🇳🇱 Wesley Vissers Talks Hypertrophy Science: “There Are No Studies on Guys Like Us”

In June 2025, Wesley Vissers, 2024 Arnold Classic Physique champion, shared on Trensparent with Nyle Nayga his focus on smart training and longevity during his competition break. 🇳🇱 Wesley Vissers Talks Hypertrophy Science: “There Are No Studies on Guys Like Us.” He emphasized the limits of current research for elite bodybuilders and his goal to balance volume, intensity, and recovery for sustainable progress and joint health.

First, Vissers shared how stepping away from competition allowed him to reassess his priorities. He aims to return with an improved physique, especially in areas where he feels outpaced by current rivals. He believes every season off the stage must be maximized, not wasted.

Then, he explained that bodybuilding at the elite level is no longer about pushing as heavy as possible. For him, the formula has shifted to high precision, greater control, and less ego.

🇳🇱 Wesley Vissers Talks Hypertrophy Science: Volume, Intensifiers, & Science

Next, Vissers broke down how he’s training smarter. “I never really go below eight [reps] anymore,” he said. Joint safety and long-term sustainability have become his top priorities. Studies confirm muscle can grow across all rep ranges when sets are taken near failure.¹² He now avoids maximal lifts in favor of moderate, high-effort work.

Then, he highlighted the importance of intensifiers. These include drop sets, supersets, forced reps, and Hany Rambod’s brutal FST-7 method.³ He leans on these techniques to keep sessions hard, especially as progressive overload becomes tougher for experienced lifters.

Finally, he addressed the science of training to failure. While some research suggests that going to failure isn’t essential, Vissers made his view clear:

“Optimal in theory usually never is optimal in practice.”

For him, pushing harder often yields better results.

Watch Wesley Vissers Below Talks about Hypertrophy Science:

🦵 How Vissers Plans to Fix His Legs in 2025

Then, the conversation shifted to legs — Vissers’ self-declared weak point. He’s taking 2025 off from competition to bring up his lower body. He’s cut back upper body training and increased leg volume by 50%. Cardio has been minimized to conserve energy.

Next, he described a shift in mechanics. Rather than pressing with quads during leg presses, he now focuses on hamstring and glute activation. Research supports this strategy, especially when paired with slow eccentrics and full range of motion.⁵⁶ Time under tension is the goal.

Finally, he offered insight from his past stage experiences. He noticed legs are often the first to lose fullness during prep. To correct this, he’s structured his offseason around recovery and leg volume. He’s determined to step on stage in 2026 with a dramatically improved package.

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🧠 What Wesley Vissers Would Tell His Younger Self

Lastly, Vissers reflected on lessons he’s learned. When asked what advice he’d give his younger self, he said:

“Focus more on nutrition.”

Then, he explained that most athletes focus too heavily on training intensity while underestimating the power of diet. Nutrition has played a growing role in how he trains, recovers, and stays consistent throughout the year.

Finally, he left listeners with one more takeaway that applied far beyond bodybuilding:

“Make every situation as positive as you can. That will reduce stress levels and make you a better person to be around.”

References

Schoenfeld BJ, Peterson MD, Ogborn D, Contreras B, Sonmez GT. Effects of Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Well-Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Oct;29(10):2954-63. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000958. PMID: 25853914.
Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW, Plotkin DL. Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports (Basel). 2021 Feb 22;9(2):32. doi: 10.3390/sports9020032. PMID: 33671664; PMCID: PMC7927075.
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
Robinson ZP, Pelland JC, Remmert JF, Refalo MC, Jukic I, Steele J, Zourdos MC. Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy: A Series of Meta-Regressions. Sports Med. 2024 Sep;54(9):2209-2231. doi: 10.1007/s40279-024-02069-2. Epub 2024 Jul 6. PMID: 38970765.
Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, Little JP, Cochran AJ, Hector AJ, Cashaback JG, Gibala MJ, Potvin JR, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012 Jan 15;590(2):351-62. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200. Epub 2011 Nov 21. PMID: 22106173; PMCID: PMC3285070.
Maeo S, Wu Y, Huang M, Sakurai H, Kusagawa Y, Sugiyama T, Kanehisa H, Isaka T. Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. Eur J Sport Sci. 2023 Jul;23(7):1240-1250. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279. Epub 2022 Aug 11. PMID: 35819335.

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Overview

In June 2025, Wesley Vissers discussed his training, recovery, and future goals. Firstly, Wesley Vissers stressed the importance of hypertrophy science, noting that “there are no studies on guys like us.” Secondly, he emphasized smart, joint-friendly training and the use of intensifiers to overcome plateaus. Moreover, Vissers focused on improving weak points, especially his legs, by increasing volume and time under tension. Additionally, he plans to skip competition in 2025 to build leg size and strength. Finally, he advised young athletes to focus on nutrition and maintain a positive mindset for lasting success.

Featured Image – 🇳🇱 Wesley Vissers Talks Hypertrophy Science: “There Are No Studies on Guys Like Us” – Credit: @wesleyvissers (Instagram)