Powerlifter turned Classic Physique bodybuilder Larry Wheels is getting peeled for his reattempt at an IFBB pro card at an upcoming bodybuilding show in May 2025. Wheels, a record-holding powerlifter, took a hiatus from the stage after silver-medaling the 2023 Classic Physique Olympia Amateur event due to dieting difficulties.
For his comeback, Wheels trained chest and practiced posing with Classic Physique bodybuilders Wesley Vissers and Urs Kalecinski in separate sessions in Cologne, Germany, during the 2025 FIBO Fitness Expo in mid-April 2025.
I haven’t felt strong because I haven’t been powerlifting. I used to leave the gym after one heavy set. Now it’s about contraction, stretch, and mindfully taxing the muscle.
—Larry Wheels
Due to weight cap struggles, Wheels will compete in the Open division in a few weeks before returning to Classic.
Chest Day With a Champion’s Mindset
At Evo Land Gym, Wheels and Vissers opened with machine chest presses.
If your chest is weak, use a full range of motion to fill it in…there’s no other choice.
—Wesley Vissers
The stretch and contraction are critical to muscle development. However, research is mixed on whether full range of motion is superior to partial reps, and indicates either can be beneficial. (1)
Achieving a deep stretch is the adjustment Wheels credits for his newfound muscle gains. Hypertrophy relies on time under tension and muscle recruitment. (2) Wheels employed a neutral grip, accentuating the contractions during converging incline machine chest presses.
Retaining Muscle During Prep
A mistake when prepping for a bodybuilding show is decreasing the weights too much, focusing only on volume, and stopping short of failure. (3) Vissers advised Wheels to incorporate at least one heavy exercise for eight to 12 reps per set to retain muscle, up to the week before competing.
Though research shows various rep ranges build muscle, lifting progressively heavier loads is still paramount for hypertrophy. (4) Strict form during lateral raises helps promote the V-taper aesthetic on stage.
[Related: Terrence Ruffin’s Upper Body Training With Hany Rambod 3 Weeks Out From Competition]
Dialing In the Details: Pecs and Macros
Wheels performed pec deck flyes with straight arms and elbows tight instead of flared to keep tension on the pecs and prevent front delt activation.
Cutting to 242 is nowhere as difficult with 200 carbs daily. When I cut to 232, it was zero carbs for six weeks.
—Larry Wheels
Kalecinski commented on the realities of depleting for a show:
Bodybuilding is the only sport where you’re in the worst shape on show day.
—Urs Kalecinski
Wheels’ Physique & Posing Tips
Aesthetically, Wheels’ upper body is on point, but he needs to bring up his legs, similar to Vissers. Kalecinski is praised for elite leg development and has remained consistent at the Olympia, winning three bronze medals from 2022-24.
“Your legs have improved massively. You got glute lines already,” Kalecinski remarked on Wheels physique. “Tuck the glutes to show striations. When you show the Christmas tree, push it back to close the gap between the adductors so the legs look denser. Shorten the lats to create the illusion of the lats coming out of your ass.”
At 6-feet-two inches tall, Wheels’ height is advantageous on stage. As Kalecinski asserted, “Always think you are huge…pretend to pose big, and it’s an easy win.”
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References
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J. Effects of range of motion on muscle development during resistance training interventions: A systematic review. SAGE Open Med. 2020 Jan 21;8:2050312120901559. doi: 10.1177/2050312120901559. PMID: 32030125; PMCID: PMC6977096.
- Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
- Grgic J. The Effects of Low-Load Vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Fiber Hypertrophy: A Meta-Analysis. J Hum Kinet. 2020 Aug 31;74:51-58. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2020-0013. PMID: 33312275; PMCID: PMC7706639.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW, Plotkin DL. Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports (Basel). 2021 Feb 22;9(2):32. doi: 10.3390/sports9020032. PMID: 33671664; PMCID: PMC7927075.
Featured image: @larrywheels on Instagram
