Superb Women In Bodybuilding

The history of bodybuilding spans hundreds of years, yet relatively few pages are dedicated to the role of women in this sport. While it may be short in length, this chapter is strong in character and accomplishment.

History dictates that bodybuilding 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 bodybuilding competitions first took place.

An athlete by the name of Lisa Lyon was one of the first important figures in women's bodybuilding. Born in 1953 in California, Ms. Lyon was a UCLA graduate and a student of Kendo, one of the Japanese martial arts. While Lisa was still a budding bodybuilding enthusiast, she was encouraged to join a women's competition by premier bodybuilding promoter Arnold Schwarzenegger. He saw true potential in Lyon's small dancer's physique, and it was a vision that paid off. Lisa Lyon earned first place in the first women's bodybuilding championship.

Another important name in the history of women's bodybuilding is Rachel McLish. Ms. McLish was crowned champion at the first Miss Olympia bodybuilding women's competition, sponsored by the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFFB). With her combination of good looks and sheer muscle, Ms. McLish was considered by many to be the epitome of bodybuilding women. This Texas-born athlete was more than a sports icon; she helped to define the popularity of women's bodybuilding.

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

Event organizers and sponsors of women's bodybuilding competitions began to ask, "how much is too much"? Since Francis first stole the spotlight as a finalist in the 1986 Ms. Olympia competition, this has been a topic of debate within the sport of women's bodybuilding.

A newer, "less is more" trend in women's bodybuilding became apparent in 1991 when the extremely muscular Bev Francis placed second to Lenda Murray, a more slender athlete. Ms. Murray then went on to claim victory at eight more Ms. Olympia titles. Her last win was in 2003, but Lenda Murray continues to be hailed as one of the most popular and successful women's bodybuilding 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, another important figure in women's bodybuilding, won the title of 1998 Fitness Miss Olympia. A Canadian model by the name of Sharon Bruneau turned her attentions from the runway to the gym, becoming a hardcore female bodybuilder and then a fitness competitor.

Despite the efforts that these incredible women have undertaken, men continue to have a hand in the sport of women's bodybuilding. Many people, particularly men, hold a disapproval (or maybe a fear) of super muscular women. For this reason, there was a decrease in financial support of traditional bodybuilding competitions that promoted muscle mass, with more funds being designated to those featuring more slender physiques. The obvious sexist double standard this demonstrates 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.

Article Source: Main Articles

Freelancer Horace Jurdon is a columnist for numerous web magazines, on outdoor recreation and other sports issues.

This article may be reproduced wholly or in part without written permission provided the byline, resource area, and any hyperlinks remain in order to give proper credit to the author.

Internet search engines and directory listings are imperative to your sites existence and success. Submit Your Website to the Searchen Networks directory and search engine to achieve authoritive inbound links.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5