You’ve seen the clip. A skinny-looking janitor in a blue jumpsuit walks up to a pair of massive bodybuilders struggling with a 400-pound deadlift. He politely asks if he can "clean" the area. Then, with one hand on his mop and the other on the barbell, he tosses the weight around like it’s made of Styrofoam.
The look on their faces? Pure, unadulterated shock.
That’s Anatoly. Or, if you want to be formal, Vladimir Shmondenko.
But what's the story behind powerlifter Anatoly? Is he just a guy with "old man strength" and a hidden camera, or is there a legitimate athletic pedigree behind the prank? Honestly, the truth is a lot more interesting than just a viral TikTok trend. It starts in a tiny village in Ukraine with no gym, no equipment, and a whole lot of DIY grit.
From Bricks and Wood to Global Stardom
Vladimir Shmondenko wasn't born with a silver spoon—or a carbon-fiber barbell—in his hand. He grew up on a cattle farm in Krishtopivka, a small Ukrainian village with a population of just a few hundred people.
Back in 2014, when he was around 14, he finally got internet access. He didn't use it to play games; he used it to watch bodybuilding videos. He became obsessed. But there was a problem: Krishtopivka didn't exactly have a Gold’s Gym.
So, he built his own.
He literally fashioned weights out of bricks, wood, and rusted tractor parts. He was the kid in school carrying plastic containers of cottage cheese and eggs while everyone else laughed at him. He didn't care. By the time he moved to Kyiv in 2016 for his studies, he had already built a foundation of strength that most city kids with personal trainers would envy.
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Is He Actually an Elite Athlete?
A lot of people think the "Anatoly" videos are staged or use fake weights. While social media always involves some level of curation, Vladimir Shmondenko’s strength is 100% real.
He isn't just a "strong guy." He is a Master of Sports of International Class in powerlifting.
To put that in perspective, in the world of powerlifting, that title is reserved for the top tier of athletes whose totals (the sum of their squat, bench, and deadlift) hit specific elite benchmarks. In 2018, at just 19 years old, he competed in a world championship in Kyiv and took home a bronze medal.
The Stats (Because Numbers Don't Lie)
At a body weight of roughly 78 kg (172 lbs), Vladimir’s personal records are borderline absurd:
- Deadlift: 290 kg (approx. 639 lbs)
- Squat: 210 kg (approx. 463 lbs)
- Bench Press: Around 150 kg–170 kg (Estimated based on training footage)
Think about that. He is deadlifting nearly four times his own body weight. When he walks into a gym dressed as a scrawny cleaner, he’s often stronger than the guys who weigh 100 pounds more than him. That’s the "magic" of the prank. It’s not just strength; it’s neuromuscular efficiency. His nervous system is trained to recruit every single muscle fiber at once.
The Birth of the "Anatoly" Persona
The transition from competitive powerlifter to "Anatoly" wasn't overnight. Vladimir started his YouTube channel at 16, mostly posting standard workout clips. They did okay, but they didn't set the world on fire.
In 2019, he moved to Moscow and started experimenting with comedy. He realized that people loved the "underdog" narrative. He created the character Anatoly—a humble, slightly awkward cleaner or "rookie" who happens to be a god of strength.
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Then the war in Ukraine happened.
Vladimir moved to Dubai in 2022, which turned out to be a pivotal moment for his brand. He switched his content to English, started collaborating with icons like Larry Wheels, and the "Anatoly" persona exploded globally. He went from a regional lifter to a guy with over 23 million followers on TikTok and Instagram combined.
Why the Pranks Actually Work
There’s a reason we can't stop watching these videos. It hits a very specific psychological button: the "Ego Check."
Gym culture can sometimes be toxic, filled with "ego lifting" and people who judge others based on their size. When Anatoly—looking like someone who has never touched a weight in his life—out-lifts the gym's biggest "alpha," it’s incredibly satisfying.
It’s also a masterclass in leverage and technique. If you watch closely, Anatoly’s form is impeccable. He uses a sumo stance for many of his deadlifts, which shortens the range of motion and plays to his specific limb lengths. He isn't just "muscling" the weight up; he’s using elite-level mechanics.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception? That he’s "skinny."
In his janitor outfit, the baggy clothes hide his physique. But if you see Vladimir in his actual lifting gear, he is incredibly lean and muscular. He carries a lot of "dense" muscle mass that doesn't necessarily look huge under a shirt but provides massive power.
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Another myth is that he’s a world-record holder in the biggest federations like the IPF. He’s not. While he is elite, he’s not competing at the very top of the professional powerlifting circuit anymore because, frankly, being a professional prankster pays a lot better.
He’s converted his athletic talent into a business empire, including his own supplement line, Arriba Nutrition, and various training programs.
Key Lessons from the Anatoly Story
If you're looking to apply some of the "Anatoly" magic to your own fitness journey, there are a few takeaways that aren't just for laughs:
- Foundation First: He spent years lifting bricks in a village before he ever stepped in front of a camera. There are no shortcuts to that kind of "old man strength."
- Pound-for-Pound Power: You don't have to weigh 300 lbs to be the strongest person in the room. Focus on strength-to-weight ratio.
- Consistency Over Equipment: If a kid can become a Master of Sports using tractor parts, you can probably make progress with whatever gear your local gym has.
- Master the Mechanics: His "easy" lifts are the result of thousands of reps of perfect technique.
The story behind powerlifter Anatoly is really a story about Vladimir Shmondenko’s refusal to be limited by his environment. Whether he's cleaning floors or pulling 600 pounds, he's a reminder that you should never judge a book—or a janitor—by its cover.
To start training like Vladimir, focus on the "Big Three" lifts—squat, bench, and deadlift—and prioritize progressive overload. You might not end up pulling 600 pounds with one hand, but you'll definitely stop being the "rookie" in your own gym.
Next Steps for Your Training:
If you want to build that "deceptive" Anatoly strength, start by tracking your relative strength. Calculate your "Wilks Score" or "Dots Score" to see how you stack up against other lifters in your weight class rather than just looking at the absolute number on the bar. Focus on low-rep, high-intensity sets (1-5 reps) to train your central nervous system for power without necessarily adding massive amounts of "bulky" body mass.