The cleaner character in Anatoly videos is undoubtedly part of the entertainment — it’s a comical persona that makes the pranks so successful. But behind this comedy lies the true success story of Vladimir Shmondenko, which didn’t begin on YouTube. Long before the videos went viral, he was already proving his skill in powerlifting competitions, where the scales don’t lie and every lift is recorded.
So, when we talk about just how strong he really is, it’s worth looking at two different ‘stages’ of his career. On the one hand, there are the official competition results from roughly 2017 to 2019, which show the weights he was lifting whilst he was still making a name for himself in the sport. On the other hand, there are his most recent personal bests, which reflect just how far he has come since then.
This allows us to track his progress over time — from an athlete who took part in competitions to the much stronger version of himself that we see today in his content.
How Much Can Anatoly Lift Today?
If you’ve been following Vladimir’s career for some time, you’ll know that his results are usually a subject of debate. However, if you were to ask him personally about the current best results, he would reply without hesitation:
Deadlift — 320 kg;
Squat — 225 kg;
Bench press — 150 kg.
He performed these lifts whilst weighing approximately 78–79 kg, which means they can be classified as his current personal bests rather than competition results.
This also helps to explain why you can still come across his older figures online — for example, 290 kg in the deadlift or slightly lower results in the squat and bench press. These reflect the early stages of his progress and his competition results, before he increased strength to current level.
Which Results Are Verified by Competition Records?
Public record-keeping began in December 2017, long before the cleaner character became famous around the world. These figures aren't rough estimates based on videos: they are the heaviest successful lifts recorded at each competition.
Year - Competition and format - Body weight / class - Recorded lifts - Place:
2017 - Kyiv Open Cup, full power - 66.20 / 67.5 kg - Squat 137.5; Bench 100; Deadlift 175 kg - 1st
2018 - Ukrainian Championships, full power - 65.60 / 67.5 kg - Squat 140; Bench 105; Deadlift 185 kg - 3rd
2018 - Kyiv Cup, push–pull - 73.75 / 75 kg - Bench 115; Deadlift 207.5 kg - 1st
2018 - GPA World Championships, full power - 73.95 / 75 kg - Squat 150; Bench 122.5; Deadlift 195 kg - 3rd
2019 - Kyiv Championship, deadlift only - 78.65 / 82.5 kg - Deadlift 245 kg - 1st
Early competition results are still publicly available if you really want to look them up, but the point is simple: they are recorded in official databases, where every attempt is documented.
Overall, the results show steady progression from early meets to significantly stronger performances over time.
Why Do Anatoly’s Numbers Differ Across Websites?
Various pages often provide answers to different questions, although this is not explicitly stated. The published figures vary as they come from different sources:
Official competition lifts,
Individual competition lifts,
And also, unofficial or staged videos.
They all relate to different dates and conditions. Before comparing any numbers, it's worth checking when they were recorded and where the information comes from.
How Strong Is Anatoly Relative to His Body Weight?
If we take Vladimir’s stated body weight of 78 kg as a basis, his current results, according to his own data, are approximately:
4.1 times body weight in the deadlift;
2.9 times in the squat;
1.9 times in the bench press.
This is relative strength in raw figures. Muscle size still matters, but it's not the whole picture. Strength in a specific exercise also reflects years of practicing that movement, effective technique, coordination and the ability to maintain tension under heavy loads. Anatoly looks smaller than many people in his videos; this doesn't mean he is any less prepared to perform the task.
Where Did Vladimir Build His Strength Base?
Vladimir began training in Kryshtopivka — a small village in the Cherkasy region of Ukraine, where there was no real gym. He put together his first kettlebells from whatever he could find — bricks, pieces of wood, even tractor wheels. By the time he was about 14, Vladimir was already scouring online forums for workout programs, trying out different approaches, and testing them on himself. About a year later, he began making his first attempts to record his training sessions on video.
His attempts to work with a coach ended after just the first two sessions. After that, he went back to figuring everything out on his own, continuing to study training methods and program design independently. At age 18, these efforts began to pay off in competitions — he won the 2017 Kyiv Open Cup. Long before Anatoly first picked up a mop, he already had experience competing in tournaments.
