Larry Wheels’ Open Bodybuilding Move

[Kayce]

Larry Wheels is no longer talking like an athlete trying to squeeze every last ounce of potential into Classic Physique. He is talking like a bodybuilder who believes his ceiling is higher in the Open division.

That distinction matters. In a March 17, 2026 report, Wheels explained that he does not like the way his physique looks when he has to chase the Classic Physique limit, describing the category as too restrictive for his structure and admitting that the process of making weight took much of the enjoyment out of training. He also said that the idea of growing toward a 300-plus-pound off-season bodyweight is what has reignited his excitement for competing.

For readers, fans, and competitors trying to understand the implications, this is not just a routine division switch story. It is a case study in how bodybuilding categories shape training, nutrition, stage presentation, and even long-term motivation.

The headline: Larry Wheels wants more room to grow​

The central reason behind Larry Wheels’ possible move is straightforward: he does not want to keep forcing his physique into a division that caps his bodyweight.

Wheels said he did not like his Classic look because it felt too thin for his frame, and that he had to show major restraint in training while dieting hard enough to make the amateur Classic limit of 242 pounds. He also described spending extended periods at roughly 1,000 calories per day during contest preparation, which he said made training miserable rather than motivating.

That is the real story beneath the headline. This is not merely about switching divisions for novelty. It is about choosing the division that best matches his skeletal structure, muscular potential, and preferred way of training.

Why the Classic Physique weight cap matters so much​

Classic Physique is designed to reward aesthetics, shape, flow, symmetry, and a more streamlined look than Men’s Open. One of the defining mechanics of the division is its height-and-weight limit system. IFBB Pro rules list maximum bodyweights by height, meaning athletes cannot simply continue adding size without eventually exceeding the division standard.

That structure is useful for athletes whose best look comes from staying inside those boundaries. It becomes a problem for athletes who have broad frames, dense muscle bellies, and a training background that naturally pushes them toward more mass.

For Larry Wheels, the weight cap appears to have turned contest prep into a constant exercise in suppression rather than expression. Instead of asking, “How good can this physique become?” the process becomes, “How much muscle can be preserved while still making weight?” That is a different competitive question entirely.

Larry Wheels’ bodybuilding timeline adds context​

To understand why this shift is important, it helps to look at where Wheels is in his bodybuilding career.

Wheels won his IFBB Pro card in Classic Physique at the 2025 Musclecontest Bullman Pro after previously falling short at the 2023 Amateur Olympia, where he placed second overall in Classic Physique. He had paused his bodybuilding plans in 2024 before returning in 2025 and successfully earning pro status.

That progression matters for two reasons.

First, Classic Physique was not a random experiment. It was the division through which he achieved his pro card.

Second, now that he has proven he can succeed there, he has more credibility when saying the category may not be the best long-term match. Winning the card gave him validation. Questioning the division now gives him direction.

What Derek Lunsford’s perspective adds​

The conversation becomes more interesting because Wheels discussed this topic while training with Derek Lunsford. Lunsford agreed that Wheels’ frame can carry considerably more size and suggested that a weight cap could prevent him from showing his best physique.

Lunsford’s view carries unusual weight in this discussion. He won the Mr. Olympia title in 2023 and again in 2025, and he is also recognized as a former 212 Olympia champion, making him one of the clearest modern examples of an athlete who successfully moved into a larger division and thrived there.

That does not mean Wheels will follow the same path competitively. Their physiques, heights, and strengths are different. But it does reinforce an important principle: division changes make sense when the athlete’s structure is no longer being served by the category they are in.

The real difference between Classic Physique and Open Bodybuilding​

A lot of coverage reduces this topic to “Classic is smaller, Open is bigger.” That is true, but incomplete.

The deeper differences are strategic:

1. Classic Physique demands controlled size​

Classic rewards balance, waist control, lines, and visual polish within strict bodyweight boundaries. The athlete must arrive looking full enough to be competitive without spilling over the maximum allowed weight.

2. Open Bodybuilding allows maximum development​

Open competitors are judged on overall muscularity, conditioning, symmetry, structure, and presentation without a height-based weight cap. That opens the door for athletes with large frames to pursue fuller development across the entire body.

3. Prep psychology changes​

A capped division can make the final phase of prep feel like a fight against one’s own muscle tissue. An uncapped division can shift the mental focus toward maximizing size while refining condition. Wheels’ comments strongly suggest that this mental difference is a major part of his renewed motivation.

Why Larry Wheels may be better suited for Open​

Larry Wheels built his identity first as a strength athlete. His public reputation has been tied for years to extraordinary lifts, unusual muscular density, and a frame that does not read naturally small. Even his earlier bodybuilding discussions acknowledged the challenge of finding the most realistic competitive lane for his structure. During his 2023 Amateur Olympia run, it was noted that Wheels had previously felt his 6-foot-1 frame would require an unrealistic amount of muscle to be truly competitive in Open, which is part of why he leaned toward Classic at that stage.

