On Mar. 18, 2023, Wheels posted two revealing photos on his Instagram to showcase his bodybuilding training progress. In the brief caption, the athlete asks rhetorically if he’s “looking classic yet,” indicating that the post is a teaser of how far he’s come in his plans. In one photo, Wheels has both of his arms outstretched as if to show off a seemingly lengthy wingspan. In the other picture, he performs a vintage pose of flexing both biceps.

In both images, Wheels tenses his abdominals in a vacuum pose — a hallmark of the Classic Physique division. It’s apparent from both images that Wheels has lost an undisclosed measure of weight while trimming down. Ultimately, the update is a stunning showcase of a transformation for a man far more known for his strength, power, and mass in the gym and in sanctioned competitions.

At the time of this writing, it is unclear exactly when Wheels plans to debut as a Classic Physique bodybuilder. The athlete has only previously noted that it would happen sometime in the year 2023.

That leaves open a bevy of potential opportunities to compete alongside athletes like two-time Classic Physique Olympia runner-up (2020-2021) Terrence Ruffin, 2022 Classic Physique runner-up Ramon Rocha Queiroz, Urs Kalecinski, and another newcomer in Andrei Lincan. Reigning Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead is strictly focusing on winning a fifth consecutive title in the next iteration in November. Wheels would have to earn prior qualification with a triumph in another contest to feature on bodybuilding’s most prominent stage as a Classic Physique competitor.

Whenever Wheels does plan to compete in the Classic Physique class, it’s bound to be the culmination of a long and winding recent journey. After recent health developments like transitioning from steroid use to Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), a back injury that knocked him out of competition in the summer of 2022, and plans of starting a family, Wheels is staying ambitious but realistic with his fitness goals.

Being part of the Classic Physique category might have been the next logical step, given its potentially less strenuous demands on the body. Wheels’ last appearance as a bodybuilder was a first-place performance in the Men’s Open division during the 2021 National Physique Committee (NPC) Mid-Florida Classic.

Some athletes might tease lofty goals but, eventually, let them dissipate and fall by the wayside. This potential outcome clearly couldn’t be further from the case for Wheels, whose hype for the Classic Physique division continues to build.

Featured image: @larrywheels on Instagram

The post Larry Wheels Teases Ripped Transformation for Classic Physique Division appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Mar. 9, 2023, Wheels was interviewed by RxMuscle about his upcoming athletic endeavors. In a planned return to bodybuilding, the former Men’s Open participant revealed he would be preparing to compete in the Classic Physique division sometime in 2023. A recent Instagram post on his own page would verify these plans, where Wheels wrote that he’s “starting prep” for the competitive category.

Per NPC News Online, Wheels last competed as a bodybuilder during a Men’s Open first-place performance at the 2021 National Physique Committee (NPC) Mid-Florida Classic.

Beyond trying his hand at bodybuilding again, Wheels’ rationale for featuring in the Classic Physique category seemed logical. After recent health developments like transitioning from steroid use to Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), a back injury that knocked him out of competition in the summer of 2022, and some exciting developments in his personal life, Wheels appears ready to place more of a premium on his health.

None of this planned shift means Wheels won’t push full steam ahead anymore, but it does appear to suggest he’ll be more practical. Transitioning to the Classic Physique division is a part of that mission.

“Where I’m at with my journey right now is taking a healthier approach to achieving my goals,” Wheels said. “I’m recently engaged. I intend on having a family.”

At a height of 6-foot-1, on par with four-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead, Wheels maintained a realistic perspective. He doesn’t think vying for Men’s Open victories is worth it based on his physical dimensions, due to the larger-sized physiques typically rewarded in the Open division. The same sentiment holds true to any of his strongman or powerlifting pursuits in the sense that Wheels doesn’t have to push his body to the limit as much.

That’s because sheer mass isn’t the primary aim of the Classic Physique division, and it presents Wheels a potentially more sustainable path to success.

