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News

Larry Wheels Discusses Depression, Self-Esteem Issues Growing Up: “I Decided To Spend Most Time In The Gym”

Greg Patutoby Greg Patuto Published on Sep 22, 2023

Depression

Larry Wheels YouTube

This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure policy).

Larry Wheels opened up about how the “gym saved him” from going down the wrong path.

Larry Wheels continues to be one of the biggest fitness stars out right now. He has taken part in many ventures in the industry and impresses with his insane feats of strength. Now, Wheels is training to compete on the bodybuilding stage. He continues to be open about his journey into fitness and how it helped him early in life.

The powerlifter, strongman and bodybuilder burst onto the scene because of his insane size and feats of strength in powerlifting. During his career, he also dabbled in bodybuilding and arm wrestling. In 2018, Wheels made his bodybuilding debut by competing in the NPC Gold Coast Muscle Classic, where he won gold. Now, a return could be on the horizon after a successful run in many other fitness ventures.

Wheels continues to train in the gym in hopes of taking the stage as a Classic Physique competitor. He was recently hospitalized and diagnosed with Rhabdo. He shared many health updates over the course of his career, including when he began getting his health checked by doctors.

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During a recent interview, Wheels opened up about his sex addiction and how it began impacting his finances. Now, he shared a video speaking on how the gym “saved his life” early on.

PEDs Anxiety
@larrywheels Instagram

Larry Wheels Speaks On Depression, Self Esteem

Larry Wheels explained how he began working out to improve his depression and self-esteem issues. At 14 years old, he could not join a gym so he used a broomstick and cinder blocks. Once he was able to join a gym, he spent time there to get away from the wrong crowd.

“We had to resort to poverty-established and dangerous, crime-ridden neighborhoods. To not be absorbed in that environment, I decided to spend most of my time at the gym.

Generally, people that train, I found to be very disciplined, have strong morals, hard-working individuals, and maybe that can’t be said for the people I was living next door to…The gym saved me from a life of drugs.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Larry (@larrywheels)

Larry Wheels continued to speak on a friend of his who was a veteran and began getting wrapped up in drugs. Wheels would join the party scene but eventually decided to make a change so he did not get into the same substances.

“I didn’t realize ‘well, what if I get addicted to one of these hard substances? Where would that get me?’ I was just living in the moment. I wasn’t thinking about what would happen tomorrow. After seeing what happened to him, that really instilled a lot of fear into me like ‘wait, I’m following in his footsteps because I’m in his environment.”

Bodybuilding
@larrywheels Instagram

Larry Wheels Discusses Breakthrough Into Fitness

Larry Wheels decided at a young age that he wanted to make fitness his lifestyle and began working harder than ever.

“When I saw people who were really pioneers of the industry making it big, it really inspired me to keep my head down, stay humble, get results, create value from creating a beautiful physique and being one of the strongest people alive…Once I reached a point in my life where I was able to live comfortable, where I didn’t;t have to worry about paying my bills, my basic needs were met and my fulfillment moving forward is really giving bay to the community.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Larry (@larrywheels)

Wheels began working with Andrew Jacked and discovered him in the gym. The two became close and Wheels was a huge impact on Jacked becoming to bodybuilder he is today.

“One of my proudest moments is discovering Andrew Jacked and helping him to get to where he is at today. For those watching, struggling, I know we all have a dark place that we are in at some point in life, and whenever I am in that dark place, the gym always brings me back to where I feel comfortable right that’s my safe place and if it was not for the gym, I have a very good idea where I might be.”

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Greg Patuto

About Greg Patuto

Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.

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