The public response to Denise Anders' transformation is shifting the conversation around female strength. After years in the competitive circuit, the 35-year-old bodybuilder is opening up about her viral physique.

The 35-year-old bodybuilder, who has always been passionate about body positivity and fitness, recently opened up about her experience with garnering enormous attention online.

Speaking with Daily Star, Anders admitted, "The comments, being called things like 'goddess'. It made me realize how much people are drawn to this look."

Commanding over 28,000 followers on Instagram, Anders consistently rakes in thousands of likes. Sharing her strong physique online made her realize just how much obsessed men were with her muscles and her fluid body proportions, prompting her to set out on an alternative career path.

"It felt empowering because I’d worked hard for it and now it wasn’t just respected, it was desired." Having something to show for your efforts is an irreplaceable feeling.

However, Anders believes that she is not only redefining female physique but also challenging gender norms. "A lot of relationships can feel predictable, when you bring in strength and power dynamics, it adds a completely different layer," the bodybuilder explained.

While she now sits at the center of the female bodybuilding flame, her journey was anything but glamorous.

How Denise Anders entered the fitness scene

The female bodybuilder stepped into the fitness scene at 20 years old. Her very first training venue was a "hardcore gym" in Birmingham. She describes her experience as being utterly startled as she saw the life-size posters of muscle legends and athletes.

"The walls were covered in these larger-than-life physiques, and something just clicked instantly. I became obsessed," Anders shared.

She admitted that Dana Linn Bailey, the winner of Joe Weider's Olympia in 2013, acted as a huge influence in her own fitness journey, inspiring her to take to the professional competition stages.

Coupled with immense support from the gym community and a well-crafted nutritional diet, Anders soon began noticing "dramatic" changes to her physique.

Her shoulders broadened, her biceps grew, and her abs started to peek through. Moreover, besides her enviable hourglass figure, Anders admitted that she felt stronger each week, which ultimately helped her gain confidence.

Although she has now quit IFBB pro bodybuilding, Denise Anders is rewriting what it takes to build a strong physique. Would you like to see Anders take on the professional stage once again?

Read more at Bodybuilding Bros.

Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil