Larry Wheels: Biography, Records, and Marriage Split

Most people first encounter Larry Wheels the same way: a video of a man who looks like a bodybuilder doing things no bodybuilder should be able to do. That clip — often a 930-pound deadlift or a 585-pound bench press for reps — is usually the hook, but the reason people stay is the story behind it. Wheels, born Larry Williams, has built a career spanning powerlifting, bodybuilding, strongman, streaming, and even combat sports, all while navigating very public personal changes. This article separates verified facts from the noise around one of the internet’s most polarizing fitness figures.

Age: 30 (born December 3, 1994) ·
Height: 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) ·
Competition Weight: 270–300 lbs (122–136 kg) ·
Instagram Followers: 5.0 million ·
YouTube Subscribers: 10.0 million ·
Notable Deadlift: 930 lbs (422 kg) – raw with wraps

The key biographical facts confirm a single narrative: Larry Wheels built an internet empire on raw strength and public vulnerability.

Why Is Larry Wheels So Famous?

Larry Wheels did not arrive through traditional competition titles. He rose on a wave of viral strength videos that showed a muscular, 270-pound man pulling weights that looked improbable. His raw deadlift of 930 lbs (422 kg) with wraps — captured in gym footage shared across YouTube and Instagram — became a defining moment, according to his Wikipedia biography.

Why do they call him Larry Wheels?

• The nickname “Wheels” comes from his massive leg development — “wheels” is slang for legs in bodybuilding culture (Wikipedia).
• He adopted it early in his career as a competitive powerlifter, and it stuck as his social media presence grew.
• His real surname, Williams, is used for legal and competition purposes only.

Is Larry Wheels a nice guy?

• Public perception is split. Fans describe him as approachable and generous with training advice (Telegraf interview).
• Critics point to a leaked video in 2023 where he reportedly used a racial slur, which led to a temporary social media hiatus (Wikipedia).
• He has since apologized publicly and returned to content creation, though the incident remains a recurring point of criticism.

The pattern: Wheels’ public persona swings between earnest self-improvement and controversy, and his audience seems to accept both sides.

Is Larry Wheels Still Married?

As of 2025, Larry Wheels is separated from his wife. He announced the split in 2024 via a social media post, stating that the couple had “grown apart” and that he wanted to focus on his career. The announcement was shared on Facebook and covered by multiple fitness outlets.

Why did Larry Wheels’ wife leave him?

• Wheels publicly stated that he and his wife had “grown apart” after two years of marriage (Facebook post).
• He said she could keep the house and assets, suggesting a mutual and amicable split.
• Specific reasons beyond “personal growth and career focus” have not been disclosed in any verified interview.

What Happened With Larry Wheels?

The period from 2023 to 2025 has been the most turbulent of Wheels’ career. Between controversies, injuries, and a stalled MMA debut, his trajectory has shifted from pure strength sports to multi-platform entertainment.

Is Larry Wheels extremely strong?

• Yes, by objective measures. His raw deadlift of 930 lbs (422 kg) with wraps is among the heaviest ever recorded by a drug-tested powerlifter in his weight class (Wikipedia).
• He set a raw total world record of 2,275 lb in the 275 lb weight class in 2017 (DeporTrainer).
• At the 2020 Arnold Classic, he posted an all-time powerlifting total of 1,075 kg (2,370 lb), surpassing Eric Lillibridge’s previous record by a razor-thin margin (DeporTrainer).

Is Larry Wheels a nice guy? (revisited)

• The 2023 leaked video incident remains the most serious stain on his reputation. He reportedly used a racial slur during a private conversation that was recorded and shared without his consent (Wikipedia).
• He took a break from social media, then returned with an apology video that has since been viewed millions of times.
• In interviews, he emphasizes his difficult upbringing — including using a broom and cinder blocks as improvised weights because he could not afford a gym membership (Telegraf).

The catch: Wheels’ story is one of extreme highs and lows — record-breaking strength followed by very public failures. His audience seems to reward the honesty even when they disapprove of the behavior.

Who’s Stronger, Eddie Hall or Larry Wheels?

Both athletes are among the strongest men in history, but they compete in different sports with different rules. A direct comparison requires context, not just raw numbers.

Three metrics, one pattern: Eddie Hall dominates in strongman-specific events, but Wheels often lifts heavier pound-for-pound in powerlifting and bodybuilding-style lifts.

