Fitness vlogger Nataliya Kuznetsova shared a throwback post with fans this week that has to be seen to be believed.
Nataliya Kuznetsova, a Wings of Strength sponsored athlete, recently shared before and after pictures on her Instagram that reveal a personal side to her journey that has never been seen before. You can look at both of the posts in full below.
The first photo shows Kuznetsova at age 14, while the second shows a more recent update on her physique as an adult. Kuznetsova is aiming at a slot on the Olympia stage this year, so these photos really illustrate her drive to hone her physique and improve her conditioning. You can tell her build in her teens was not naturally athletic, so it makes it that much more of an accomplishment that she’s come as far as she has.
It just goes to illustrate one of the fundamental truths of bodybuilding: you get out of it what you put into it. Mass, physique, overall aesthetic balance — these are things that athletes achieve in the gym as opposed to having them handed to them. No matter what genetic predisposition you’re working against, anyone can overcome the roadblocks put ahead of them if they know how to work smarter, not harder, in the gym. Looking at pros like Kuznetsova is always inspiring because it reminds all of us that anyone, with the right cocktail of effort and time, can achieve greatness.
Take a look at some of the other pictures Kuznetsova has shared with fans recently to get an idea of just how far she’s come.
Clearly, Kuznetsova has been reaping the rewards of an improved physique for quite awhile now. If an awkward teen can make her way to fitness greatness, who can’t? It’s a potent reminder that dreams are earned and achieved, not simply handed to us.
Kuznetsova is an accomplished bodybuilder in her own right. Born in Russia in 1991, at just 28 she holds multiple world records in bench press and deadlift titles. She is also the heaviest known female bodybuilder in the world, which, when compared to pictures of her from her childhood, is really something astonishing to look at. Controversially, Kuznetsova has been open with journalists about her use of steroids. Although all major pro bodybuilders use steroids, it’s still considered something of a taboo to speak on that subject in public. Kuznetsova has also explained in interviews that her fitness journey began in her early teens, right around when that photo was taken, as she was looking for a way to improve her physique and overall conditioning. Here we are, fourteen years later, and the results are astounding.
Now that you’ve seen what an incredibly talented athlete can accomplish in fourteen years, ask yourself: where do I see my fitness journey leading me ten years from now? Twenty years from now? The answer is entirely up to you.
*All images and media courtesy of Instagram.