How Does Vladimir Train Now?
Vladimir usually works out three or four times a week, including days when he’s filming. His schedule may vary, but typical workouts focus on different major muscle groups:
Legs;
Chest and biceps;
Back, triceps, and shoulders;
Grip, wrists, abs, and core muscles — either after the main workout or as part of a separate training session.
Squats, bench presses, and deadlifts continue to form the foundation of his workouts. During phases focused on strength development, he trains with heavier weights, performing more working sets and fewer repetitions. In other phases, he incorporates a wider variety of exercises and trains with lighter weights but higher volume.
Progress cannot be forced. A basic plan may call for an increase in weight of only 1.5–2.5 kg the following week. In more advanced cycles, exercises, sets, and the number of repetitions are adjusted before increasing the load. Depending on the day, a workout lasts between 40 and 90 minutes.
What Does He Actually Say About Food?
As a teenager, Vladimir ate whatever was on hand at home: eggs, cottage cheese, vegetables, and other simple dishes. His current approach is just as practical — he prefers a varied menu based on natural foods rather than any single so-called “powerful” ingredient. He has also completely cut out fast food and prefers healthy foods, seasonal fruits, and vitamins.
This speaks to what he eats, not to any single factor being the sole source of his strength. Neither a specific food nor an unproven seven-meal-a-day regimen explains his records.
Are the Lifts in Anatoly’s Prank Videos Staged?
Yes, all prank videos are planned in advance, but that doesn't mean the lifts are fake. The gym management is aware of the filming, and the camera operators may be working from the upper floor or behind closed doors to hide the set from prying eyes.
In one of the videos, the weight is indeed approximately 290 kg, which corresponds to the strength range he has stated. However, this is still not an official competition lift, but rather a training session in an informal setting at the gym. Therefore, his competition results are a more meaningful benchmark.
Can You Become as Strong as Anatoly?
For some athletes, achieving such results is entirely realistic, while for others it’s impossible, so it’s difficult to make any honest promises here. Vladimir doesn’t call himself the strongest man in the world; he openly acknowledges that many professional athletes can lift more.
His advice, don't focus on comparisons; instead, focus on the work ahead of you:
Set a clear goal for building strength.
Master the technique before moving on to heavier weights.
Consistently follow a training program.
Support training with proper nutrition and adequate sleep.
Assess progress by comparing it to your previous results.
His deadlift result —320 kg— is his benchmark. A useful benchmark for you is the number recorded in your own training log.
Strength Becomes Real When It Can Be Traced
The image of a janitor that Anatoly creates on screen explains why people watch — but not why the barbell moves. Even if we disregard the athlete’s personality, there is still a clear athletic narrative behind these videos: years of training, recorded competition lifts, and subsequent personal bests.
For Vladimir Shmondenko, a useful starting point isn't trying to lift 320 kg. It's an honest assessment of his current capabilities, followed by a training program that's consistent enough to ensure that tomorrow's results are worth recording.
FAQ
How much can Anatoly deadlift, squat and bench today?
According to Vladimir’s latest stats, his personal bests are 320 kg in the deadlift, 225 kg in the squat, and 150 kg in the bench press, with a body weight of 78 kg. These are his current personal bests, as reported by him, not results from official competitions.
What is Anatoly’s best verified competition deadlift?
His heaviest deadlift, recorded in the official competition results, is 245 kg. He achieved this lift at a competition dedicated exclusively to the deadlift, held in Kyiv in 2019, with a body weight of 78.65 kg, and took first place.
Why do some websites list lower numbers?
Most pages list a number related to a specific stage of Vladimir’s career. This number may come from previous full-power competitions, an old training record, or a weight shown in a humorous video. That’s why you might come across numbers like 195, 245, 290, and 320 kg online: they refer to different dates, conditions, and levels of verification.
Is Anatoly a professional athlete?
Anatoly is the character viewers see on screen; Vladimir Shmondenko is the athlete behind him. He has a proven track record in powerlifting, having placed in Ukrainian and international competitions. However, in recent years, he hasn't competed as a professional powerlifter. Today, he can best be described as a strength athlete and fitness trainer with proven competitive experience.
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