Former Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan appears determined to leave nothing on the table in his pursuit of another Sandow Trophy. According to his coach, Milos Sarcev, Choopan is currently training at approximately 9 kilograms (20 pounds) heavier than ever before – a significant claim that has bodybuilding fans debating what kind of physique he’ll unveil when the 2026 Mr. Olympia arrives.
The update came alongside recent training footage showing Choopan powering through a brutal workout roughly 12 weeks out from the Olympia. While offseason bodyweight doesn’t always translate directly to stage weight, adding that much size while maintaining the conditioning that made “The Persian Wolf” famous would represent one of the biggest physique changes of his career.
Milos Sarcev Says Hadi Choopan Is 20 Pounds Heavier Than Ever
A recent Instagram update showing Hadi’s monster transformation immediately caught the attention of fans, with Choopan appearing noticeably thicker through his shoulders, arms, chest, and legs. Even at more than two months away from competition, his trademark muscle density and separation were already visible.
Of course, the biggest question is whether that additional bodyweight is part of a calculated strategy or simply typical offseason mass that will come down during contest prep. Veteran competitors often carry significantly more weight before beginning their final conditioning phase.
Looking to Reclaim the Olympia Title
Choopan enters the 2026 season facing perhaps the deepest Men’s Open field in years.
After capturing the Mr. Olympia title in 2022, he finished runner-up in each of the last three Olympias, narrowly missing a second Sandow despite remaining one of the sport’s most consistently conditioned competitors.
His momentum also took a hit earlier this season when he finished third at the Arnold Classic behind Nick Walker and Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford, marking one of the few times in recent years that Choopan looked vulnerable against the division’s elite.
That result fueled speculation that Choopan may need additional size to remain competitive as the Men’s Open division continues trending toward larger physiques without sacrificing conditioning.
Can More Size Help Hadi?
Adding muscle has never been Choopan’s biggest challenge. His calling card has always been unmatched conditioning, grainy muscle maturity, and one of the hardest physiques on stage.
The balancing act now is making sure extra size doesn’t come at the expense of the crisp detail that helped earn him the 2022 Olympia title.
If Sarcev’s claim proves accurate, fans could be looking at the biggest version of Choopan ever seen. Whether that translates into a better package under the lights remains to be seen, but with roughly 12 weeks remaining, the Persian Wolf has made it clear he’s aiming to arrive with something different.
