AIDS: WEIGHT BELTS, WRIST STRAPS, KNEE WRAPS AND GLOVES
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: Let’s change direction once again and talk about training aids. Did you use a weight belt, wrist straps, knee wraps or gloves when training?
ROGER WALKER: I used a belt but none of the others. I never used straps, I mean thats just silly. If you can’t pick it up, something is telling you something. God gave you five fingers so pick up a weight and if you can’t pick it up get a lighter weight and use that. If you can’t pick it up and you have to use a strap that means you are short circuiting your grip and your forearm. Aren’t you! So its dangerous. I didn’t use knee straps either. If you are strapping up your knees and there is nothing wrong with your knees why would you do this? Its just silly. Unless you are doing singles and you are a powerlifter you shouldn’t have to strap up your knees because your are actually making that part of your body weaker. You aren’t strengthening it. You are building in for weekness and not making that joint stronger. As for gloves, I never used gloves. I used a little bit of rubber from an inner tube for grip on occasions. That works better than gloves.
GOODBYE UNTIL NEXT TIME
VINTAGE BODYBUILDING MAGS: As usual Roger, it has been a pleasure chatting to you. Thanks for sharing your viewpoint on all topics bodybuilding. Im sure the readers will get a great deal of pleasure and a heap of useable information from your words of wisdom.
ROGER WALKER: Always a pleasure Michael!
In the next issue Roger will provide a modified “Civilian” version of his “TONNES PER HOUR” training program. It will be something that you could integrate into your training cycles. I have adopted Roger’s training mythologies myself with great success. My experience has been very favourable to say the least and I look forward to sharing my experience with you in the next issue of STRAIGHT TALK WITH ROGER WALKER.
In the meantime, please enjoy the array of articles below that put the spotlight on Australia’s Great Olympian!
Basic movements like squats, presses, rows, chins and dips were the cornerstone of Roger Walker’s development. Barbells and Dumbbells were always first preference when building his Herculean physique. Not a machine in sight!
The side chest pose of ROGER WALKER! What a sight!.