On Sept. 19, 2022, Larry “Wheels” Williams shared an Instagram video where he successfully locked out 15 reps of a 224.5-kilogram (495-pound) back squat raw with wraps. The athlete wore a lifting belt and knee wraps and used a security squat bar — which may limit shoulder rotation and eases potential stress on them.

Wheels says he used the protection squat bar due to shoulder inflammation from some arm wrestling and traditional back squats with a straight barbell. Wheels set out for an AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) squat set but apparently “left a couple of reps within the tank” as an added precaution because he hadn’t squatted shortly. 

[Related: Back Squat Vs. Front Squat: Which, When, and Why]

Wheels’ leg endurance and power feat is said to his preparation for a “mock” powerlifting meet while on Testosterone Substitute Therapy (TRT). While he hasn’t disclosed a concrete date, Wheels plans to check out his strength on the powerlifting staples of the squat, bench press, and deadlift. 

Wheels’ Switch to TRT

In a late-August 2022 video on his YouTube channel, Wheels revealed that he would stop using steroids “indefinitely.” He maintained that he had been on a point of performance enhancing drugs for the last decade and desired to see what he could accomplish without their assistance. In its place, since the athlete’s body not produced testosterone naturally, he began using TRT.

With a goal of using 175 milligrams of TRT per week, Wheels would proceed pushing forward along with his general fitness. If a future blood work appointment with a physician makes clear that Wheels needs less TRT, he’ll then decrease his dose accordingly. 

Some early results from Wheels’ transition to TRT include the athlete showing off a noticeably leaner physique in September 2022 after apparently using the therapy for a couple of month. Every week later, the athlete would concurrently test his raw bench press and squat strength. He would cap his bench press routine by ending a five-rep set of 224 kilograms (494 kilos). In the primary instance that Wheels had squatted since injuring his back and withdrawing from the 2022 Middle East’s Strongest Man, his last set was 269.9 kilograms (595.1 kilos) for five reps. 

For context, in accordance with Wheels’ social media, essentially the most he’s ever bench pressed raw was a successful 307-kilogram (675-pound) rep from May 2022. Meanwhile, Wheels once squatted 430.9 kilograms (950 kilos) during a September 2021 training session. 

[Related: How to Do the Bulgarian Split Squat for Leg Size, Strength, and Mobility]

Editor’s Note: Breaking Muscle is just not making an ethical or ethical statement concerning the athlete’s actions. This text reports on what the athlete notes about themselves. Breaking Muscle is just not a licensed medical resource and doesn’t endorse the usage of performance enhancing drugs.

In late-July 2022, after revealing his back injury, Wheels had noted that his long-term training goal was  to achieve a 453.6-kilograms (1,000-pound) deadlift. This may need been around when he began using TRT. On the time of this writing, without steroids in the image, the athlete has not clarified whether he would still push for that hallowed mark within the immediate future.

For now, it seems Wheels desires to give attention to what his body is able to by itself. 

Featured image: @larrywheels on Instagram