33-year-old Nataliya Kuznetsova, known as the “world’s most muscular woman,” is a champion in arm lifting, bench press, and deadlift. Once a timid, skinny teenager weighing just 40kg, she faced bullying for her appearance. At 14, her father encouraged her to try the gym to boost her confidence. “I was a timid little mouse when I was growing up,” she recalls.
By 15, Nataliya became a regional bodybuilding champion in Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia. She shared, “Just like everyone else I first went to the gym without a goal, but after three months my trainer asked if I wanted to compete.”
This marked her rise in powerlifting. She won the 2014 Eurasia Cup and became the 2015 Eastern Europe Champion. Now weighing between 246 and 275 pounds, Nataliya sets records, emphasizing effort over perfection: “Every day is another opportunity to move forward.”
