Powerlifter Russel Orhii is rewriting the record books and making us rethink what’s possible in his sport. And it’s all happened in a few short years. Find out what makes Russel tick, where he thinks the sport is headed next, and his goals — including specific numbers, like an 800 pound deadlift — for the next few years of competition.
In this episode of The BarBend Podcast, guest Russel Orhii and host David Thomas Tao discuss:
- Russel’s unconventional start in powerlifting (2:25)
- His first competition and initial PRs/strength numbers (5:08)
- Learning how to deadlift after a football career doing the power clean (7:20)
- The impressive longevity of powerlifting careers, and how long Russel thinks he’ll stay in his bodyweight category (9:50)
- Russel’s 5-year goals in the sport (12:40)
- Why has powerlifting grown so much? And what impact does social media play in this growth? (16:10)
- The BIGGEST change in powerlifting in the past 3 years (19:25)
- Documenting Russel’s fitness journey, and how he grew his YouTube presence (20:52)
- The fickle nature of monetizing online, and how it impacted strength influencers (25:33)
- Strength athlete Russel most admires (27:35)
- Russel’s dream training partner (29:10)
- The Texas powerlifting scene and where it’s going next (31:30)
Relevant links and further reading:
