Internet Trolls Body Shame Girl Because Of Her Physique
She's known as Russia's 'Muscle Barbie,' but that hasn't stopped the internet from body shaming her.
Julia Vin built a name for herself in powerlifting, but the attention has not always been kind. The Russian athlete, known online as “Muscle Barbie,” has faced plenty of criticism for her muscular physique, even as she continues to dominate in competition.
Her story starts far from the gym, with a difficult childhood, her parents’ divorce, and a teenage decision to train for confidence and control. What began as a way to feel stronger turned into a championship career, and it also made her a target for internet trolls.
Now she is brushing off the insults and staying focused on the sport that changed her life. Read on.
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Her father’s addiction took a toll on the family. Julia’s parents eventually divorced when she was 12, and she took it hard.
However, she decided to concentrate on her schooling and exercising to get through that challenging period. It didn’t take her long to realize how much she enjoyed training, and she would spend an hour commuting to and from the sports center.
She was the only girl in the gym, but that didn’t stop her from doing what she loved.
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Julia described:
“I was 15 years old when I went to the gym. At that time, I was in school and had quite a lot of free time. I wanted my life to be different, so I decided to play sports to improve my health, become more confident, and get fit.
Fitness wasn’t popular here; I had to spend an hour on the bus to get to the gym, and I was the only girl there.”
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With the help of powerlifting, Julia found the strength and willpower to cope with her parents’ separation. She won several medals in junior powerlifting competitions throughout Russia.
She is currently a two-time world champion at the World Powerlifting Congress and has broken several records along the way. Even though she weighs only 143 lbs (65 kg), her records include a 205 kg deadlift, a 175 kg bench press, and a 275 kg squat.
To stay in shape, Julia works out four to five times a week. She follows a rigorous diet consisting of fish, vegetables, eggs, oats, rice, beans, and buckwheat pasta as her essential foods.
It’s the same kind of intensity as a doctor uncovering the effects after an athlete ate 900 raw eggs in a month.
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Her appearance has made her a target for trolls from all over the internet; they criticize her muscles. Julia says that the comments used to affect her, but now she completely ignores them and focuses on her career.
“I try not to remember bad things,” she said. “Usually, people tell me my body is ‘too much.’ But maybe if I didn’t do powerlifting, I would also think like that, so I don’t care.
I received a lot of terrible comments when I was just starting as a teenager, and it really hurt me. Some people from my country tell me that a woman should only cook, raise children, clean, and that this is her mission.
Therefore, they advise me not to waste time on sports. These are stereotypes, and I can do nothing about it. They can’t understand that a woman can do what she wants.”
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Julia has a message for all the women who want to build muscles:
“Don’t listen to what other people say; follow your passion. Also, take care of your health; you should feel good.
Don’t be afraid of heavy weights; it’s more difficult for women to build muscle, so only heavy weights will yield significant muscle growth. Of course, this shouldn’t be a 200 kg squat in your first year, but it should feel somewhat challenging.
When I was 15, I was afraid to go to the gym. I thought I was doing everything wrong and that everyone would look at me.
But believe me, all the people in the gym care only about themselves. No one will make fun of you.
Building muscle is a slow process; you won’t develop large muscles overnight. If you just want to get fit, use weights that you can lift for 10-15 reps.”
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She turned a rough start into a record-setting career, and the trolls still can’t shake her.
Want more controversy, check out Kiana James’ wardrobe mishap that sparked backlash over broadcast standards.
