Nataliya Kuznetsova is far from your typical female bodybuilder.
Staying physically fit is crucial for both our bodies and minds. For most of us, this means simple activities like taking a daily walk or enjoying light exercise.
For Nataliya Kuznetsova, a 33-year-old powerhouse, staying in shape takes on a whole new meaning. Just one glance at this professional Russian bodybuilder, and it’s clear she dominates the world of arm lifting, bench pressing, and deadlifting—earning her the title of world champion in these disciplines.
I believe everyone has the right to look however they choose. No one should ever be ridiculed for their appearance; it’s entirely their choice how they dress and present themselves.
At Newsner, we’ve highlighted incredible individuals who are strong enough to forge their own path. They choose to follow their personal goals rather than conform to society’s narrow standards of beauty.
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Nataliya Kuznetsova, a 29-year-old Russian powerhouse, is the reigning world champion in armlifting, bench press, and deadlifting. She has dedicated her entire life to sculpting her incredible and powerful physique.
Nataliya’s entire life has been centered around building strength and pushing herself to lift even greater weights. From a young age, she knew exactly what she wanted to achieve.
As reported by the UK website LadBible, Nataliya began powerlifting at just 14 years old and quickly decided to pursue bodybuilding. At the start of her journey, she weighed only 80 pounds.
Today, her weight typically ranges between 246 and 275 pounds, reflecting her dedication and transformation.
The path to fame
While details about Nataliya’s early years and upbringing remain limited, we do know that she was born as Nataliya Trukhina on July 1, 1991, in Chita, a city in the southeast region of Siberia, Russia.
From a young age, Nataliya was incredibly active, with a particular passion for martial arts and physical training. At just 14 years old, she began her bodybuilding journey, hitting the gym nearly every day to work on building her strength.
Under the guidance of Alexei Ivanov, a highly respected coach in the region, Nataliya was placed on a strict diet to support her training.
Initially, Nataliya didn’t set out to compete or build massive muscle. Her primary goal was to increase strength, with muscle gain being a natural byproduct of her dedication.
However, it didn’t take long for others to notice the incredible transformation as the young girl steadily built muscle and gained weight. A few years into her training, she began entering competitions, and in one of her first championships, Nataliya performed exceptionally well. From that point on, she became fully focused on her path to becoming a professional bodybuilder.
At just 17 years old and weighing only 150 pounds, Nataliya was already able to bench-press an impressive 220 pounds. She recalls this achievement occurring while she was still living in Chita, during the early stages of her career.
At the time, she wasn’t even aware of the role protein shakes played in muscle growth and hadn’t heard of them. Despite this, Nataliya was still able to achieve remarkable results, proving her dedication and natural strength.
Whether or not it was simply due to finding the right nutrition, Nataliya has certainly proven herself in the world of bodybuilding, winning multiple titles and breaking several records.
As reported by The Famous People, the Russian powerhouse took home the 2014 Cup of Eurasia in Vologda, Russia, and was crowned the Cup Eastern Europe (GPA) Champion in 2015.
Nicknamed the “World’s Most Muscular Woman,” Nataliya has set numerous records in deadlifting, powerlifting, and the NAP bench press. She holds a personal best of over 374 pounds in the bench press and 530 pounds in the deadlift, further cementing her place in bodybuilding history.
Nataliya proudly claims the title of European champion in both the deadlift and bench press. Standing at 5’7″, this Russian powerhouse typically weighs just over 220 pounds during the off-season, maintaining her impressive physique year-round.
“Every day is another opportunity to move forward a little more,” Nataliya wrote on her Facebook page. “It’s not about being perfect – it’s about showing up, putting in the effort, and doing the work to get you where you envision yourself to be.”
Nataliya is much more than just a powerful bodybuilder with striking features and 18.5-inch biceps.
She earned her degree from the Moscow State Academy of Physical Culture in 2013 and even participated in a performance of Manon Lescaut at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia.
Alongside her husband, Vladislav Kuznetsov, also a bodybuilder, Nataliya resides in the Russian capital. The couple married in 2015 after meeting in 2009. Nataliya often shares heartfelt tributes to Vladislav, who continually supports and motivates her to overcome any challenges in life.
Although Nataliya dreams of having a child someday, she and her husband currently don’t have any.
“We have a really modern love story,” Nataliya shared in 2019. “We first connected online through Odnoklassniki, a Russian social networking site. We just talked as friends for a while.”
Throughout the years, Nataliya has fought tirelessly to pursue her passion. In the early stages of her career, she was often struggling financially, but her determination kept her pushing forward despite the challenges.
Finding sponsors was a major challenge for Nataliya, and she had to finance her own training and competitions. In Russia, it was tough to raise money or get the support she needed. However, now that Nataliya has gained widespread attention and gone viral, things have started to improve.
Today, she partners with nutrition companies like Oxytropin and RPS Nutrition and has several sponsors backing her.
Thanks to her viral photos showcasing her sculpted physique, Nataliya’s online presence has played a key role in her rise to fame. While many are familiar with her face, it’s likely that her iconic status as the “female goliath” has made her even more recognizable.
“I’m clearly recognizable to people. Even under clothing, my athletic body is visible. A lot of people ask to take pictures with me because they recognize me. My name is even well-known,” Nataliya shared with LadBible.
She has also spoken about how others often react to her appearance. Despite being called ugly and insulted by some, she compares the critics to children who cry when faced with someone much stronger than themselves, highlighting how society’s narrow standards of beauty can lead to harsh judgments.
“Classical conventions and standards have long since disappeared. The modeling industry has already undergone significant change. A mirror is my best advisor,” Nataliya explains.
Despite the criticism, she deeply appreciates the love and support she receives from her loyal global fan base.
“Men make up the majority of my Instagram followers—about 75%, and the percentage is similar across other social networks. They write a lot. Congratulations to athletes are the same as those to non-athletes,” she shared.
Nataliya now has an impressive one million followers on Instagram. Describing herself as a “unique Amazon woman,” she frequently shares insights into her daily life with her fans. Her feed is filled with workout routines, gym tips, and motivational content.
Although she considered using growth hormones at one point, she ultimately decided they weren’t for her. Nataliya has openly admitted to taking performance enhancers, including estrogen blockers, which are banned by most major sports organizations.
In early 2017, Nataliya announced her “retirement” from powerlifting and a step back from the spotlight. However, just a year and a half later, she returned to compete in the next major tournament in Moscow. She also expressed her desire to help others “achieve their potential” and revealed that she was exploring a career in coaching.
Nataliya’s life decisions reflect an incredible level of dedication and determination, which is something to admire. She has defied conventional expectations and followed her own path, choosing to pursue her dreams in a way that’s true to herself. While some may see her choices as extreme, particularly in terms of her intense training and use of performance enhancers, it’s clear that she is passionate about her craft and her physical goals. She has also shown a desire to help others by pursuing coaching, which indicates a deeper motivation beyond just personal achievement.
It’s not about whether her choices are “insane” or “appropriate,” but about her commitment to being authentic to herself and striving to be the best version of who she wants to be. Everyone has their own unique path to follow, and for Nataliya, it seems that her strength, both physical and mental, is what drives her forward.