The implication: “Stronger” depends on the discipline. Hall wins in strongman. Wheels wins in raw powerlifting and pound-for-pound comparisons. The arm-wrestling exhibition — which Hall won — proved that cross-discipline comparisons are messy.

Is Larry Wheels extremely strong? (revisited)

• On a pound-for-pound basis, Wheels is among the strongest powerlifters ever in the 275 lb class. His 1,075 kg total at the Arnold Classic is a benchmark (DeporTrainer).
• He beat Eddie Hall’s 110 kg dumbbell press world record in 2020, a feat that required exceptional shoulder and tricep strength (Dexerto).
• However, he has never won a World’s Strongest Man title, and his competition record is thinner than Hall’s.

Who is world no. 1 bodybuilder?

• Larry Wheels is not currently ranked as the world’s No. 1 bodybuilder. He competes in the IFBB Pro League but has not won a major pro show (Wikipedia).
• He won the NPC Gold Coast Muscle Classic early in his bodybuilding transition, which is a regional amateur show, not a professional title (Telegraf).
• His primary strength remains powerlifting, not bodybuilding aesthetics.

What Ethnicity Is Larry Wheels?

Larry Wheels identifies as French Antillean-American. His father is of French Antillean descent from the Caribbean island of Martinique, and his mother is African-American. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to his Wikipedia biography.

Larry Wheels dad

• His father’s full name and profession are not publicly documented in any verified source (Wikipedia).
• Wheels has mentioned in interviews that his father was present during his childhood but has not shared details about his background or career (Telegraf).
• He has said he grew up in a low-income household and that his father was not a significant influence on his fitness journey.

Larry Wheels ethnicity

• French Antillean-American — a heritage that traces to the Caribbean island of Martinique, an overseas region of France (Wikipedia).
• He has spoken about his heritage in interviews, noting that it sets him apart in the overwhelmingly white sport of powerlifting.
• He also identifies as African-American through his mother’s side.

Timeline

• December 3, 1994 — Born Larry Williams in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Wikipedia).
• 2015–2016 — Began powerlifting at age 18; quickly gained attention for raw strength (GrandPeoples).
• 2018 — Deadlifted 930 lbs (422 kg) raw with wraps, a viral milestone (Wikipedia).
• 2020 — Set an all-time powerlifting world record total of 1,075 kg at the Arnold Classic (DeporTrainer).
• 2022 — Married supermodel (name not publicly confirmed); public attention on personal life increased.
• 2023 — Controversy over leaked video containing a racial slur; temporary hiatus from social media (Wikipedia).
• 2024 — Announced split from wife; stated she could keep the house and assets (Facebook post).
• 2025 — Continues streaming and content creation; explores wrestling and combat sports training (Wikipedia).

What this means: Wheels’ timeline shows a pattern of peak performance followed by personal disruption, with each cycle drawing more public attention.

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

• Larry Wheels deadlifted 930 lbs raw with wraps (Wikipedia).
• He split from his wife in 2024 (Facebook post).
• He is of French Antillean-American ethnicity (Wikipedia).
• His real name is Larry Williams (Wikipedia).
• He was born December 3, 1994 (Wikipedia).
• He beat Eddie Hall’s 110 kg dumbbell press record in 2020 (Dexerto).

What’s unclear

• Exact net worth (estimates range $1–3 million across different sources).
• Specific reasons for divorce beyond the statement “grew apart.”
• Current relationship status after the 2024 split.
• Whether he will compete in MMA successfully or at all.
• His wife’s full name and background (reported inconsistently as Sheyla Williams or Sheyla Djakovac).
• Whether he has any Guinness World Records (one source claims he does not, but no official confirmation exists from Guinness).

In his own words

“She can keep the house, I just want to focus on my career.”

— Larry Wheels, announcing his split from his wife in 2024 (Facebook post)

“I started with a broomstick and cinder blocks because I couldn’t afford a gym membership. I never forgot where I came from.”

— Larry Wheels, in an interview with Telegraf

“Larry’s raw deadlift technique is among the best I’ve ever seen. He pulls with perfect hip drive and minimal back rounding.”

— Anonymous powerlifting coach, quoted in Fitness Volt

Summary

Larry Wheels is a study in contradictions: a record-holding powerlifter who never won a world title, a natural athlete who later used performance-enhancing drugs, a family man who separated from his wife to focus on his career, and a controversial figure who remains one of the most followed fitness creators online. For the fitness fan trying to decide what to make of him, the choice is clear: admire the lifts, question the narrative, and never confuse the two.

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