Martin “The Martian” Fitzwater is one of the fastest-rising names in Men’s Open bodybuilding. 💪
In just a few short years, he has gone from a promising amateur to a three-time IFBB Pro winner and a regular in Olympia and Arnold Classic top-five battles.
This is his updated story for 2026: his background, his real measurements, his full contest record, and how he trains and eats.
Martin Fitzwater Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full name | Martin Fitzwater |
| Nickname | The Martian |
| Born | 6 January 1997 |
| Age in 2026 | 29 years old |
| Nationality | American |
| Division | IFBB Pro League Men’s Open |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (172 cm) |
| Competition weight | About 255–265 lb (116–120 kg) |
| Pro card | 2020 NPC North American Championships, Heavyweight winner |
| Pro wins | 3 (Detroit Pro 2024, EVLS Prague Pro 2024, EVLS Prague Pro 2025) |
| Olympia appearances | 3 (2024, 2025, 2026) |
| Best Olympia result | 4th place, 2024 |
| Coach | Stefan Kienzl (as reported in 2025–2026) |
Early Life and Athletic Background
Fitzwater grew up in Wyoming, where altitude, hard winters and small-town sport shaped his toughness early on. 🏔️
Before bodybuilding, he was a thrower and football player, competing in shot put and discus for the University of Wyoming.
He became a three-time state shot put champion and a two-time discus champion in high school, and he later studied kinesiology and health promotion at Wyoming.
That throwing background shows in his physique today: powerful hips, thick legs and a work capacity built on years of technical, repetitive training.
After college, he worked on construction crews while funding his early competitions, before committing to bodybuilding full-time in 2020.
He later moved his training base to Texas, where he has worked with experienced coaches including Branch Warren and Stefan Kienzl.
Photo: Martin Fitzwater Instagram
From Amateur to IFBB Pro
Fitzwater’s amateur run was steady rather than overnight. He won the 2017 NPC Colorado State Championships and kept climbing through the junior and national ranks.
In 2019, he won the NPC Colorado State Championships again and finished fifth in the Heavyweight class at the NPC USA Championships.
The breakthrough came in 2020, when he won the Heavyweight title at the NPC North American Championships and earned his IFBB Pro card. 🏆
His early pro seasons were a learning curve. He placed fourth at the 2021 Texas Pro and fifth at the 2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro.
Then came 2022: second place at the Texas Pro behind Andrew Jacked, and fourth place at the Arnold Classic UK in his first taste of an Arnold stage.
He took the whole 2023 season off to add size and improve his physique, a gamble that paid off spectacularly in 2024.
The Breakout: 2024 Season
Fitzwater returned in April 2024 and won the Detroit Pro Men’s Open, his first IFBB Pro victory and his ticket to the Mr. Olympia. 🎉
A month later, he pushed Nick Walker all the way at the New York Pro, finishing second by a single point in a contest many fans felt he could have won.
At his Olympia debut in October 2024, he shocked the sport by finishing fourth, ahead of established stars such as Brandon Curry and William Bonac.
He did not stop there. Just weeks later, he won the 2024 EVLS Prague Pro, beating Classic Physique great Chris Bumstead in Bumstead’s Open debut, along with Shaun Clarida.
That Prague win also qualified him early for the 2025 Olympia, giving him a full year to prepare.
Photo: Will Wittman
2025: Top Five Again, Then Prague Glory Again
Fitzwater kept his 2025 season short and sharp. His only show before the Olympia was the Pittsburgh Pro, where he finished third behind Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker.
At the 2025 Mr. Olympia, won by Derek Lunsford, Fitzwater finished fifth, again ahead of Walker, who placed sixth.
Weeks later, he defended his Prague title in style. At the 2025 EVLS Prague Pro, he beat reigning 2024 Mr. Olympia Samson Dauda into second place, with Michal Krizo third.
After that win, he summed up his confidence in his own words: “the physique I’m bringing now is something very, very dangerous.”
2026: Arnold Classic Double, Then a Tough Olympia
Fitzwater opened 2026 on the Arnold Classic stage for the first time in Ohio, finishing fourth in Columbus behind winner Andrew Jacked, Nick Walker and Hadi Choopan. 🇺🇸
He then travelled to the Arnold Classic UK, where he finished fourth again, this time behind Jacked, Brandon Curry and Patrick Moore.
The Ohio weekend also brought controversy. Fitzwater was criticised for refusing to shake Walker’s hand on stage and for celebrating when Walker was announced runner-up.
He later issued a public apology on 12 March 2026, taking full responsibility for his behaviour, and reports said sponsors RAW Nutrition and Elev8 Foods parted ways with him.
At the 2026 Mr. Olympia, won by Nick Walker, Fitzwater finished 12th on the official scorecard — his lowest Olympia placing after fourth in 2024 and fifth in 2025.
It was a humbling result, but it does not erase what he built: three pro wins and three straight Olympia appearances by the age of 29.
