Wheels shall be done stacking size for now.
Over time, Larry “Wheels” Williams has done all of it in strength sports. He’s shined as a powerlifter. He’s moonlighted as a strongman. Every so often, he’s even shown off commitment to a strict weight loss program and training plan to partake in bodybuilding. It’s this latter area of interest that Wheels shall be placing a selected deal with for the foreseeable future.
On Mar. 9, 2023, Wheels was interviewed by RxMuscle about his upcoming athletic endeavors. In a planned return to bodybuilding, the previous Men’s Open participant revealed he would be preparing to compete within the Classic Physique division sometime in 2023. A recent Instagram post on his own page would confirm these plans, where Wheels wrote that he’s “starting prep” for the competitive category.
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Per NPC News Online, Wheels last competed as a bodybuilder during a Men’s Open first-place performance on the 2021 National Physique Committee (NPC) Mid-Florida Classic.
Beyond trying his hand at bodybuilding again, Wheels’ rationale for featuring within the Classic Physique category seemed logical. After recent health developments like transitioning from steroid use to Testosterone Alternative Therapy (TRT), a back injury that knocked him out of competition in the summertime of 2022, and a few exciting developments in his personal life, Wheels appears ready to put more of a premium on his health.
None of this planned shift means Wheels won’t push full steam ahead anymore, but it surely does appear to suggest he’ll be more practical. Transitioning to the Classic Physique division is part of that mission.
“Where I’m at with my journey without delay 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 sensible perspective. He doesn’t think vying for Men’s Open victories is price it based on his physical dimensions, resulting from the larger-sized physiques typically rewarded within the Open division. The identical sentiment holds true to any of his strongman or powerlifting pursuits within the sense that Wheels doesn’t must push his body to the limit as much.
That’s because sheer mass isn’t the first 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 should be,” Wheels said. “If not, I even have to realize a couple of more kilos after which cut all the way down to the cutoff at 220 or 230 [pounds]. I believe I look great and will actually be competitive, and arguably unhealthy but to not the extent to the intense if I were to do Open bodybuilding, World’s Strongest Man events, or try to achieve one other powerlifting World Record. I believe I can have more longevity in Classic Physique.”
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Moving up and down divisions in bodybuilding might be difficult. It asks the athlete to vary their approach to nutrition and the gym. Nevertheless, if anyone has proven they’ve the requisite versatility, it’s Wheels — a bona fide strength sport jack-of-all-trades.
Featured image: @teampersonalrecord on Instagram