“Doing Classic [Physique], I’m already as big as I need to be,” Wheels said. “If not, I have to gain a few more pounds and then cut down to the cutoff at 220 or 230 [pounds]. I think I look great and could actually be competitive, and arguably unhealthy but not to the extent to the extreme if I were to do Open bodybuilding, World’s Strongest Man events, or try and achieve another powerlifting World Record. I think I can have more longevity in Classic Physique.”

Moving up and down divisions in bodybuilding can be challenging. It asks the athlete to change their approach to nutrition and the gym. However, if anyone has proven they have the requisite versatility, it’s Wheels — a bona fide strength sport jack-of-all-trades.

Featured image: @teampersonalrecord on Instagram

The post Larry Wheels Will Compete in Classic Physique Division in 2023 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Jan. 31, 2023, during an interview with Muscular Development, Franklin discussed the aftermath of his difficult decision to withdraw from the 2022 Olympia. While the athlete didn’t specifically disclose why he decided to not compete, he maintained he’s already prepared to look forward and try to make 2023 another productive year in his career.

After stopping short of the finish line of an entire competitive year, Franklin shared that he was understandably shaken by his choice. To be so close to a high-profile athletic endeavor but ultimately not participate might be hard on any competitive personality.

It made Franklin rather emotional.

“It sucked. The whole ordeal was very disappointing.” Franklin said. “I cried for three days after it. I couldn’t stop crying, just all the work that goes in, thinking about a whole year’s worth. … Putting all that work in and all that effort, creating a routine that I was very excited to present, and just how I was feeling about my progress leading into the show. I was very disappointed and having to make that decision. But we have to make very hard decisions to move ahead in life.”

With murmurs abounding of who might compete in the upcoming 2023 Arnold Classic, Franklin clarified his next competitive appearance won’t be in Columbus, OH. It appears to be too fast of a turnaround after his latest ventures, which wouldn’t let him recover enough as he pleases.

As for what lies ahead in the long term, Franklin noted he will now coach himself during his training routine for the time being. He had previously worked with experienced coaches like Miloš Šarčev. Franklin elaborated that this path will have him “betting on himself” as he works toward his contest return at the 2023 Texas Pro on Aug. 19, 2023, in Irving, TX. For this Texas native, who fell just short of the said competition’s title in 2021, there might not be a better place to show off his hard work and mass again.

It seems to be only the first step of his grand ambitions this year.

“I plan on winning the [2023] Texas Pro,” Franklin said. “It’s right here, not my home town but the home state, in Dallas. I lost that show by one point back in 2021, so it would be a good show to go back there and get some redemption. The [2023] Olympia will be 11 weeks after the Texas Pro, and then I’ll be doing the [2023] Hawaii Pro on Nov. 20. That’ll be two weeks after the Mr. Olympia, so I can basically just prep for those three shows and knock them out, bam-bam.”

Some athletes might take more time to recalibrate and figure out what’s next after halting their professional plans. That’s because such decisions usually carry a ton of weight and can weigh on the mind. For Franklin, it looks like he’s already healthily compartmentalizing what happened because and is now ready to shine on stage once more.

Featured image: @logan_franklin on Instagram

The post Bodybuilder Logan Franklin “Cried For 3 Days” After Withdrawing From 2022 Olympia, Outlines 2023 Return appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Jan. 20, 2023, Bannout appeared in an episode of The Muscle Maturity podcast. While breaking down some of the latest news in the bodybuilding world, Bannout touched on the status of one Chris Bumstead. Fresh off a fourth consecutive Classic Physique Olympia title, where the athlete competed with a partially torn biceps, Bannout believes Bumstead should be making the jump to the Men’s Open division at the upcoming 2023 Arnold Classic (AC). It could be an interesting prospect for one of the sport’s current figureheads.

