Hey Team,
May is Women’s Health month and we’re celebrating by looking back at the historical women in fitness. From traditional strength to modern day bodybuilding, these trailblazers set the tone for today’s goal chasers.
🏺 Ancient Times
Spartan women (circa 5th century BC) were some of the earliest advocates for female athleticism. Trained in running, wrestling, and javelin to be strong mothers of warriors, Spartan women are some of the most fascinating figures in ancient history because they broke almost every stereotype we associate with ancient Greek women. In a culture where most Greek women were confined to the home, Spartan women were famously bold, athletic, and outspoken.
💃 19th Century: The Rise of “Physical Culture”
The 19th century was a transitional era for women in fitness, where early ideas about physical health started clashing with strict Victorian gender norms. While women were expected to be delicate and modest, a handful of brave women pushed back — pioneering fitness trends, advocating for health, and even lifting weights when it was considered scandalous.
Katie Sandwina (1884–1952) — known as “The Lady Hercules,” was a circus strongwoman who could lift a 300-lb man above her head and regularly beat male challengers in strength contests.
🏋️♀️ Early 20th Century
The early 20th century was a fascinating period when women finally started stepping into public athletic spaces though still within a restrictive and gendered framework. There were fitness pioneers, strongwomen performers, and the early rumblings of organized women’s sports.
Abbye “Pudgy” Stockton (1917–2006) is often called the “Queen of Muscle Beach.” She pioneered women’s strength training in the 1940s and wrote a fitness column for Strength & Health magazine. She organized the first women’s weightlifting contests and is famous for overhead-lifting her 180lb husband at Muscle Beach, California.
Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias (1911–1956) was one of the earliest multi-sport female athletes to gain international fame. She excelled in track and field, golf, basketball, and baseball and won two Olympic gold medals and a silver in 1932 — at a time when women’s track and field was barely accepted.
💪 Mid to Late 20th Century
A time where fitness went mainstream, gyms opened to women, strength training gained acceptance, aerobics became a cultural movement, and female athletes shattered records and stereotypes.
Bonnie Prudden (1914–2011) was a fitness advocate who popularized exercise for health and longevity in the post-WWII era and helped pass America’s youth fitness testing in schools. Jacki Sorensen (born 1942) is credited with creating the concept of aerobic dancing in the 1960’s and 70’s, making cardio fun and accessible for women.
Rachel McLish was a major pioneer for women's bodybuilding and won the inaugural Ms. Olympia in 1980. She is often credited for popularizing female bodybuilding in mainstream culture. Then there’s Karyn Marshall — the first woman to clean and jerk over 300 pounds (137 kg) competition in 1985 when women's weightlifting was still fighting for recognition.
👑 Modern Era Legends
Today, women are bringing truth to the classic 1997 Gatorade commercial featuring Mia Hamm and Michael Jordan
We’d be remiss not to mention Jane Fonda and her aerobic workout videos that served as a fitness phenomenon for women in the 80’s.
Iris Kyle —The most successful female bodybuilder ever with 10 Ms. Olympia titles.
Dana Linn Bailey — first-ever Women's Physique Olympia champion (2013), modern fitness icon.
For centuries, women were told strength and athleticism weren’t “feminine.” These trailblazers helped smash that narrative — from lifting barbells at Muscle Beach to leading international fitness trends. They made it possible for women today to pursue everything from CrossFit to powerlifting, marathons, and bodybuilding.
Stay stacked and shop our women’s health collection. Strong products for strong women 💪
Until next time. 👋
