VLADIMIR Shmondenko came to prominence after going viral for his hilarious antics at the gym.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Ukrainian weightlifter and YouTuber — who also goes by Anatoly Powerlifter.
Who is Vladimir Shmondenko?
Vladimir Shmondenko, 24, is a Ukrainian body lifter who started lifting weights in 2016.
Born on a cattle farm near the tiny village of Krishtopovka in 1999, he became fascinated by American bodybuilder videos after the village got internet.
He created his own gym using wood, bricks, and Soviet-era tractor parts.
At the age of 15, Vladimir ate seven meals of cottage cheese and eggs a day and was ridiculed by classmates for bringing tubs of oatmeal into school.
His Russian-language YouTube channel, which has 1.94million subscribers, features clips of him “pranking” unsuspecting gymgoers.
The powerlifter usually dresses up as a cleaner or a pensioner in muscle-hiding overalls – before stunning gymgoers by carrying huge weights with ease.
He took 3rd place at the 2018 GPA World Championships in Ukraine in the Teen 18-19 category.
Vladimir Shmondenko’s net worth is around £1.45million, off the back of YouTube revenue and fitness brand sponsorships.
How much can Vladimir Shmondenko lift?
Vladimir Shmondenko’s powerlifter deadlift personal record is 290kg.
His powerlifter squat personal record is 210kg.
He is 5’11 and weighs 78kg.
Why is Vladimir Shmondenko known as Anatoly Powerlifter?
Vladimir Shmondenko goes by the stage name Anatoly Powerlifter in the gym.
“Anatoly” is a weedy cleaner or retiree — so in his performances the powerlifter acts as an ignorant and weakly cleaner, and then goes on to outlift people much bigger and seemingly stronger than him.
The alias serves as a comic alter ego, like Barry Humphries’s invention of Dame Edna Everage.
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Is Vladimir Shmondenko married and does he have children?
According to reports, Vladimir Shmondenko’s girlfriend is lingerie model Valery Shirshova.
She has over 130,000 followers on Instagram, where she posts snaps from the couple’s workout and their glamorous life in Dubai and Bali.
Valeria also posts pics of her plastic surgery journey as well as intimate snaps of her and Vladimir in bed together.
The couple does not currently have any children, although they do appear to have two hamsters whom they drive around on remote toy motorbikes.
Vladimir’s own Instagram feed does not feature many photos of Valeria, although he often poses with women whom he pranks in the gym.