Bannout was evidently aware of the adversity Bumstead had to overcome to continue his Classic Physique reign. That didn’t seem to stop him from maintaining Bumstead should still be working to shine at the 2023 AC in Columbus, OH.

“Talking about Bumstead, he pulled his biceps muscle, and was in pain,” Bannout said. “In my opinion, Bumstead could be competing in the [2023] Arnold Classic in the Open. He should. Why not? Bumstead: do it.”

At the same time, Bannout understood that Bumstead would want to take time off to recuperate after such a significant ailment. After all, jumping right back into training and ideal competition nutrition might not be the best idea until Bumstead is fully healed after his health setback.

Such an immediate decision, division change or not, could translate to longer-term issues in Bumstead’s overall career if the competitor isn’t careful. While he stood by his initial Open sentiment for the young athlete, Bannout didn’t take it a step further.

“I think in Bumstead’s case, he had a partial tear,” Bannout noted. “It would be smart to pull down, it don’t matter a little bit, pull it down completely, because it might serve his career better. He knows. Him and his doctors know. But yeah, clearly it was visible to me something was going on with that bicep.”

In late September 2022, Bumstead had alluded to a potential place in the Men’s Open division in the future while speaking on a Muscular Development podcast. However, Bumstead maintained that 2023 wouldn’t be the right time for a shift. Factor in the current recovery from his biceps tear, and it appears improbable Bumstead will go full throttle with any ideas to enter the 2023 AC on Mar. 3-5, 2023.

While some of his potential peers in the Open division, such as Nick Walker and Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, gear up for the monumental AC, Bumstead will likely stay on the sidelines for the time being. Even with a new lucrative cash prize and Bannout’s initial suggestion in the account, asking an elite competitor to shift divisions as he heals might not be feasible in such a short amount of time.

Nonetheless, Bumstead’s progress in and outside the gym will assuredly be something noteworthy to track in the coming months.

Featured image: @cbum on Instagram

The post Bodybuilding Legend Samir Bannout Wants Chris Bumstead to Compete in Open Division at 2023 Arnold Classic appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Here are the top five athletes in the Classic Physique division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and the respective prize money they earned:

2022 Classic Physique Olympia Results

1. Chris Bumstead — $50,000 | 2022 Classic Physique Olympia Champion
2. Ramon Rocha Queiroz — $20,000
3. Urs Kalecinski — $10,000
4. Breon Ansley — $6,000
5. Mike Sommerfeld — $4,000

Bumstead’s win gives him his fourth straight Classic Olympia title (2019-2022) as he continues to dominate a bodybuilding division that was only established in 2016. With such a timeline, that means Bumstead has won two-thirds of the available Classic Physique Olympia titles in history. Notably, in his last Classic Physique appearance before a transition to the 212 in the year 2023, former two-time champion (2017-2018) Breon Ansley notched a fourth-place result.

With the field narrowed down to 10 participating athletes, here are the results of the callouts from the Finals of the Classic Physique division at the 2022 Olympia:

Callout 1

• Michael Daboul
• Fabian Mayr
• Wesley Vissers
• Alex Cambronero

Callout 2

• Breon Ansley
• Urs Kalecinski
• Ramon Rocha Queiroz
• Terrence Ruffin
• Mike Sommerfeld
• Chris Bumstead

Bumstead and Rocha Queiroz held the center position in the last callout. The top five athletes would then work through their own usual individual posing routines to push for the Classic Physique Olympia title. Here was that group of five in no particular order:

• Breon Ansley
• Mike Sommerfeld
• Chris Bumstead
• Urs Kalecinski
• Ramon Rocha Queiroz

With the routines concluded, it was evident the title would come down to Bumstead and Rocha Queiroz. As a part of the lead commentary team, Phil Heath asserted he believed Bumstead would win his fourth straight title before the final judgment passed through, and that assertion, likely rooted in Heath’s own Olympia experience, came true.

Here is the entire Saturday Finals schedule for the 2022 Olympia weekend, and here’s how to keep up with the action. (Note: All listed times are in Pacific Standard time.)

