On torn muscle:

Superb Women In Bodybuilding
By Horace Jurdon

The history of bodybuilding, though hundreds of years in the making, has just a few pages dedicated to the role of women athletes. While relatively short in length, however, this chapter is rich in character and accomplishment.

History dictates that has always been a typically male-dominated sport, and women only recently entered the scene. In spite of this delayed introduction, women athletes quickly rose to the top. Their strength in body and spirit allowed them to quickly overcome the sexist stamp placed on them when women's competitions first took place.


Californian athlete Lisa Lyon wrote the first chapter in the history of women in bodybuilding. Born in 1953, Ms. Lyon was a graduate of UCLA and a student of the Japanese martial art Kendo. At the time when Lyon was a budding enthusiast, she was encouraged to join a women's competition by premier promoter Arnold Schwarzenegger. He saw big potential in Lyon's small dancer's physique, and his vision paid off when Lisa Lyon took first place in the first women's championship.

Rachel McLish is another important name in the history of women in bodybuilding. This powerhouse was crowned champion at the first Miss Olympia women's competition, sponsored by the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFFB). McLish combined aesthetic good looks with sheer muscle, and was considered by many to be the epitome of women in bodybuilding. More than just a sports icon, this Texas-born athlete helped to define the popularity of women's bodybuilding.

If McLish was the feminine embodiment of women in bodybuilding, Bev Francis presented the muscular extreme. This Australian shot putter-turned-bodybuilder co-starred with Rachel McLish in the movie "Pumping Iron II: The Women". Her incredible appearance and awesome muscular bulk incited both awe and shock in spectators at women's bodybuilding.

As a result, event organizers and sponsors of women's competitions began to wonder, "how much is too much"? This has been a topic of debate since Francis first stole the spotlight as a finalist in the 1986 Ms. Olympia competition.

In 1991, a new "less is more" trend in women's became apparent when the extremely muscular Bev Francis placed second to a more slender athlete by the name of Lenda Murray. Following this victory, Ms. Murray went on to claim victory at eight more Ms. Olympia titles. Since her last win in 2003, Lenda Murray continues to be hailed as one of the most popular and successful women's figures.

Of course, there are many other important names in the history of women's bodybuilding. Juliette Berman, also known as the "Dutch Superwoman", won the 2001 Ms. Olympia competition. IFBB fitness professional competitor Mandy Blank was a leader in the new movement of the more slender women in bodybuilding, focused on shaping the muscular body into an aesthetic form rather than beefing it up to become hugely muscular.

Monica Brant was another important figure in women's bodybuilding, winning the title of 1998 Fitness Miss Olympia. Canadian model Sharon Bruneau turned her attentions from the runway to the gym, becoming first a hardcore female bodybuilder, and then a fitness competitor.

Despite the efforts that these incredible women have undertaken, men still have a hand in the sport of women's bodybuilding. Many men and women disapprove of (or fear) extremely muscular women. For this reason, the women's industry saw a decrease in financial support of traditional competitions that promoted muscle mass, and an increase of funds designated to competitions featuring more slender physiques. It's an obvious sexist double standard, but it has not halted the decline of the sport for women.

The history of women's bodybuilding, and women's sports in general, owes a great deal to the strength that these women have displayed. Great obstacles have been overcome to bring the sport to where it is today and now, all women have the opportunity to work hard and achieve their full potential.

By: Horace Jurdon

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Author Horace Jurdon writes for several web magazines, on outdoor recreation and sports shop issues.

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