While people typically associate bodybuilding with the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, and other men, there may be also an extended history of successful female bodybuilders.
Female bodybuilding has rapidly gained popularity in recent times, however the sport has existed for a long time. In actual fact, there may be an extended history of strong, muscular women who’ve dominated the game of bodybuilding.
Female bodybuilders within the 80s were the primary to be officially recognized in competitions and helped pave the best way for the ladies bodybuilders of today. In this text, we’ll highlight the highest female bodybuilders of the past and present.
Get able to be impressed as we go excessive 20 best female bodybuilders, discuss their major contest wins, what makes them so inspirational, and what they’re as much as today.
20 Best Female Bodybuilders of All Time
While male bodybuilding competitions occurred within the Nineteen Twenties, women in bodybuilding didn’t occur until the late Seventies. In the course of the mid-1900s, it was rare to seek out muscular women. There was an unlucky (and incorrect) stigma around athletics and exercise hindering women’s ability to be moms.
Thankfully, the landscape for girls bodybuilders modified after 1972 when Congress passed Title IX, which required schools to permit equal opportunity for female athletes. This act opened the door for muscular women to explore different sports, including bodybuilding.
The primary-ever woman to win a female constructing competition was Gina LaSpina from Ohio in 1977. By 1980, the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) and the National Physique Committee (NPC) recognized female bodybuilding competitions, including the primary Ms. Olympia in 1980.
Since then, there have been tons of inspirational women to champion the game. It’s those women we’re about to focus on. So, without further ado, listed below are essentially the most influential female bodybuilders from then and now!
1) Rachel McLish:
The Eighties was considered the Golden Age of female bodybuilding, as this was when it began to blossom into what it’s today. Rachel McLish, who’s from Texas, is maybe essentially the most famous skilled female bodybuilder of the Golden Age era.
McLish began to focus heavily on bodybuilding within the late Seventies while working at an area gym after she graduated college. She cemented herself as a legend and pioneer by being the primary female bodybuilder to win the inaugural 1980 United States Championship and the primary ever IFBB Ms. Olympia the identical 12 months. She had more magazine covers over the subsequent five years than any woman.
Although Rachel only competed for 4 years, she was more dominant than another 80s female bodybuilder, never ending worse than third. She claimed her second IFBB Ms. Olympia in 1982, becoming the first-ever two-time champion. She was inducted into the inaugural IFBB Hall of Fame class in January of 1999 and went on to writer two books about weight training that were featured on the Latest York Times Bestseller list.
Profession Highlights:
- 1980 US Bodybuilding Championship: 1st
- 2x IFBB Ms. Olympia Champion: 1st (1980, 1982)
- 1981 IFBB Ms. Olympia: 2nd
- 1982 Pro World Championship: 1st
- 1984 IFBB Ms. Olympia: 2nd
Rachel McLish is now 68, so she is not as energetic on social media as younger female bodybuilders. Along with her amazingly toned body, outgoing personality, and competitive success, we will assume if social media existed in her days, she would have dominated that too.
2) Cory Everson:
Corinna “Cory” Everson is usually considered the most effective female bodybuilder in history, and many evidence supports those claims. While Rachel McLish set the bar by winning two of the primary three Ms. Olympias, Cory took it to a different level and elevated the game throughout the Golden Age.
Cory was introduced to bodybuilding after graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, by her future ex-husband, Jeff Everson, a competitive bodybuilder himself. Jeff coached Cory, which led to her debut victory on the 1980 Ms. Mid America.
She continued to dominate, winning her first IFBB competition on the 1982 North American Championship, and reached the game’s peak by claiming the 1984 Ms. Olympia title in her debut, a title she never lost.
Cory went on to win Ms. Olympia six years in a row from 1984 to 1989 before retiring on top undefeated. Cory went on to have a successful film profession and was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 1999. She became the primary woman to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award on the 2007 Arnold Classic.