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022

7:00 p.m. — Finals

• Mr. Olympia
• Men’s Physique Olympia
• Bikini Olympia
• Classic Physique Olympia

As the Olympia draws to a close in Las Vegas, with an exhilarating Finals on hand for the remaining divisions, Bumstead has written yet another illustrious chapter for himself in the lore of bodybuilding’s flagship competition.

Featured image: @w_wittmannphoto on Instagram

The post Chris Bumstead Wins 2022 Classic Physique Olympia, Completes Four-Peat appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Notably, the Wheelchair is all-inclusive, meaning final judgments on the competitors in this class will be judged at roughly the same time as initial callouts. The Finals for the three other divisions, as well as the Mr. Olympia, will begin at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Standard. time. Fans can watch the action unfold by purchasing a pay-per-view premium package for $69.99 at the Olympia website — www.olympiaproductions.com.

As each of the callout reports is finalized for every division on Saturday, Breaking Muscle will update this page accordingly with the results.

• Classic Physique
• Men’s Physique
• Bikini
• Wheelchair

Classic Physique

Respective callouts for the Classic Physique division started the 2022 Olympia festivities on Saturday. Three-time defending champion Chris Bumstead entered as the favorite. Meanwhile, contenders like Breon Ansley and Terrence Ruffin were in it to try and topple the young dynamo before he made even more history.

As usual, whoever would be featured in the first and last callouts would be considered a favorite and top contender heading into the Finals. Naturally, Bumstead found himself in the final group. Meanwhile, an athlete and former two-time champ like Ansley (2017-2018) — who will transition to the 212 division in 2023 — enjoyed some of his last moments as a Classic Physique competitor.

Here are the results of the callouts for the Classic Physique competitors:

Callout 1 

• Wesley Vissers
• Breon Ansley
• Urs Kalecinski
• Ramon Rocha Queiroz
• Chris Bumstead
• Mike Sommerfeld
• Terrence Ruffin
• Fabian Mayr

Callout 2

• Adam Bomert
• Chen Kang
• Kyrylo Khadaliev
• Michael Daboul
• Alex Cambronero
• Jorge Herrera
• Gabriel Zancanelli
• Jaehun Park

Callout 3

• Mehdi Larijani
• Dancovea Anderson
• Alexander Westermeier
• Neil Currey
• Ali Poladvand
• Darwin Andres Uribe Aristizabel
• Camilo Diaz
• Patrik Herczik
• Abdullah Wael Alrabiah

Callout 4 

• Tommy Clark
• Anthony Barbera III
• Tony Duong
• Valeri Enchev
• Junior Javorski
• Georgian Andrei Birica Anghel
• Jonathan Pelkey
• Josh Eastman

Callout 5

• Woilid Baatout
• Brady Barnes
• Mohamed Amine Fakhfakh
• Darren Farrell
• Emanuele Ricotti
• Jeff Hallenbeck
• Abdullah Al Sharafi

Callout 6

• Christopher Hunte
• Tyler Johnson
• Lemar Shaw
• Blake Course
• Valentin Petrov
• Marco Ruz
• Marcus Perry

Callout 7

• Robert Wichman
• Anthony Casado
• Mateo Vaihu
• Jesus Rodriguez Sendra
• Ahmed El Halawani
• Lenny Wicks
• Ruben Lopez Reyes
• Ali Poladvand

Callout 8

• Alex Cambronero
• Fabian Mayr
• Terrence Ruffin
• Wesley Vissers
• Michael Daboul

Callout 9

• Breon Ansley
• Urs Kalecinski
• Mike Sommerfeld

Callout 10

• Ramon Rocha Queiroz
• Chris Bumstead

Bumstead and Ramon Rocha Queiroz found themselves standing front and center during the first callout and were the only athletes featured in the last callout. They will head into the Finals as the top contenders for the 2022 Classic Physique Olympia title.

