Ryan Crowley is a British amateur bodybuilder known to fans as “Big Rig” — a nickname that fits a man who carried more than 300 pounds on a super-heavyweight frame. 🏋️
His story is one of the most talked-about injury comebacks in modern bodybuilding, even though the comeback itself never reached a stage. In March 2021, a 220 kg bench press in Dubai tore his pectoral tendon clean off the bone — live on camera.
This is the full, corrected story: his rise through the amateur ranks, the injury that changed everything, and where he stands in 2026.
Ryan Crowley Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ryan Crowley |
| Nickname | Big Rig |
| Born | 30 June 1997, Hampshire, England |
| Age in 2026 | 29 |
| Nationality | British |
| Height | About 6 ft 2 in – 6 ft 3 in (reports differ) |
| Competition weight class | Super-heavyweight |
| Off-season weight | Around 300 lbs (over 330 lbs at the time of his 2021 injury, per Larry Wheels) |
| Pro status | Amateur — never earned an IFBB pro card |
| Pro wins | 0 |
| Mr. Olympia appearances | 0 |
| Arnold Classic appearances | 0 (Ohio or UK) |
| Best result | 1st, Men’s Bodybuilding Juniors, 2019 NPC Worldwide Kai Greene Pro Qualifier |
Early Life: Bullied Kid to Bodybuilder 💪
Ryan Crowley was born in Hampshire, England, on 30 June 1997. As a child he was overweight, and he has spoken openly about being bullied for it.
Instead of shrinking from that experience, he used it as fuel. He started lifting weights at 16 and quickly fell in love with training.
Crowley is an endomorph by body type, meaning he gains weight easily. That made building size simple — but staying lean for the stage much harder, a balancing act that shaped his whole approach to the sport.
Amateur Career: A Fast Rise to Super-Heavyweight
Crowley moved quickly through the UK amateur scene. He placed 5th in the juniors at the 2017 UKBFF British Championships, then crossed over to NPC competition.
His breakout year was 2019. At the NPC Worldwide Kai Greene Pro Qualifier in the UK, he won the juniors class and finished 2nd in the over-102 kg class — results confirmed in NPC News Online’s official score sheets for the 2019 British Grand Prix.
He followed that with a 2nd-place finish in the super-heavyweights at the 2018 NPC Amateur Olympia, and closed his pre-injury run in the United States.
In 2020 he placed 5th in the super-heavyweights at the NPC USA Championships and 12th in the same class at the NPC National Championships — both confirmed in the official NPC results.
That 2020 season remains his last verified contest record. No pro card followed, and no verified stage results after 2020 have surfaced in official score sheets or major reporting.
The Pec Tear That Shocked Bodybuilding 😱
In March 2021, Crowley was training in Dubai with powerlifter Larry Wheels when disaster struck. Attempting a 220 kg (485 lb) incline bench press, he felt his right pectoral tendon tear completely off the bone.
The footage went viral within hours. Wheels and the other spotters reacted instantly, getting the bar off him — and Crowley himself later credited Wheels with saving him from far worse harm.
Because Crowley is British and was injured abroad, his UK insurance did not cover the Dubai surgery. Wheels set up a GoFundMe, and fans rallied behind him, raising tens of thousands of dollars toward the operation and rehab.
Surgery came roughly a day after the injury and took about four hours — far longer than the hour first expected — as surgeons reconstructed the torn pec.
A Second Tear — While Getting Dressed
Just weeks later, Crowley suffered a cruel second blow. While simply getting dressed, he felt the same ripping sensation in his chest.
Scans showed a partial re-tear — less severe than the first, and one that did not need another operation. But the mental toll was enormous, and he has been honest about how hard the setback hit him.
He later underwent stem cell therapy, aimed at both the pec and a torn tendon in his left shoulder, as part of his long recovery.
His girlfriend Meg was with him in Dubai through the ordeal, when his parents could not travel to be there.
