Embed

Amazonka: The Iron Pumping Queen

The life of Natalya Kuznetsova – Russia’s heaviest female bodybuilding champion

Meet Natalya Kuznetsova, a real-life Amazon woman from Russia who is sure to inspire you to take your workouts more seriously! Known as ‘Amazonka’, the powerlifting and bodybuilding champion currently holds records in bench pressing and deadlifting.

At 102 kg (225 lbs.) and 170cm (5’6”), Natalya is considered Russia’s heaviest female bodybuilder.

Natalya first entered a weight room in her native hometown of Chita at the age of 14. Neither the Siberian cold, nor long commutes stopped her from pumping iron. Her powerlifting talent was soon noticed by trainers and she began competing in tournaments. Since then, Natalya has built a body Greek Gods would envy. Natalya has a big Instagram following, with more than half a million subscribers who enjoy looking at her selfies and watching her go through her grueling gym routines.

“At 14, I decided to go to the gym to tone my booty, arms, and legs; I was very skinny,” Natalya says.

Natalya’s online fame has brought her not just fans, but work. Natalya has even appeared on the stage of the iconic Bolshoi Theatre to flaunt her muscles in an opera featuring star Anna Netrebko. Natalya’s husband Vladislav is a former wrestler who is happy to lecture her on training theory. He also acts as her manager and accompanies Natalya everywhere to help her navigate her busy schedule. 

Natalya takes part in the Manon Lescaut opera at the Bolshoi.

RTD tags along to get an inside look at the life of an Amazon woman. See how Natalya juggles her bodybuilding career, internet fame, and family.

Subscribe to get stories the mainstream media ignores: Subscribe RTD's Youtube

WATCH TRAILER
Please rate this film

1.60(291 users)

Published: 16 March 2020 01:00

Duration

13:58

Tags
Watch this film in Russian

don't miss

26:33
Lifestyle 02 August 2016 00:00

Dying to Dive. Searching for Serenity Underwater with World's Top Freedivers. 52 min

26:33
Sport 19 March 2021 17:00

Trans-Sport. Trans athletes in women’s sport speak out

26:33
Sport 07 December 2016 00:00

Knockout Girls. Karachi’s first female boxing club challenging gender stereotypes

26:33
Personalities 06 December 2017 00:00

Dragon of Afghanistan. Bruce Lee lookalike adored by youth, reviled by Islamic fundamentalists

26:33
Personalities 22 September 2014 00:00

Agafia. Russian Hermit Surviving in Taiga for 70 years

26:33
Society 26 April 2017 00:00

Granny Fight Club. Africa’s rape victims are learning to fight back

26:33
Society 15 January 2016 00:00

Café Sheroes. Life After An Acid Attack

26:33
Human Rights 21 December 2020 20:00

Lady Cops of Afghanistan. Afghan policewomen risk being terrorised, rejected by family, killed but still struggle for an independent career

26:33
Society 09 December 2022 12:00

Feminine Front. Women in Donbass take up arms to defend their homes

26:33
Human Rights 15 January 2020 00:30

Mama Uganda . A Mother's struggle to support her 38 kids

26:33
Personalities 13 July 2015 00:00

The Untamed Shrew. Masquerading as a man for over 40 years to earn a living

26:33
Society 07 November 2018 00:40

Rwanda. Women in Charge . Work, pray, love: How women are reshaping country decades after genocide

26:33
Personalities 28 October 2015 00:00

The Afghan Lady Cab. What it takes to be the only female taxi driver in Afghanistan

26:33
Arts and Culture 04 July 2011 00:00

The Bolshoi of Siberia

26:33
Arts and Culture 18 July 2011 00:00

Alla Sigalova: ordinary life

26:33
Lifestyle 04 January 2021 20:00

Tundra Wonder Mums . Tundra is their office, Far North is their employer

26:33
Sport 02 May 2016 00:00

Dying to Dive. Searching for Serenity Underwater with World's Top Freedivers

26:33
Personalities 21 April 2017 00:00

Escobar's Hitman. Former drug-gang killer, now loved and loathed in Colombia

26:33
Lifestyle 28 September 2020 20:00

Zombie Fashion. A zombie ‘look’ as a marketing tool to sell clothes of the dead.

26:33
Arts and Culture 21 January 2015 00:00

My Favourite Nollywood Movie. Inside the blooming film industry of Nigeria

VIEWER’S CHOICE: 1,000,000 VIEWS AND MORE

VIEW ALL