Profession Highlights:
- 6x Ms. Olympia Champion: 1st (1984-1989)
- 1980 Ms. Mid America: 1st
- 1982 IFBB North American Championship: 1st
- 1983 Bodybuilding Expo IV: 1st (MW and overall)
- 1984 American Women’s Championships: 1st (HW and overall)
- 1984 NPC Nationals: 1st (HW and overall)
3) Lenda Murray:
Just as Cory Everson had her historic run of six straight Ms. Olympia’s end, one other star was paving her solution to be the largest female bodybuilder in history.
Lenda Murray was a cheerleader and record-holding sprinter during her teenage years in Detroit, Michigan. She discovered bodybuilding in 1984 after knowledgeable suggested she compete attributable to her naturally muscular frame. She gained national attention by winning her first of six straight Ms. Olympia titles from 1990 to 1995.
Lenda briefly retired in 1997 after losing two consecutive Ms. Olympias to Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls before returning in 2002. She claimed two more Ms. Olympias in 2002 and 2003 before ending runner-up in 2004 to finish her profession with eight titles.
Considered the second most successful female bodybuilder in history, she was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2010. Lenda stays connected to the game by continuing to advertise events today.
Profession Highlights:
- 8x Ms. Olympia Champion: 1st (1990-1995, 2002-2003)
- 3x Ms. Olympia Runner-Up: 2nd (1996-1997, 2004)
- 1989 IFBB North American Championships: 1st
- 1989 NPC Junior Nationals: 1st (HW and overall)
- 1988 NPC Michigan: 1st
4) Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls:
Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls is thought to be among the best American female bodybuilders ever. She began bodybuilding in 1988 after starting so far her future husband and bodybuilder, Chad Nicholls.
She earned her pro card in 1992 after winning the IFBB North American Championship and commenced an extended, successful profession. After winning the Ms. International, Kim defeated Lenda Murray on the 1996 Ms. Olympia, ending her six-year run on top.
She became the primary woman to win each the Ms. International and Ms. Olympia in the identical 12 months in 1996 and went on to win 4 consecutive Ms. Olympia titles before retiring in 1999. In 2008, she was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame, recognized as some of the muscular female bodybuilders in history.
Profession Highlights:
- 4x Ms. Olympia Champion: 1st (1996-1999)
- 1992 IFBB North American Championships: 1st
- 2x Ms. International Champion: 1st (1993, 1996)
5) Iris Kyle:
All the amazingly strong and ripped women of the 80s and 90s paved the best way for Iris Kyle, essentially the most successful female bodybuilder in history.
Iris Kyle, nicknamed “The Female Ronnie Coleman,” began her skilled competitive bodybuilding profession at 22 in 1999 after years of dominating amateur competitions. In 2001, she won the heavyweight title at Ms. Olympia but got here in second in the general competition. Her first Ms. International title got here in 2004, which opened the floodgates.
She then went on to win Ms. Olympia in 2004, narrowly lost in 2005, then won the subsequent nine years in a row from 2006-2014. Kyle finished her profession in 2022 with a record ten overall Ms. Olympia wins, essentially the most of any male or female. She also has a record seven overall Ms. International wins. Her massive, symmetrical physique inspired a complete generation of young women bodybuilders.
Iris has been very open about her use of performance-enhancing drugs throughout her profession, which she began using after coming in 2nd on the 1994 NPC Iron Maiden Championship. She stresses that steroids alone should not liable for success, as exertions and genetics are more vital.
Profession Highlights:
- 10x IFBB Ms. Olympia Champion: 1st (2004, 2006-2014)
- 7x Ms. International Champion: 1st (2004, 2006-2007, 2009-2011, 2013)
6) Andrea Shaw:
The dominance and impressive physique of Iris Kyle inspired countless women worldwide to take their bodies to the subsequent level, including Andrea Shaw.
Andrea began training at 17 with the assistance of her mom, a former personal trainer, and commenced competing within the physique category, by which competitors performed a choreographed routine to music. Despite her early success in physique, which included a win on the 2018 Lenda Murray Detroit Classic, Shaw decided to change classes after advice from a legend.