Recovery and Life After the Injury 🌱
Recovery was slow and humbling. Crowley documented the bruising, the swelling, and the frustration of rebuilding strength from scratch — and he refused to hide the bad days.
His own verdict on the road back said it best: “Down but not out.”
By September 2023 he shared his first post-injury posing photos, a milestone that meant a great deal to fans who had followed his rehab since 2021.
As of 2026, Crowley works as a coach and fitness content creator, sharing training content with a large Instagram and TikTok following under the handle ryancrowley97. He is listed as head coach at W1 Gym, the Dubai gym where the injury happened — though that current role rests on an influencer-directory listing rather than major reporting, so treat it as indicative, not confirmed.
What is certain is this: no verified competition results for Crowley after 2020 exist in the public record. His competitive story, for now, ends at the 2020 NPC Nationals — and his second act is coaching and content, not the stage.
Like fellow comeback stories on this site, his journey is a reminder of how thin the line is between ambition and injury. Fellow British competitor Alex Crockford built a coaching career after his own competitive years, while Alexei Lesukov shows how long an amateur career can run when the body holds up.
Ryan Crowley Contest Record
| Year | Contest | Class | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | NPC National Championships | Men’s Bodybuilding – Super-Heavyweight | 12th ✓ |
| 2020 | NPC USA Championships | Men’s Bodybuilding – Super-Heavyweight | 5th ✓ |
| 2019 | NPC Worldwide Olympia Amateur Portugal | Men’s Bodybuilding – Juniors | 3rd † |
| 2019 | NPC Worldwide Olympia Amateur Portugal | Men’s Bodybuilding – Over 102 kg | 7th † |
| 2019 | NPC Worldwide Kai Greene Pro Qualifier (UK) | Men’s Bodybuilding – Juniors | 1st ✓ |
| 2019 | NPC Worldwide Kai Greene Pro Qualifier (UK) | Men’s Bodybuilding – Over 102 kg | 2nd ✓ |
| 2019 | NPC Worldwide Kai Greene Pro Qualifier (UK) | Men’s Bodybuilding – Novice, over 80 kg | 2nd † |
| 2018 | NPC Amateur Olympia | Men’s Bodybuilding – Super-Heavyweight | 2nd † |
| 2017 | UKBFF British Championships | Men’s Bodybuilding – Juniors | 5th † |
✓ = confirmed against official NPC News Online score sheets. † = carried from the prior record; the official score sheet was not located in this research pass.
FAQs
How old is Ryan Crowley?
Ryan Crowley was born on 30 June 1997, so he turned 29 in June 2026.
How tall is Ryan Crowley?
Reports differ slightly: most listings put him around 6 ft 2 in, while Larry Wheels described him as 6 ft 3 in at the time of his injury.
What happened to Ryan Crowley’s chest?
In March 2021, while incline bench pressing 220 kg in Dubai with Larry Wheels, Crowley’s right pectoral tendon tore completely off the bone. He had reconstructive surgery, then suffered a partial re-tear weeks later while getting dressed.
Did Ryan Crowley ever turn professional?
No. He remained an amateur throughout his competitive career and never earned an IFBB pro card, so he never competed at the Mr. Olympia or the Arnold Classic.
Did Ryan Crowley compete again after his injury?
No verified stage results after 2020 have been found in official score sheets or major reporting. He returned to training and shared post-injury posing photos in September 2023, but a competitive comeback is not documented.
What does Ryan Crowley do now?
He works as a fitness coach and content creator, posting training content as ryancrowley97, and is listed as head coach at W1 Gym in Dubai.
Bottom Line ✅
Ryan Crowley’s career is a story of huge promise interrupted at its peak. A junior champion and super-heavyweight contender, he was 23 and climbing fast when one lift in Dubai changed everything.
He never got the pro card his size suggested was coming. But his open, unfiltered recovery — the setbacks included — made him one of the most relatable figures in the sport.
In 2026, “Big Rig” is still in the gym, still coaching, and still proof that a bodybuilding career can matter even when it never reaches the Olympia stage.