Vladimir Shmondenko (Anatoly Powerlifter)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Vladimir Shmondenko

• Vladimir Shmondenko is a powerlifter and YouTuber from Ukraine. He has participated in various weightlifting and powerlifting championships.

• Shmondenko belongs to Kryshtopivka, a village in Cherkasy, Central Ukraine, which is away from the city and has a very low population. The village lacked internet services until 2014.

• He got access to the internet at the age of 14 and started watching videos of American bodybuilders and bloggers such as David Leid. He was inspired by them and decided to pursue a career as a blogger.

  

• Vladimir decided to follow the fitness routine of American bodybuilders but there was no gym in Kryshtopivka,

  

• During the day, he used to work at farms and take care of gardens, and animals. At night, he went to the gym for bodybuilding. He did not take any professional training and was not financially strong, however; he managed to become a recognized athlete.

• He ate seven times a day to get enough protein to build his muscles. Vladimir was often teased by his teachers and classmates for bringing oatmeal to school in containers. They doubted his ability to become a bodybuilder because he was very thin.

• He started his journey as a YouTuber at the age of 16. On 20 December 2015, he created a YouTube channel with the title Vladimir Shmondenko and started shooting videos of his gym workouts using his phone. ^[5]YouTube – Vladimir Shmondenko

• Vladimir completed his schooling in Kryshtopivka and then, in 2016, he moved to Kyiv to pursue his higher education.

  

• He wanted to buy a Canon 600D camera to improve the quality of his videos. To save money for the camera, he worked as a waiter and courier delivery boy while also attending his university classes.

  

• In September 2017, he participated in a local truck pull competition in which he pulled a Volkswagon car. ^[6]Instagram – Vladimir Shmondenko

  

• After completing his graduation in 2019, he moved to Moscow with only $1000 in his pocket. There he started preparing for powerlifting competitions.

• In 2019, he launched his online workout, diets and nutrition programs for the people. ^[7]Vladimir Shmondenko

• At the end of 2019, while he was travelling to England to sign a contract with a brand, he met his girlfriend, Valery Shirshova in Moscow. He asked her to visit the gym where he impressed her.

• Vladimir became famous for his funny prank videos. In these videos he would disguise himself as a cleaner, an old man, or a novice trainer, to fool people at the gym. These videos were well-received and helped to increase his popularity in both Russia and Ukraine.

• In 2020, when the gyms were closed due to the pandemic, he found a creative solution to stay fit; he set up a temporary gym in a cemetery in Moscow and exercised there during the night.

• In 2021, when the war between Ukraine and Russia broke out, he was very stressed and struggled to come out of depression.

• After moving to Dubai, Vladimir faced language barrier. He started learning English and created a new YouTube channel with the name Anatoly, specifically for English-speaking viewers.

• It was his dream to buy a BMW car since childhood. He bought his BMW E90 on 20 August 2020. He bought another BMW car and customised it to an 800-horsepower engine.

• His prank videos gained a lot of popularity among the English-speaking audience, making him a popular YouTuber.

  

• As of June 2023, his personal best record in the deadlift is 290 kg (639 lbs) and for squats, it is 210 kg (462 lbs). ^[8]Instagram – Vladimir Shmondenko

• He endorses various brands including Ryse Fuel and Myprotein on his social media platforms.

  

• He is a fan of Arnold and considers him his inspiration.

  

• He pursues boxing as his hobby and often practices in his free time.

• Vladimir Shmondenko smokes occasionally.