Nabieva went from skinny to sporting some of the most sculpted female legs.
Bakhar Nabieva, widely known as “Miss Iron Bum,” is a prime example of dedication to training and nutrition. With her striking physique and sculpted legs, she never fails to capture attention. Hailing from Azerbaijan, Bakhar is a trailblazing female bodybuilder who proves bodybuilding is not just a male-dominated sport. This study delves into the dietary habits and lifestyles of female bodybuilders like Bakhar, who work tirelessly to achieve physiques as remarkable as their male counterparts (1).
| Full Name: Bakhar Nabieva (Female Bodybuilder) | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| 115-125 lbs (52.2-56.7kg) | 5’2″ (158 cm) | 04/08/1994 |
| Profession | Era | Nationality |
| Fitness Model | 2010s-Till Date | Azerbaijani |
From a shy, skinny schoolgirl to a global icon and powerhouse, Bakhar Nabieva has captured the admiration of countless fans—both women and men alike. But who is Bakhar Nabieva, and what has propelled her to such remarkable success?
This article takes an in-depth look at her inspiring journey, shedding light on the challenges she overcame and the milestones she achieved. We’ll also explore Bakhar Nabieva’s intense workout routine and distinctive approach to nutrition.
Bakhar Nabieva Biography
Bakhar Nabieva is a female bodybuilder born in Baku, Azerbaijan. She is also a trainer, a weightlifter, fitness model, and a Bikini competitor. Her well-defined legs and ripped physique testify to her dedication and consistency in her training.
Her motivation to enter bodybuilding might surprise you. It wasn’t necessarily because she wanted to have riches, look beautiful, and get heads rolling. Her motivation stemmed from a desire to defy the body shamers and bullies who targeted her in school. Her skinny physique made her a target for these people and motivated her to prove them all wrong.
“I was a very skinny child, had thin legs, and all my classmates made fun of me. So, I decided to change the situation.“
– Bakhar Nabieva
Bakhar Nabieva’s Age, Height, and Weight
Bakhar Nabieva is 30 years old at this time and weighs around 115-125 lbs (52.2-56.7kg). She has quite a muscular build, standing at a height of five feet two inches (158 cm). Nabieva is known for her powerful and well-defined muscular legs.
Bodybuilding Inspiration
Bakhar Nabieva has shown that if you set your mind to achieving the almost impossible, as long as you believe, you can make it happen despite the odds stacked against you. Miss Iron Bum began her journey in bodybuilding around 2012. She watched an interview with Brazilian fitness model Gracyanne Barbosa, was inspired by her, and started hitting the gym. “I started going to the gym, and I did not know what to do, did not count the reps and sets, doing squats every day, and had no idea how to build an exercise routine correctly,” Bakhar explained.
Bikini Competitions
Oftentimes, Nabieva posts training videos online and gradually amassed a large following on her Instagram. She later participated in a bikini contest in 2015 and placed fifth. However, the star has no desire to go professional because of the nature of the intense training and strict diets. She doesn’t see this as fun and doesn’t think it is worth it for her.
“Currently, I have no interest in competing; I have been competing in the category bikini fitness, but really have no interest. You have to be on a very restricted diet, no carbohydrates,” Nabieva explained. “The training does not yield when you have no energy. I do not want to expose myself to such torture, perhaps in the future.”
Bakhar Nabieva’s Workout Routine Approach
Bakhar Nabieva’s intense training regimen focuses primarily on her lower body and core muscles. However, this doesn’t negate her upper body workouts; she has the slim waist and abs to prove it. She occasionally supersets both her upper body and lower body exercises.
Before starting her exercises, Nabieva has a pre-workout shake and warms up using bodyweight movements. A study shows that warm-up performance can help improve your exercise performance (2).
Her major lower body exercises include squats, deadlifts, leg presses, and leg extensions. These exercises isolate lower-body muscle groups, the secret to her desirable legs. “I work with weights using 6-10 and 15 repetitions maximum. I love to train my legs, of course! The exercises that I like the most are squats, leg presses, leg extensions,” Bakhar Nabieva described.
Bakhar Nabieva’s Workout Routine
Lower Body Workouts
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Walking Lunge | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Single Leg Hamstring Curl | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Hack Squat Good Morning | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Hip Adductor | 3 | 10-12 (3 sec. negatives) | |
| Barbell Squat | 3 | 10-12 | |
| 45-Degree Leg Press | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Leg Extension | 3 | 10-12 (2 sec. holds) | |
| Calf Raise | 3 | 20 | |
| Superset – Barbell Lunge & Reverse V Squat | 3 | 12-15 | |
| Superset – Deficit Deadlift & Deficit Dumbbell Sumo Squat | 3 | 10-12 |
Upper Body Workouts
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |
| Superset — Seated Cable Row & Cable Front Raise | 3 | 10-12 (2 sec. holds) | |
| Superset — Barbell Front Raise & Rear Delt Cable Fly | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Superset — Face Pull & Straight Arm Pulldown | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Superset — Dumbbell Lateral Raise & Alternating Grip Bilateral Arm Cable Row | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Superset — T-Bar Row & Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10-12 | |
| Superset — One Arm Dumbbell Row & Dumbbell Front Raise | 3 | 10-12 |
Bakhar Nabieva’s Nutrition & Diet
As much as she watches her macro intake, Bakhar Nabieva is liberal with her food choices since gaining weight is hard for her. So she can eat whatever she likes on her plate and eat cheat meals regularly.
“I really do not like dieting! I like virtually everything else.”
– Bakhar Nabieva
However, when Nabieva is working out, she increases her daily calories but ensures she trains intensely to burn out fat storage. She prioritizes primarily carbs and proteins. She supplements with fat burners, protein shakes, and BCAAs. Some of her daily foods include:
Bakhar Nabieva is a testament to the power of dedication and consistency in achieving your goals. Once a skinny child, she has become one of the world’s most inspiring and strikingly muscular female bodybuilders.
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References
- Haubenstricker, J. E., Lee, J. W., Segovia-Siapco, G., & Medina, E. (2023). Dietary Intake and Supplement Use in Competitive Women Bodybuilders. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 11(8), 158. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11080158
- Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(1), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0