Hall of Famer and legend Lenda Murray was working as a judge on the 2019 Toronto Pro when she encouraged Andrea to vary classes to the bodybuilding division.
This move paid off, as Andrea went on to win two of essentially the most prestigious titles within the 2020 Ms. Olympia and Ms. Rising Phoenix Champion. Since then, she has continued to rise in popularity and rankings, repeating as Ms. Olympia in 2021 and 2022.
Profession Highlights:
- 3x IFBB Ms. Olympia Champion: 1st (2020-2022)
- 3x Rising Phoenix Women’s World Championships: 1st (2020-2020)
- 2018 Lenda Murray Detroit Classic: 1st
She is amazingly popular on social media, with over 113 thousand followers on Instagram, where she shares a combination of coaching suggestions and on a regular basis life activities.
7) Melina Keltaniemi:
At only 25 years old, Melina Keltaniemi represents the current and future of ladies’s bodybuilding.
Melina is a bikini fitness model from Finland that has experienced immediate success with a win on the 2018 IFBB Elite Pro World Championship. She followed that up by winning the 2019 Nordic Elite Pro and repeated it at IFBB 2019 Elite Pro World Championships.
Between her early success and shredded body, it’s no wonder she has a big following on social media. We look ahead to an extended and successful profession in bikini fitness for Melina.
Profession Highlights:
8) Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia:
Yaxeni Oriquen is a legend in women’s bodybuilding and is ranked second best only to Iris Kyle on the IFBB best female rating list.
Born in Venezuela, Yaxeni is an excellent greater inspiration worldwide for her success after moving to the US to pursue bodybuilding. She broke through with a win on the 2005 Ms. Olympia, becoming the primary and only Venezuelan-American winner.
She also won the Ms. International competition five times, cementing herself as a legend. With over 20 years of experience, Yaxeni now owns a gym in Miami where she trains clients herself.
Profession Highlights:
- 2005 IFBB Ms. Olympia Champion: 1st
- 5x Ms. International Champion: 1st (2002-2003, 2005, 2008, 2012)
She has nearly 50 thousand followers on Instagram, frequently sharing gym videos and exercise suggestions.
9) Debi Laszewski:
Debi Laszewski is a legend in women’s bodybuilding and ranks number three on the IFBB’s best female rating list.
Debi, a track-and-field athlete from Wisconsin, became involved in bodybuilding after seeing Linda Hamilton’s character of Sarah Connor in The Terminator. She had a powerful profession, ending in the highest three of the Ms. Olympia five times from 2009 to 2014, along with her career-best runner-up finish to Iris Kyle in 2012.
She is now a private trainer in Jupiter, Florida, where she trains several champion bodybuilders.
Profession Highlights:
- 2012 IFBB Ms. Olympia: 2nd
- 2005 NPC Nationals: 2nd (light heavyweight)
- 2006 NPC Nationals: 1st (light heavyweight)
- 1994 Wisconsin Natural Bodybuilding Championships: 1st (class winner)
- 1996 Madison Championships: 1st (overall)
- 1996 Wisconsin National Qualifier: 1st (overall)
10) Andrulla Blanchette:
Andrulla Blanchette, a female bodybuilder from London, England, paved the best way for British female bodybuilders. Andrulla competed from 1986 to 2002, compiling a powerful resume that has made her the world’s most successful British female bodybuilder.
Her profession highlight got here in 2000 when she won Ms. Olympia Lightweight Champion, which she narrowly lost the next 12 months. While she isn’t very energetic on social media and has private accounts, she currently spends most of her time at her gym, where she helps train girls of all ages.
Profession Highlights:
- 2000 IFBB Ms. Olympia Lightweight Champion: 1st
- 2000 IFBB Ms. International: 2nd (LW)
- 2001 IFBB Ms. Olympia Lightweight: 2nd
- 1993 IFBB World Games: 1st
11) Elisa Pecini:
Elisa Pecini is a young Brazilian bodybuilder with some of the successful careers within the bikini competition.
Elisa is an inspiration to people battling eating disorders, as she openly discusses overcoming anorexia nervosa. A hospitalization led her to vary her lifestyle, and he or she earned her skilled card at age 19.
