It seems lately I have been on YouTube checking out more and more powerlifting related vids. I see it all: gym lifts, home lifts, bad lifts, fake lifts etc. As I wrote on my last blog on how there are a few lifters that really don't have any weaknesses because they are so talented at all three lifts. I failed to mention to what I am now calling one of my favourite lifters: Maxim Barkhatov.

As his name suggests he is a Russian Powerlifter and what I feel separates him from his other phenomenal countrymen are how clean and effortless he makes his lifts. Yes I know Andrey Belyaev, Sergey Fedosienko, Vladimir Bondarenko and Andrey Malanichev all do that to but they all have been busted in the past with doping violations too. I know the chances of Barkhatov being truly clean are nil but I believe he has never been suspended by the IPF.

It is actually kind of surprising how I am not heavily favouring the heavier lifters such as Bondarenko & Malanichev as I am in the upper end of the weight classes and you sort of relate better to those certain athletes. Obviously I am not taking anything away from those guys...how could you possibly but I really like watching Barkhatov's lifting. He is amazingly solid, clean and I have never seen him grind anything out before as he makes it look way to easy and as a fan you are begging him to put on another 20 kilos on his lifts. Maybe after watching these clips you will be big fans of him too.

In 2007 World Championships held in Soelden, Austria Maxim Barkhatov easily won his 110 kgs class 395-275-380=1050,0 for 618,97 wilks.

Squat 395 kgs

Deadlift 380 kgs