Vladimir Shmondenko is a Ukrainian powerlifter and one of the fastest-growing content creators on the planet, with more than 4 million followers on Instagram.
Shmondenko’s journey to success from humble beginnings in Ukraine is the ultimate rags-to-riches story but what is the tale behind Anatoly Powerlifter and what is his net worth?
Who is Vladimir Shmondenko?
Vladimir Shmondenko was born in 1999 on a cattle farm near the tiny village of Krishtopovka, Ukraine.
He started lifting weights at the age of 15 when he created a home gym using wood, bricks, and Soviet-era tractor parts.
He started eating seven meals of cottage cheese and eggs a day and started to be ridiculed by friends for bringing tubs of oatmeal into school.
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Shmondenko said: “I realised that life could be very different and that it wasn’t necessary to spend it working in the fields and tending to livestock all day.
“I wanted to become a blogger so that I could show people my life, motivate them and become at least a little bit famous.”
He added: “Gaining weight was very difficult for me because I was spending so many calories a day. But I was getting stronger.
“Farm work, cows and the garden required a lot of energy, but everything that was left over I spent in the gym.”
On December 20, 2015, Shmondenko launched his first YouTube channel.
Shmondenko said: “I recorded absolutely every set, corrected exercise technique and developed my own program to work with what was available.
“I did it with a dream and a goal in mind. I knew that all of this would come in handy and give me more opportunities.”
In 2017, he moved to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv for university.
Shmondenko would work as a courier from 5 am, attend his university classes during the day, and then wait tables until 10 pm before heading to the gym to film content.
Aged 18, he went all in on his YouTube career after reaching 7000 followers.
He said: “I was on the verge of being expelled from university and I found myself without a place to live.
“But at that moment, one of my videos went viral. It was a sign that I was on the right track.”
In 2019, 2020 and 2021 he won the Ukrainian Powerlifting Championships and continued to grow his online presence.
In 2020, he started to focus his content on gym pranks.
The powerlifter usually dresses up as a cleaner or retiree in muscle-hiding overalls before stunning gymgoers by lifting huge weights with ease.
Shmondenko currently boasts 4 million followers on Instagram and 2 million followers on YouTube.
What is Vladimir Shmondenko’s weight?
Vladimir Shmondenko is 5’11 and weighs 78kg.
Shmondenko’s deadlift personal record is 290kg, while his squat personal record is 210kg.
What is Vladimir Shmondenko’s net worth?
Vladimir Shmondenko has an estimated net worth of $2 million thanks to advertising revenue on his YouTube channel and sponsorship deals from fitness brands.
Shmondenko also has an online fitness coaching business where he sells 8-week training programs for $49.
Shmondenko lives in Dubai, but is often seen travelling the world on his Instagram.