Can you imagine a 300-pound Larry Wheels battling on a Men’s Open bodybuilding stage? In a recent YouTube video on March 16, he teased that possibility, telling reigning Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford he intends to add ‘significant muscle tissue’ for a move to the Men’s Open.
For a moment, fans were unsure if Wheels would continue his bodybuilding career. He briefly quit the sport and expressed concern about the dangers of using performance-enhancing drugs. However, he reversed course, and, in 2025, he finally achieved his dream of earning an IFBB Pro card when he won the Musclecontest Ireland.
Wheels carried that momentum into his Classic Physique Pro debut at the 2025 Musclecontest Bullman Pro that same weekend. He took 10th place and compared well against higher-caliber talent. Now with the Open class on his radar, he broke down what lies ahead for his career.
Larry Wheels Aiming to Add ‘Significant Muscle’ for Move to Men’s Open, Wants a 300-Lb Physique
In the video, Wheels shared that he plans to add significant muscle tissue to his frame for a move to the Men’s Open.
“We don’t have a date yet, but we’re looking at fall or winter this year. Still in the off-season, aggressively bulking. I’m in that first couple of years that you were talking about, where I want to add significant muscle tissue to do Open.”
He believes Classic Physique was holding him back, especially since he always trained in a steep calorie deficit.
“I don’t like my look in Classic. I felt a bit too thin for my frame, and also, I had to have so much restraint lifting because I was always in a massive deficit to make weight at 232 for Classic amateur, where I turned Pro. It took all the fun out of lifting for me. I was on a 1,000 calories a day for months at a time. I’m like, I can’t enjoy training like this, it sucks.”
According to Wheels, boasting a 300-pound physique onstage gets him excited about the sport again:
“Yes. That’s the page I’m on. With Open, I think it sparked that excitement again. I wasn’t excited to keep grinding 242 and do Classic Pro. But doing Open and seeing 300 plus onstage one day, that gets me excited. Seeing something I haven’t seen before,” Larry Wheels shared.
Wheels has continued to refine and improve his physique while away from the stage. He recently teamed up with science-based training expert Jeff Nippard. Nippard offered Wheels technique pointers throughout an intense chest workout.
Wheels has yet to clarify when and where he’ll make his Men’s Open debut. Should he make the announcement, our Fitness Volt team will keep you updated on his next contest.
RELATED: Hany Rambod Rates & Critiques IFBB Pro Larry Wheels’ Physique
Watch the full video from the Derek Lunsford YouTube channel below:
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