It’s been an eventful year for Larry “Wheels” Williams. Amidst various training updates and tidbits, the athlete disclosed he would stop using steroids indefinitely in a late-August 2022 video on his YouTube channel. After openly leaning on some measure of performance enhancing drugs for years, his rationale for stopping was that he wanted to see how his performance would fare without such assistance. As a substitute, because Wheels’ body no longer naturally produced testosterone, he went on Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). His ongoing experiment on that front seems to be going swimmingly so far.
On Nov. 28, 2022, Wheels shared an Instagram video of himself capturing a 305-kilogram (672.4-pound) raw back squat while on TRT. Per the caption of his post, Wheels’ intention was to garner as many reps as possible (AMRAP) with the weight. While it appeared like he may have been able to lock out another rep, Wheels stopped squatting after six reps, suggesting that was his AMRAP with the massively loaded barbell. The athlete wore a lifting belt and knee wraps, and completed the set in his socks.
Editor’s Note: Breaking Muscle is not making a moral or ethical statement about the athlete’s actions. This article reports on what the athlete discloses about themselves. Breaking Muscle is not a certified medical resource and does not endorse the use of performance enhancing drugs.
In Wheels’ case, as he continues his new fitness and strength journey, he hasn’t shied away from being an open book in 2022. Especially when it comes to any milestones and potential pitfalls.
Before Wheels revealed he was now on TRT instead of steroids, he shared various staggering training briefs — including a 299.8-kilogram (661-pound) paused bench press in early April 2022, a 425-kilogram (937-pound) deadlift from May 2022, and a 421.8-kilogram (930-pound) deadlift for three reps later that same month.
As he prepped for his strongman return later in the summer of 2022, Wheels disclosed he had suffered an unfortunate back injury while deadlifting heavy weight. In the interest of precaution and a full recovery that didn’t derail other goals, Wheels withdrew from the 2022 Middle East’s Strongest Man contest. He cited a long-term outlook where he would eventually vie for an official 456.3-kilogram (1,000-pound) pull.
Wheels wasn’t done. After his announcement that he would stop steroid use, Wheels completed a 224.5-kilogram (495-pound) AMRAP squat for 15 reps in late September 2022. If that weren’t enough, he worked out with legendary eight-time Mr. Olympia (1998-2005) Ronnie Coleman in early November 2022. Amidst all of this excitement, one thing seems certain — Wheels will keep himself busy regardless of potential adversity and new experimentation.
The weeks and months ahead might prove pivotal for Wheels. As he continues to train while on TRT, he could soon outline what his next competitive goals will be. He might return to preparing for that 1,000-pound deadlift milestone, or he may find himself on a strongman platform. Regardless of his next fitness decision, it’s clear Wheels won’t be afraid to push himself in new fashions.
Featured image: larrywheels on Instagram
