A Strong History Of Women's Bodybuilding
Horace Jurdon
The history of bodybuilding spans hundreds of years, although relatively few pages are dedicated to the role of women athletes. While this chapter may be relatively short in length, it is rich 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.
The first important chapter in women's bodybuilding features a Californian by the name of Lisa Lyon. Born in 1953, Ms. Lyon was a UCLA graduate and a student of the Japanese martial art Kendo. While still a budding bodybuilding enthusiast, Lisa was encouraged by premier bodybuilding promoter Arnold Schwarzenegger to join a women's competition. Schwarzenegger saw big potential in Lyon's small dancer's physique, and his vision paid off; Lisa Lyon took top honours in the first women's bodybuilding championship.
The history of women in bodybuilding continued with Rachel McLish. This powerhouse was named champion of the first Miss Olympia bodybuilding women's competition, sponsored by the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFFB). Considered by many to be the epitome of women in bodybuilding, McLish combined aesthetic good looks with sheer muscle. More than just an icon, this Texas-born athlete helped to define the sport of women's bodybuilding.
While Rachel McLish was seen as the feminine embodiment of women in bodybuilding, Bev Francis took the sport to a more muscular extreme. An Australian shot putter-turned-bodybuilder, Bev Francis was featured as co-star with Rachel McLish in the movie "Pumping Iron II: The Women". Her incredible appearance and muscular bulk struck shock and awe in spectators at women's bodybuilding competitions.
The organizers and sponsors of women's bodybuilding competitions began to ask, "how much is too much"? Since Francis first hit the spotlight as a finalist in the 1986 Ms. Olympia competition, this question has continually created controversy within the sport of women's bodybuilding.
A new "less is more" trend in women's bodybuilding became apparent when, in 1991, the extremely muscular Francis was awarded the runner-up prize, placing second to the more slender athlete Lenda Murray. Following this victory, Ms. Murray went on to win eight more Ms. Olympia titles. Since her last victory in 2003, Lenda Murray continues to be hailed as one of the most popular and successful figures in the sport of women's bodybuilding.
Other important figures in the history of women in bodybuilding include the "Dutch Superwoman" Juliette Bergman, winner of the 2001 Ms. Olympia competition, and IFBB fitness professional competitor Mandy Blank. A leader in the new movement of slender bodybuilding women, Ms. Blank focuses 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.
These incredible women have taken incredible strides, yet men still have a hand in the sport of women's bodybuilding. Many women and men continue to disapprove of (or fear) extremely muscular women. As a result, the women's bodybuilding industry experienced a decrease in financial support of traditional competitions that promoted muscle mass, and an increase in funds designated to competitions featuring more slender physiques. This obviously sexist double standard has not slowed the decline of the sport for women.
The history of women in bodybuilding, and modern sport in general, owes a great deal to the strength that these women have displayed. They have overcome obstacles to bring the sport to where it is today, allowing all women the opportunity to work hard and achieve their full potential.
Contributor Horace Jurdon loves writing for numerous Internet sites, on http://rukar.com/ outdoor recreation guide and http://yuzie.com/ recreation center issues.
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