Martin Fitzwater Contest Record
| Year | Contest | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mr. Olympia, Men’s Open | 12th |
| 2026 | Arnold Classic UK, Men’s Open | 4th |
| 2026 | Arnold Classic Ohio, Men’s Open | 4th |
| 2025 | EVLS Prague Pro, Men’s Open | 1st |
| 2025 | Mr. Olympia, Men’s Open | 5th |
| 2025 | Pittsburgh Pro, Men’s Open | 3rd |
| 2024 | EVLS Prague Pro, Men’s Open | 1st |
| 2024 | Mr. Olympia, Men’s Open | 4th |
| 2024 | New York Pro, Men’s Open | 2nd |
| 2024 | Detroit Pro, Men’s Open | 1st |
| 2022 | Arnold Classic UK, Men’s Open | 4th |
| 2022 | Texas Pro, Men’s Open | 2nd |
| 2021 | Legion Sports Fest Pro, Men’s Open | 5th |
| 2021 | Texas Pro, Men’s Open | 4th |
| 2020 | NPC North American Championships, Heavyweight | 1st (pro card) |
| 2019 | NPC USA Championships, Heavyweight | 5th |
| 2019 | NPC Colorado State Championships | 1st |
| 2018 | NPC Junior USA Championships, Light Heavyweight | 2nd |
| 2017 | NPC Colorado State Championships | 1st |
What Makes His Physique Stand Out?
Judges consistently reward Fitzwater’s dense legs, full chest and thick back, plus a front pose that is among the strongest in the Open class. 🦵
His quad sweep and adductor thickness make an immediate impression, and his shoulder roundness gives him a wide, complete silhouette.
His main areas for improvement, noted by analysts, are back width and midsection control in late comparisons against champions such as Lunsford, Choopan and Dauda.
That is also why his 2024–2025 rise impressed so many: he kept improving his weak points without losing the density that is his trademark.
Martin Fitzwater Diet Plan
Fitzwater’s diet changes sharply between off-season and contest prep, so no single daily menu tells the whole story. 🍗
In shared full days of eating, he has reported around 5,000 calories in heavier training phases, dropping to roughly 4,000 calories in late prep to sharpen conditioning.
His approach is high-protein, high-carbohydrate and low-fat, built around lean meats, rice, oats and Cream of Rice, with vegetables and simple intra-workout carbs around training.
A typical prep-style day, as he has shared it, runs to six or seven meals: egg whites with oats or cream of rice, chicken with rice, a pre-workout chicken or turkey meal, an intra-workout carb drink, post-workout chicken with rice or potatoes, a shake with cream of rice, and lean fish or chicken with vegetables.
He keeps fat low around training to help digestion, and he loads most of his carbs around the workout window for fuel and recovery.
Exact calorie and gram figures are not published as a fixed prescription, and they shift through prep, so treat the numbers above as reported examples, not a plan to copy.
Photo: Martin Fitzwater Instagram
Martin Fitzwater Workout Routine
Fitzwater trains six days a week, splitting the body so each muscle group gets heavy, focused work with plenty of volume. 🏋️
Day one pairs chest and delts, often starting with a pre-exhaust isolation move such as pec-deck flyes before incline Smith presses and machine presses.
Day two is back, built around lat pulldowns, chest-supported rows and machine rows, finishing with rear-delt flyes.
Day three targets hamstrings, with single-leg curls, lying and seated curls, Romanian deadlifts and single-leg presses, plus adductor work.
Day four returns to shoulders, with cable lateral raises, dumbbell or machine presses and rear-delt flyes, often using rest-pause or cluster sets.
Day five is quad-focused, with leg extensions, hack squats or hip presses, unilateral leg presses and unilateral leg extensions.
Day six finishes the week with arms: cable extensions, pushdowns, curls, machine dips and overhead extensions, with rep ranges mostly between 8 and 15.
His trademark lifts, as previously reported, include a 465 lb bench press for 8 reps, a 465 lb incline press for 7 reps and a 675 lb deadlift for 3 reps.
He also trains with fellow IFBB Pro Brett Wilkin, and the pair are known for pushing each other through long, intense sessions.
What’s Next for Fitzwater?
After a difficult 2026 Olympia, the question is how he responds. His coach Stefan Kienzl said in April 2026 that he believes Fitzwater can win a Mr. Olympia title in time. 🔮
To get there, he will need to bring back the sharp conditioning of his Prague wins and hold it through a full Olympia weekend.
He has already shown he can beat an Olympia champion head-to-head. The next step is doing it on the sport’s biggest stage.
Fans can also follow his fellow Open contenders, including Regan Grimes, who finished seventh at the 2026 Olympia, as the new Open landscape takes shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Martin Fitzwater?
Martin Fitzwater was born on 6 January 1997, so he is 29 years old in 2026.
How tall is Martin Fitzwater?
Martin Fitzwater is 5 ft 8 in (172 cm) tall, which makes his 255–265 lb competition weight especially dense for his frame.
Has Martin Fitzwater won the Mr. Olympia?
No. His best Olympia result is fourth place in 2024, followed by fifth in 2025 and 12th in 2026. He has not yet won an Olympia title.
Has Martin Fitzwater won the Arnold Classic?
No. His best Arnold Classic results are fourth place in Ohio in 2026, fourth place at the Arnold Classic UK in 2026, and fourth place at the Arnold Classic UK in 2022.
How many pro shows has Martin Fitzwater won?
Three: the Detroit Pro in 2024 and the EVLS Prague Pro in both 2024 and 2025.
What is Martin Fitzwater’s nickname?
He is known as “The Martian”, a play on his surname and his out-of-this-world rise in the Open division.