Martin “Marsigi” Fitzwater wants to find himself after a disappointing fifth place in the finals of Mr. Olympia 2025. And with an early qualification for the 2026 event in Las Vegas, Fitzwater is gaining momentum by relying on new moves like the cable Nordic curl. While the exercise takes some getting used to, the big man says it’s become one of his favorite pastimes. 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 it’s Brett Wilkin’s new favorite.” and i” explained Fitzwater in a recent Instagram post to his nearly 320,000 followers.
While standard Nordic curls target the hamstrings by anchoring the lower legs and requiring the individual to use the upper legs to raise and lower the trunk, The Fitzwater hack also uses a cable connection to boost voltage.
How Martin Fitzwater Performs Cable Nordic Curls
To create a force that requires more than his body weight to create a curl, Fitzwater sets himself up on a hyperextension/Roman bench. He wears the cable belt just under the armpit and the cable is in front.
The rider then anchors his legs and pushes his knees up hard to keep his lower body in place. “Ankles and knees pushed hard into the pillow don’t hyperextend, but pull the legs straight back and rotate at the knee,” notes Fitzutter of proper form. “You want to keep your upper body in a straight line and try to keep the movement out of your low back.”
How Nordic Curls Improve Strength and Muscle Development
The muscle consists of three muscles (biceps bony, semimembranous and semitendinosus) and by reducing access 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 extra weight through the cable, the potential for hypertrophy is even more intense. Some people use barbells for extra weight, but cables can be a smart option because the path of the exercise is fixed, meaning there’s less chance of injury and more opportunity to target the bars.
Martin Fitzwater qualified for the 2026 Olympics last October at the EVLS Prague Pro with an impressive physique, but he’ll share the stage with reigning champion Derek Lunsford and former Mr. Olympians like Samson Dauda and Hodi Chupan. It makes sense then that he even includes the latest moves as he tries to beat the competition. To repeat these Nordic cable curls yourself, “Start light” advises The Martian. “It’s very heavy and humbling.”
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