Elisa dominated the bikini division and won several major competitions. She reached the head of the game by winning first place within the 2019 Ms. Olympia Bikini.
Profession Highlights:
- 2019 IFBB Ms. Olympia Bikini Champion: 1st
- 2021 IFBB Tampa Pro: 1st
- 2020 Arnold Sports Festival: 1st
- 2018 MuscleContest Nacional Pro Bikini: 1st
- 2018 Pittsburgh Pro Bikini: 1st
- 2018 MuscleContest Brazil Pro Bikini: 1st
Elisa is continually spreading positivity across social media and works endlessly to assist others conquer their very own eating disorders. She has over 600 thousand followers on Instagram and shares various healthful content.
12) Sarah Villegas:
Sarah Villegas is a current IFBB skilled that competes in women’s physique. Sarah has risen in popularity over the previous couple of years as her profession has blossomed.
She attained the game’s peak by winning Ms. Olympia Women’s Physique in 2020, one 12 months after ending runner-up. She can be a private trainer and authorized sports nutritionist, working hard to assist others achieve their fitness goals, together with a complete team working for her at ASF Premier Fitness.
Her success, each on stage and in her skilled life, is amazingly impressive and motivating. She is an inspiration to many, and her competitive profession is removed from over.
Profession Highlights:
- 2x IFBB Ms. Olympia Women’s Physique Champion: 1st (2020-2021)
- 2019 IFBB Ms. Olympia Women’s Physique: 2nd
13) Monique Jones:
Monique Jones is a women’s bodybuilder ranked seventh on the IFBB best female bodybuilder list.
Monique has amazing genetics that she slowly groomed since starting weight training at age 13. She won her skilled card as a heavyweight in 2010 after winning the IFBB North American Championships.
Monique has a powerful large frame, competing at 220 kilos at 5’8″ and sitting around 250 kilos within the off-season.
Profession Highlights:
- 2010 IFBB North American Championships: 1st (Heavyweight and overall)
- 2012 IFBB WOS Chicago Pro-Am Extravaganza: 1st
- 2013 IFBB WOS Chicago Pro-Am Extravaganza: 1st
- 2018 IFBB WOS Romania Muscle Fest Pro Women’s Bodybuilding: 1st
She has a big social media following, along with her last Instagram account, @fitnique, having nearly 100 thousand followers before being shut down.
14) Alina Popa:
Alina Popa is a Romanian-born skilled bodybuilder ranked number 4 by the IFBB Pro Women’s Rankings list.
Alina began training at age 19 and entered her first contest in 2000 at 22. She began her pro profession on the 2010 Ms. International, which is the one competition she has ever entered by which she didn’t finish in the highest five.
Alina finished second within the Ms. Olympia in each 2013 and 2014 to Iris Kyle, who has the record for many Olympia titles.
Her profession highlight was winning the 2018 Rising Phoenix World Championships. She is thought to be the most effective of the Romanian female competitors in history and stays an inspiration to many to this present day.
She is currently the vice chairman of European operations for Wings of Strength, an organization that advocates for female bodybuilding.
Profession Highlights:
- 2x Runner-up IFBB Ms. Olympia Bodybuilding Contest: (2013, 1014)
- 2018 IFBB Muscle Vodka Tampa Pro: 1st
- 2018 Rising Phoenix World Championships: 1st
- 2007 NABBA Miss Universe: 1st (Miss Physique class)
- 2003 IFBB National Championship: 1st (MW)
Alina may be very energetic across social media, with nearly 100 thousand followers on Instagram, posting a mixture of fitness content and on a regular basis life.
15) Helle Trevino:
Helle Trevino is a Danish bodybuilder that’s some of the influential figures in women’s bodybuilding. After earning her pro card in 2004 at age 27, she competed in her first Olympia contest before suffering several herniated discs in her back.
After eight years of rehab, Helle overcame the percentages and returned to bodybuilding, winning the 2011 FIBO Pro Germany. In 2012 she achieved her dream of moving to Venice Beach, California, to coach on the legendary Gold’s Gym.