Men’s Physique

The Men’s Physique saw a seemingly unfathomable 68 competitors vying for its championship as callouts began. The field of athletes was chasing three-time reigning Men’s Physique Olympia Champion (2019-2021) Brandon Hendrickson. A win would have Hendrickson tie Jeremy Buendia for the most all-time in the division.

Here are how the callouts went for the Men’s Physique category at the 2022 Olympia:

Callout 1

• Ali Bilal
• Corey Morris 
• Diogo Montenegro
• Erin Banks
• Brandon Hendrickson
• Charjo Grant
• Kyron Holden
• Ryan Terry

Callout 2 

• Carlos DeOliveira
• Vitor Chaves
• Emanual Hunter
• Andre Ferguson 
• Edvan Palmeira 
• Jahvair Mullings
• Alexander Toplyn
• Vincius Mateus Viera Lima

Callout 3

• JuXian He 
• Joven Sagabain
• Shun Kaneko
• Nick Koeu
• George Brown 
• Abisai Pietersz 
• Tunahan Guler
• Arya Saffaie 
• Yukihiro Yuasa

Callout 4

• Jeffrey Darko 
• Furkan Er
• Myron Griffin
• Alessandro Cavagnola 
• Balint Nemeth 
• Benquil Marigny 
• Antoine Weatherspoon
• Steven Cao

Callout 5

• Jason Huynh 
• Mehdi Kabbadj 
• Hossein Karimi
• Winston Sullivan
• Bhuwan Chauhan
• Burak King
• Montae Bailey

Callout 6

• Reuben Glass
• Riccardo Croci 
• Bongsuk Choi
• Clarence McSpadden
• Ahmed Shokry 
• Zheyu Zhang 
• Fabrizio Dos Santos Silva
• Youcef Djoudi

Callout 7 

• Rodrigue Chesnier 
• Emile Walker
• Sotirios Gkatsis 
• Junho Lee
• Davide Mazzolari
• Ponpaisan Ruangsangpen
• Chevy Phillips
• Mahmood Al Maghrabi

Callout 8

• Je Endrina 
• Adeyemi Awoyemi
• Jonas Jamena
• Terrence Teo Kok Hua 
• Yousef Al Shaban
• Long Wu

Callout 9

• Andre Ferguson
• Kyron Holden 
• Edvan Palmeira 
• Ryan Terry 
• Corey Morris 
• Ali Bilal

Callout 10

• Charjo Grant 
• Diogo Montenegro

Callout 11

• Erin Banks 
• Brandon Hendrickson

By the end of the round, Hendrickson and Erin Banks stood alone in the last callout. They venture into the Men’s Physique Finals as the main contenders.

Bikini

In the context of the overall 2022 Olympia, the Bikini division was one of the more stacked fields on hand in Las Vegas. For one, there was the promising Laurie Chapados seeking her first Bikini Olympia win. For the other, there were also past champions Jennifer Dorie and Ashley Kaltwasser seeking another title to add to their impressive respective resumes.

The Bikini’s field was also one of the more expansive 2022 Olympia divisions, with 58 athletes seeking a spot in the Saturday Finals.

Here were the results of callouts for the Bikini division at the 2022 Olympia:

Callout 1 

• Daraja Hill
• Aimee Leann Delgado
• Lauralie Chapados
• Maureen Blanquisco
• Jennifer Dorie
• Ashley Kaltwasser
• Janet Layug
• Elisa Pecini
• Romina Basualdo

Callout 2 

• Eli Fernandez
• Jibin Park
• Ivanna Escandar
• Jourdanne Lee
• Phoebe Hagan
• Yurika Shigemoto
• Ashlyn Little
• Allison Testu
• India Paulino

Callout 3

• Brittany Hamilton
• Maia Gordon
• Marie-Eve Duchesneau
• Aleksandra Banda
• Vania Auguste
• Gabriella Mohamed
• Erin Stern
• Sierra Swann
• Jessica Wilson

