Erika Dankova is a 21-year-old bodybuilder whose figure is so extreme that she now needs customised clothing to fit her properly. However, it wasn't always like this for the self-styled "Slovakian Warrior Princess".
According to Erika, she grew up as the "chubby girl" at school and she felt like an outcast. Weighing 155 lbs, Erika said she felt self-conscious and was concerned about wearing revealing clothing and had no confidence in her body.
Then, at the age 14, Erika discovered powerlifting and fell in love with the sport. She idolised Arnold Schwarzenegger and was desperate to achieve his physique.
She said:
"Before I started training, I was the chubby girl in class. I didn't like to wear things that would show off my body. I had no confidence in myself.
"When I was younger, I always admired Arnold Schwarzenegger's. Of course, as a girl, I never thought I could go down the path of bodybuilding.
"I didn't speak any English when I first moved (from Slovakia to the US) so that was challenging. I was quite an outcast for a long time. I began training powerlifting when I was fourteen years old."
Erika says that she quickly learnt that she was able to become a champion when it came to weightlifting.
"Once I got older, I realised the sport wasn't just for men. That is when I decided to pursue it. I have been lifting weights for some time when I decided to start bodybuilding. I was seventeen years old.
"I have competed in one bodybuilding competition so far, I came third place and got nationally qualified in the Woman's Physique Division.
"Ever since I've been training, I have been more energetic and passionate in all aspects of my life. It has taught me to stay consistent, work hard and believe that anything I set my mind to, I will achieve."
Erika, who is originally from Slovakia, says that she adopted a high protein diet and was able to sculpt a muscly figure that weighs in at 180 lbs. She is also able to leg press 363 kg.
While she used to be lighter in weight, she also had a higher body fat percentage and after increasing the intensity in workouts, her body dramatically changed. It can take women a longer amount of time to see the results of their work and, for Erika, this was the hardest part of the process.
"I adjust my diet depending on my current goals. If I'm trying to add more muscle, I eat more food. If I'm trying to trim some fat, I lower the carbohydrates in my diet."
"The hardest thing about being a female bodybuilder is that the changes are slow. Naturally, women have a harder time gaining muscle, so our progress is very slow.
"This makes it hard for us to stick to the programme and a lot of people would get discouraged. You just need to trust the process.
"People often compliment my physique now and ask me for advice. If someone is interested in getting into the sport, I would primarily ask them why they want to get into it.
"If they want to do it for attention, they will not succeed. The only way to succeed in bodybuilding is to love what you do. The discipline is so hard that any normal person couldn't stick to it."
Fair play to Erika for channeling her anxiety into sport and creating results through sheer dedication. Whatever way you look at it, it's a pretty incredible transformation.
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