The thing that brings her essentially the most joy helps others transform their bodies. She hosts several training seminars, including private mental training specializing in strengthening the mind.
Profession Highlights:
- 2011 IFBB FIBO Power Pro Germany: 1st
- 2015 IFBB WOS Chicago Pro: 1st
- 2x IFBB Pro League WOS Rising Phoenix Pro Champion: 1st (2017, 2019)
- 2019 Tampa Pro: 1st
16) Deepika Chowdhury:
Deepika Chowdhury is the first-ever female IFBB skilled bodybuilder from India.
Despite having a powerful education as a molecular biologist, Deepika broke through barriers to turn out to be an inspiration for girls from India and internationally.
She takes pride in her body and believes fitness is important for a healthy mind, character, and spirit.
Profession Highlights:
She has a big following on social media, with nearly 100 thousand followers on Instagram. She posts quite a lot of training videos, gym suggestions, and posts that highlight her Indian culture.
17) Sheila Bleck:
Sheila Bleck is a retired American bodybuilder ranked number six on the IFBB Pro Women’s Bodybuilding list.
Shelia first became involved in bodybuilding and weightlifting at a young age after watching Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa. By age 16, she was competing in powerlifting before earning her IFBB pro card with a win on the 2008 NPC Nationals.
Profession Highlights:
- 2008 NPC Nationals: 1st
- 2010 IFBB Latest York Pro: 2nd
- 2012 IFBB Tampa Pro: 2nd and Best Poser Award
- 2014 IFBB Tampa Pro: 1st and Best Poser Award
- 2x IFBB Tampa Pro Champion: 1st (2016-2017)
She is now the owner of Bleck Discount Nutrition and ceaselessly posts vlog-type videos on her Instagram.
18) Nataliya Kuznetsova:
Nataliya Kuznetsova is a well known Russian female bodybuilder that has hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe. Her impressive, muscular physique began with powerlifting at age fourteen.
Along with being a bodybuilder, Nataliya can be incredibly strong and holds several world records for arm wrestling, deadlift, and bench press. Several sources report her to be essentially the most muscular female on the planet, and at 5’7″ and 220 kilos, it’s believable.
While she has incredible strength and various world records, her bodybuilding profession took off with a win on the 2018 IFBB WOS Romania Muscle Fest. Her unique combination of strength, power, and pure size is genuinely aspirational.
Profession Highlights:
- 2007, 2008 Baykal Gran Prix bodybuilding champion
- 2014 World champion and record armlifting in Crimea
- 2014 World champion and record within the bench press NAP
- European champion in bench press and deadlift (WPC), champion of Eurasia in bench press, deadlift (GPA), and armliftin
- 2015 Champion of the Cup Eastern Europe (GPA), world record within the deadlift, and champion of the Cup Eastern Europe (WAA) for traction and rolling axe
- 2018 IFBB WOS Romania Muscle Fest Amateur: 1st
With over a million followers on Instagram, Nataliya is some of the recognized female bodybuilders on the planet.
19) Theresa Ivancik:
Theresa Ivancik is an American female currently ranked number seven on the IFBB Pro Women’s Bodybuilding list.
Theresa began weightlifting at age 19 when she was on house arrest. She got here across an old Joe Weider exercise equipment in her parent’s basement and immediately became hooked. After moving from figure to bodybuilding, Theresa eventually won the 2016 NPC Nationals Heavyweight to earn her pro card.
Since then, she has had great success in competitions, winning multiple events. She also works with Wings of Strength, which advocates women’s bodybuilding.
Profession Highlights:
- 2016 NPC Nationals: 1st (HW)
- 2019 IFBB Norfolk Pro: 1st
- 2020 IFBB Chicago Pro: 1st & best poster award
- 2022 IFBB Indy Pro: 1st
- 2022 IFBB Ms. Olympia: seventh
She has amassed quite a following on social media, with a powerful 270 thousand followers on Instagram.
