I recently wrote a blog post about IFBB Pro, Urs Kalinski. Urs has been a Classic Physique competitor since 2019. He has enjoyed success in Classic, with three top three finishes at the Classic Physique Olympia. However, Urs has problems making the strict weight cap in classic, so Urs decided to take his talents to Open.
In classic physique, there is a strict weight cap. This weight cap is put in place to help the competitors focus on more aesthetics and bring that “classic” look of the 70s to the stage. The weight cap poses an immense issue for some competitors, however. The weight cap is calculated by weight and height, and you have a set weight cap. This prevents competitors from being unfairly advantaged by size and ensures all competitors have a fair chance to showcase their muscularity, conditioning, and overall aesthetics.
This can be a problem for some competitors because of genetics. If you’re taller or naturally heavier boned, you hit the cap much faster than shorter/lighter competitors. Bone density and frame size also determine how easy or hard it is for a competitor to make weight. A competitor with thick joints, wide clavicles, or heavy bones will weigh more than a narrower-framed athlete.
Muscle maturity and density also play a huge role in making the weight cap. Some competitors, like Urs, Ramon Dino, and Chris Bumsted, push right up to the weight cap and must sacrifice fullness to make weight.
Shorter competitors, however, usually come in fuller and don’t struggle making the weight cap. Breon Ansley is a perfect example of a shorter competitor, while in Classic, he would step on stage with complete fullness and size without struggling to make weight.
Urs, being on the taller side for bodybuilding at six feet one, has had trouble making weight, and it has cost him potential victories. The 2023 Classic Physique Mr. Olympia is a perfect example of this. Urs had to lose 26 lbs. of muscle to make the weight cap. This drastically altered his physique, and he stepped on stage, lacking most of his fullness. This deeply affected his placement in the Olympia, where he had been favored to win, alongside the eventual victor, Chris Bumsted.
When Urs announced his move to open, nobody expected anything major in his first year or two in the new weight class. Urs had other plans, though, when he walked out onto the stage for the 2025 Promuscle Italy Pro, everyone was astonished by a brand new Urs.
Urs had put on nearly 30lbs of muscle, and his conditioning was unbelievable. He did what nobody expected and dominated. Urs won the Italy Pro and punched his ticket to the Olympia.
Urs winning the Italy pro just one month after he announced his move to open is a huge deal. Firstly, Urs winning this quickly in his open career proves to people that he isn’t just a classic physique competitor.
A lot of people thought Urs would not do good in Open, and he was just a classic competitor falling off. However, Urs winning in Open immediately shows his physique translates beyond the weight limit.
Another reason Urs winning is huge is how quickly he won after changing divisions. Most competitors who switch divisions, like Derek Lunsford moving from 212 to Open and Keone Pearson who moved from Classic to Open, need years to put on the size. Urs did this in just one month, showing the world he can dominate at the Open level.
With winning the Italy pro, and securing a spot at the 2025 Mr. Olympia, Urs’s future shines bright. I am excited to see what he brings to the Olympian stage. Hopefully Urs can continue to dominate in Open.
