Classic Physique bodybuilder Wesley Vissers won the 2024 Arnold Classic. His eighth-place finish at the 2024 Olympia subsequently led to his fall of four ranks to fifth overall at the 2025 Arnold Classic. Vissers announced he would step away from active competition to focus on recovery and refining his physique.
Vissers is preparing for the 2025 GRAFT Hybrid competition — unconventional for a bodybuilder, as endurance training is often avoided due to its potential to hinder muscle growth and even contribute to muscle loss.
One hour of hard, endurance, stamina work — the opposite of what I normally do.
—Wesley Vissers
Vissers, in his off-season, is bulking — building muscle rather than burning energy. While many bodybuilders view cardio as a waste of calories during this time, he acknowledges the value of high-intensity cardio. He believes it’s essential for improving heart health and building stamina. (1)
Vissers believes hybrid training can aid recovery from leg “with techniques like FST-7.” Vissers incorporates the SkiErg to elevate his heart rate at the end of an intense leg day.
GRAFT Hybrid Event
Vissers, alongside his fiancée, Marly Nooijen, will compete in the GRAFT Hybrid competition — an event similar to HYROX, but without the running element. The competition demands approxiamtely an hour of intense endurance.
Vissers’ routine begins with a pre-workout supplement followed by his warm-ups on the SkiErg. (2) He expressed concern about the burpee box jumps. “This will be technical. I have to be careful. I’m not going to rush the burpee box jumps, which sound horrible,” Vissers expressed.
GRAFT Hybrid Workout
- Sled Push — 100 Meters (10×10 Meters)
- BikeErg — 2000 Meters
- Burpee Box Jumps — 100
- Row — 1000 Meters
- Wall Ball Shots — 100
- SkiErg — 1000 Meters
- Sled Pull — 60 (10×6 Meters)
- BikeErg — 2000 Meters
- Kettlebell Farmer’s Carry — 240 Meters (30×8 Meters)
- Row — 1000 Meters
- Dumbbell Lunge — 100 Meters (10×10 Meters)
- SkiErg — 1000 Meters
Rankings for all routines are determined by completion time — faster performances achieve better results.
Sled Pushes & BikeErg
Vissers opened with sled pushes — a 10-meter stretch 10 times for a total distance of one kilometer. The sled weighed 300 pounds (130 kilograms). Once completed, he covered two kilometers on the BikeErg.
Burpee Box Jumps & Rows
Vissers viewed the 100 burpee box jump as the most demanding event; time-consuming and challenging. He performed them even slower than anticipated before rowing a kilometer on the rowing machine.
Wall Balls & SkiErg
One-hundred high-toss wall balls preceded one kilometer on the SkiErg — the halfway point. Vissers was visibly fatigued.
Sled Push/Pull, BikeErg, & Kettlebell Farmers Carry
Vissers attacked the sled again, pushing and pulling 198 pounds (90 kilograms) 60 meters. A two-kilometer BikeErg and a 240-meter farmer’s carry with two 24-kilogram kettlebells kept his heart rate elevated.
Rows, Dumbbell Lunges, & SkiErg
Vissers completed one more kilometer of rowing, 100-meter dumbbell lunges, and finished with one kilometer on the SkiErg. He crossed the finish line with his fiancée in a time of 56 minutes and 43 seconds.
Vissers expressed deep admiration for endurance athletes, acknowledging the immense effort required for such challenges. “It was an amazing experience; I probably lost two liters of water.” Vissers concluded.
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References
- Ito S. (2019). High-intensity interval training for health benefits and care of cardiac diseases – The key to an efficient exercise protocol. World journal of cardiology, 11(7), 171–188. https://doi.org/10.4330/wjc.v11.i7.171
- Kaczka, P., Batra, A., Kubicka, K., Maciejczyk, M., Rzeszutko-Bełzowska, A., Pezdan-Śliż, I., Michałowska-Sawczyn, M., Przydział, M., Płonka, A., Cięszczyk, P., Humińska-Lisowska, K., & Zając, T. (2020). Effects of Pre-Workout Multi-Ingredient Supplement on Anaerobic Performance: Randomized Double-Blind Crossover Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(21), 8262. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218262
Featured image: @wesleyvissers on Instagram