The key phrase there is “at that stage.”

Athletes change. Physiques mature. Prior assumptions stop fitting. The athlete who once believed Open demanded too much size may later decide that Classic demands too much shrinkage.

That appears to be exactly where Wheels is now.

The training issue: why making weight can blunt performance​

One of the most important parts of this story is not visual at all. It is operational.

Wheels said he had to hold back in training while deep in a calorie deficit to stay under the weight cap. That is a major red flag for any athlete whose best attribute is hard, progressive, heavy training.

When a bodybuilder starts to feel that the division itself is interfering with productive training, several downstream problems tend to appear:

• recovery worsens
• gym performance stalls
• fullness becomes harder to maintain
• motivation declines
• the athlete begins to resent prep rather than embrace it

For a competitor like Wheels, whose brand and identity are rooted in lifting performance as much as physique display, that conflict can be especially pronounced.

The physique issue: “too thin for my frame”​

This may be the most revealing quote in the entire story.

Wheels said Classic made him feel too thin for his frame.

That statement gets at a core judging reality in bodybuilding: physiques are not evaluated in a vacuum. They are evaluated relative to structure.

A bodybuilder with a shorter frame may look dense and complete at a lower scale weight. A taller athlete often needs significantly more total tissue to look equally complete on stage. Since Wheels is about 6-foot-1, concerns about appearing depleted or underfilled in a capped class are not trivial.

That is why this story is not merely about preference. It is about proportion.

What the 300-plus comment really signals​

When Wheels said the idea of seeing “300+” excites him, that should not automatically be read as a promise of a 300-pound contest physique. In bodybuilding language, comments like that often refer to the motivational appeal of pursuing a much larger off-season version of oneself. The underlying message is that growth, not restriction, is now the goal.

Could Larry Wheels be competitive in Open?​

That is the obvious next question, and it deserves a careful answer.

He certainly has raw ingredients that make Open intriguing: structure, density, strength, public momentum, and the ability to add significant mass. He also now has professional bodybuilding status after winning the 2025 Musclecontest Bullman Pro Qualifier in Classic Physique.

But Open is also the deepest and most unforgiving class in bodybuilding. The level at the top of the division includes champions such as Hadi Choopan, Samson Dauda, and Derek Lunsford.

So the better framing is not “Can he win the Olympia?” The more useful question is:

Can Open allow Larry Wheels to build a physique that looks more complete, more natural for his structure, and more enjoyable for him to prepare?

Based on his own comments, that answer appears to be yes.

Why this story matters beyond Larry Wheels​

This topic resonates because it reflects a broader issue in modern bodybuilding: the division that gets an athlete noticed is not always the division that best fits the athlete long term.

Classic Physique has exploded in popularity because it creates an aspirational look that many fans find more attainable and more aesthetic. But the weight cap can become a serious bottleneck for taller or unusually dense athletes.

Wheels’ situation highlights a decision many competitors eventually face:

• stay where the category is familiar
• or move where the physique can breathe

That is why this story has drawn attention well beyond his own fanbase.

What happens next for Larry Wheels​

Wheels said he wants to return to the stage later in 2026, likely in the fall or winter, though no official contest date had been announced at that point. He was also said to be aggressively bulking to add muscle.

That means the next phase to watch is not just whether he competes, but how he looks while preparing:

• Is he visibly fuller through the upper body and legs?
• Does his waist stay controlled as bodyweight rises?
• Does his posing evolve toward an Open presentation style?
• Does he speak more about size targets than scale limits?

Those are the markers that would confirm this move is becoming a full competitive transition rather than a passing idea.

SEO-rich FAQ section​

Did Larry Wheels say he is leaving Classic Physique for Open Bodybuilding?​

He said he is considering Open and made clear that the Classic Physique weight cap has reduced his enthusiasm for the division. His comments strongly suggest that Open is now the direction that excites him most.

Why does Larry Wheels dislike the Classic Physique weight cap?​

He said making weight required severe calorie restriction, limited his training enjoyment, and left him feeling too thin for his frame.

Did Larry Wheels already earn his IFBB Pro card?​

Yes. He won his IFBB Pro card in Classic Physique at the 2025 Musclecontest Bullman Pro Qualifier in Dublin.

What did Derek Lunsford say about Larry Wheels moving to Open?​

Lunsford said Wheels’ frame can likely hold more size and that the weight cap could restrict him from being his best.

Is Derek Lunsford qualified to give advice on this move?​

Yes. He is a former 212 Olympia champion and a two-time Mr. Olympia winner, making him one of the clearest examples of a successful move into a larger division.

When could Larry Wheels compete again?​

As of March 17, 2026, he said he was targeting a return in fall or winter 2026, but no official show had been announced.

Is Open Bodybuilding a better fit for Larry Wheels than Classic Physique?​

Based on his height, frame, training style, and his own comments about feeling restricted in Classic, Open appears to be the more natural long-term fit. That is an inference from the available reporting rather than an officially confirmed final decision.