Callout 4

• Lawna Dunbar
• Shenase Case
• Maia Gordon
• Kristina Brunauer
• Eszter Oczella
• Danielle Phelps
• Alexandria Ross
• Francesca Stoico

Callout 5

• Alessia Facchin
• Stine Hansen
• Wiktoria Gasior
• Jordan Brannon
• Hayeun Kim
• Susana Aramayo
• Sally-Anne Kato
• Jodie Yuncker
• Jessica Wilson
• Lucia Malavaze

Callout 6 

• Yan Gao
• Valeria Fedorenko
• Roxana Marquez
• Ottavia Mazza
• Cristiane Silveira
• Jil Meret Schmitz
• Cheuk Nam Karen Yuen
• Rukiye Solak

Callout 7

• Romina Basualdo
• Janet Layug
• Lauralie Chapados
• Aimee Leann Delgado
• Phoebe Hagan
• Elisa Pecini

Callout 8

• Maureen Blanquisco
• Jennifer Dorie
• Ashley Kaltwasser
• Daraja Hill

Four former champions stood out in the first important callout, including Dorie in the middle, Kaltwasser, Janet Layug, and Elisa Pecini. The last callout featured Dorie, Daraja Hill, Maureen Blanquisco, and Kaltwasser. They are the top contenders heading into Saturday night’s Bikini Olympia Finals.

Wheelchair

The first division to crown a champion on Saturday night after callouts and ensuing judging was the Wheelchair category. It saw Harold “King Kong” Kelley win the 2022 Wheelchair Olympia and notch his fifth consecutive title. He emerged victorious from the largest Wheelchair Olympia field in the division’s history with 12 competitors.

Here are the top five results from the 2022 Wheelchair Olympia

2022 Wheelchair Olympia Results

1. Harold Kelley | 2022 Wheelchair Olympia Champion | Fifth consecutive title
2. Gabriele Andriulli
3. Antoni Khadraoui
4. Jean Pierre Kavalin
5. Adelfo Cerame, Jr.

Here’s an overview of the results from the callouts at the 2022 Wheelchair Olympia:

Callout 1

• Gabriele Andriulli
• Woody Belfort
• Adelfo Cerame, Jr
• Jean Pierre Kavalin
• Antoni Khadraoui
• Harold Kelley

Callout 2

• Anand Arnold
• Bradley Betts
• Tyler Brey
• Tory Jones
• Chad McCrary
• Abraham Sanchez

Kelley held the center position from the get-go and unsurprisingly maintained his place through the entire callout. His eventual title would come as no shock to the spectators.

Here is the entire schedule for the 2022 Olympia weekend. (Note: All listed times are in Pacific Standard time.)

Friday, Dec. 16, 2022

9:00 a.m. — Pre-Judging

• Fitness Olympia
• 212 Olympia
• Figure Olympia
• Women’s Physique Olympia
• Ms. Olympia
• Wellness Olympia

6:00 p.m. — Finals

• 212 Olympia
• Fitness Olympia
• Figure Olympia
• Women’s Physique Olympia
• Ms. Olympia
• Wellness Olympia

6:00 p.m. — Mr. Olympia Pre-Judging

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022

9:00 a.m. — Pre-Judging

• Classic Physique Olympia
• Men’s Physique Olympia
• Bikini Olympia
• Wheelchair Olympia — Pre-Judging and Finals

7:00 p.m. — Finals

• Mr. Olympia
• Men’s Physique Olympia
• Bikini Olympia
• Classic Physique Olympia

Saturday should be quite a finale to an exhilarating edition of the Olympia. Anything can happen with bodybuilding’s elite on stage.

Featured image: @cbum on Instagram

The post 2022 Mr. Olympia Callout Report — Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Bikini, Wheelchair appeared first on Breaking Muscle.