Dmitry Klokov is a living weightlifting legend. Between his 2008 Olympic silver medal, world title, and reputation for just being a really nice guy, he’s solidified himself as one of the most well-respected weightlifters of our generation.
He’s also a complete and total ham and loves showing off in front of the camera. Since his official retirement in May of 2015, Klokov seem to have embraced a life full of training antics and general amusement. Here are a few of our favorite (and often ridiculous) Klokov moments.
That time he decided to lift underwater.
When he dabbled in CrossFit for a hot second and decided to complete the workout “Grace,” 30 clean & jerks for time. Of course, in true Klokov fashion, he did it at 105 kilos (231lbs) and still finished in 3:05. That’s approximately one clean & jerk every six seconds.
When he pause snatched 200kgs after he retired.
During his stint with the NPGL’s Baltimore Anthem, Klokov gave the fans what they wanted by recording his entire experience on his GoPro, complete with commentary and translations, further proving that he’s an all around good guy.
Oh, and he snatched 90 kilos (198lbs) with one arm…because, why not? It seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to fool around with when you’re no longer competing. Look ma, one hand!
If it wasn’t enough that he is ridiculously strong, nice, and supportive of his teammates, Klokov has also proved time and again that he’s a fantastic father. It’s too soon to tell whether or not his kids end up as weightlifters, but they’re certainly being taught and spotted by the best.
And just to prove that Klokov’s awesomeness isn’t a recent revelation, here he is in 2006 with a 242kg clean & jerk…that’s 532lbs for those of you without a calculator, above the 105 kilo world record at the time. Sadly, his training partners in the background didn’t appear to be as impressed as we are.