20) Shanique Grant:
Shanique Grant is a female bodybuilder born and raised in Chicago. Sadly, like hundreds of kids, Shanique suffered from bullying, resulting in years of battling her identity.
After hard partying led to kidney failure, she reinvented herself and commenced bodybuilding. At just age 23, Shanique reached the head by winning the Ms. Olympia Physique title in 2018 after which repeated in 2019.
She finished runner-up in 2020 Ms. Olympia before retiring to give attention to her Youtube channel.
Profession Highlights:
Along with her successful Youtube channel, Shanique became an influential figure on social media, where she has over 324 thousand followers on Instagram.
FAQs About Female Bodybuilders
On this section, we’ll answer a number of the mostly asked questions regarding female bodybuilding.
How do female bodybuilders get so lean?
Before contests, female bodybuilders undergo extensive weight-reduction plan combined with intense cardio sessions to maximise weight reduction. Most bodybuilders may even take some form of fat burner, including banned substances equivalent to ephedrine or anabolic steroids. Most may even use a style of diuretic before occurring stage to eliminate as much water as possible to attain a dry, hard look.
What do female bodybuilders eat?
Female bodybuilders typically follow rigorous diets and count their macronutrients to observe their caloric intake. Their diets are likely to be high protein, low carb, and include healthy fats. High protein low fat foods, whole grain complex carbohydrates, and leafy green vegetables are weight-reduction plan staples. Some foods they could eat include chicken, fish, lentils, eggs, avocado, kale, spinach, nuts, and seeds.
Do female bodybuilders take testosterone?
Yes, many female bodybuilders take testosterone to assist muscle recovery and increase muscle size. While there are natural female bodybuilders, there are also many female bodybuilders who take testosterone, because it helps increase strength and muscle size, and redistributes body fat to offer more definition.
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Do female bodybuilders take steroids?
Yes, many female bodybuilders take steroids. Steroids are quite common within the bodybuilding world, and ladies aren’t any exception. Many ladies take oral steroids relatively than injections due to the convenience and positive results. Women bodybuilders often use steroids like Anavar and Winstrol to assist burn fat and be as ripped as possible before a contest.
How do female bodybuilders get so big?
Female bodybuilders get so big because they’re very strict and consistent of their exercise routines and diets. Many have trainers or are certified to maximise their training efficiency to construct muscle. Eating a clean, well-balanced protein-rich weight-reduction plan is crucial for constructing muscle mass. Several female bodybuilders also use supplements, including anabolic steroids, to achieve as much muscle as possible.
What are the body types in female bodybuilding?
Female bodybuilding has five different categories in competitions with various weight classes. The various categories are created for the various body types. The five categories are bikini, figure, physique, bodybuilding, and fitness.
What number of hours a day do female bodybuilders work out?
Most female bodybuilders will work out between one and three hours a day, or more in some cases. Often, they are going to spend roughly an hour or so weight lifting, plus one other hour or so for cardio. Because it gets closer to competitions, they are going to increase their cardio to 2 hours a day or more to be as lean as possible on stage.
How much do female bodybuilders make?
Determining a median income from female bodybuilding is difficult since it will depend on several aspects. Female bodybuilders who work full-time as bodybuilders can take home anywhere from $20k to $200k a 12 months, depending on contest winnings, social media deals, and other income. The IFBB Olympia competition is the highest contest in the game, with winners of every division taking $50,000, followed by $20,000 for second and $12,000 for third.
The Best Female Bodybuilders: An Inspiration To Us All
Prior to the Seventies, it was considered taboo to be a muscular girl until a bunch of brave, powerful women burst onto the stage and created female bodybuilding.
Now, because of those that paved the best way, all of those women have unbelievably strong and lean bodies that show their dedication to the love of bodybuilding. They’re all an inspiration for his or her courage to challenge social norms and dedication to sculpting their bodies.
With the assistance of social media, men and women alike follow competitive bodybuilders as a source of inspiration and helpful information. As such, female bodybuilders are more common than ever and can proceed to grow and spread worldwide because of these women.
