Sergei Agadzhanyan, a prominent figure in Russia’s strength sports scene, recently drew attention by performing a daring unofficial feat: lifting a 210 kg barbell onto his shoulders while simultaneously inflating two medical heating pads until they burst. He shared with socialbites.ca that the aim behind such stunts is to promote a healthy, active lifestyle. The event was described as a preparatory milestone for another ambitious challenge planned for May 2024, which would involve shouldering a device modeled after a Moskvich car and inflating heating pads in tandem.
“Record attempts aren’t about personal bravado; they are tools to engage society in healthier habits. My goal is to show young people and adults alike what a fit, disciplined person can achieve without relying on harmful habits. I have abstained from alcohol and tobacco for a long time, because maintaining such feats with bad habits would be nearly impossible. This marked the first combined strength record—the concept originated not with me, but with the leader of the International Heroic Movement “The Strongest Nation in the World.” It fused two seemingly opposing physiological challenges: lifting a heavy weight on the trapezius, which exerts intense pressure on the diaphragm, and inflating a heating pad. It remains an unofficial, interim record before the larger challenge in Kislovodsk in May. There, the goal is to hold a Moskvich-car-shaped device on the platform while inflating medical heating pads. The record is meant to honor the legacy of Valentin Dikul, a legendary Soviet-era strongman who once performed on stage with a Volga chariot balanced on his shoulders on a triangular platform. “To complicate things, we chose a remake”, he noted.
Agadzhanyan explained that his training schedule typically involves four to five sessions each week, with careful attention paid to nutrition.
“My workouts now are highly repetitive but build strength and endurance. In my routines I blend elements of disciplined intensity with theatrical, extreme-stage performances that involve object destruction. To perform at a high level across multiple disciplines, nutrition must be precise. Sweet foods and high-carbohydrate items are limited, except on the eve of events. I prioritize protein-rich meals in small portions five to six times a day so the body has what it needs to sustain energy and recovery. I train four to five times weekly, incorporating high-repetition sets along with dedicated strength and cardio components at the end of each session. On especially tough days, I push into a form of ‘super cardio,’ walking seven to ten kilometers while carrying heating pads and inflating them along the way for an added training stimulus. Typical splits include leg work paired with shoulders, chest work targeting triceps, back work focusing on biceps, and a fourth day dedicated to extreme-stage movements and arm work. Start inflating dumbbells and a heating pad, or bending kitchenware into tubes, he explained.
According to Agadzhanyan, there was a time when he could push through record attempts and training in the same day. In recent years, however, he has emphasized recovery and body restoration as a strategic priority.
“Over the last three to four years I have relaxed the tempo after shows. Back in 2019, I pulled a 170-ton motor ship with its interior decorations to the Andreevsky pier and trained that same day. That approach isn’t sustainable. Rest and recovery—quiet walks, contrast showers—support calm for the nervous and vascular systems. When properly prepared, the body performs with less strain on the first day of events, reducing the risk of vascular spikes or heart muscle strain. If preparation is solid, these risk factors diminish”, he concluded.
In a broader account, Agadzhanyan, often labeled the Russian Hulk in strength circles for his multi-ton pulling feats and his abundance of national and international records, completed a new milestone by balancing a 210 kg barbell on his shoulders while inflating two medical devices simultaneously. The devices exploded as a dramatic finish on December 9, a tribute to Heroes of the Fatherland Day. Local coverage cited the breadth of his achievements, placing him among Russia’s most accomplished strongmen and highlighting Triumph Palace of Sports in Lyubertsy near Moscow as the event venue.
Earlier in his career, a seven-year-old resident of Perm set a separate Russian record in push-ups on parallel bars with additional weight, underscoring a broader culture of emerging athletic talent alongside veteran record-holders.