Powerful Women in Fitness
On this eighth day of Women’s History month we celebrate International Women’s Day. The contributions that women have made to society are endless and we will never have enough days to celebrate the work being done to empower women.
And even though today we have access to a fitness studio or gym on every corner, it hasn’t always been so easy (or acceptable) for women to get a workout in. My grandmother, for example, has never exercised a day in her life unless you count the occational walk around the block on cool evenings. And women still face adversity in the world of sports and fitness. So for today’s post, let’s look at the history of women in fitness.
1900
Margret Abbott became the first American women to win an Olympic gold metal in the sport of golf. Only 22 women competed in the Olympics that year.
The 1940's-1960's
Before women really had a spot in the fitness world, this era began with the opening of YMCA which allowed fitness classes to start building popularity. In the 40’s, women were maily doing stretching and calesthenics and it still wasnt very popular for them to go to a gym or fitness center. They were actually told that their bodies couldn’t handle exercise, it might make them barren, or that it would make them unattractive to men (uhm WHAT?).
In 1963, Jane Nidetch formed Weight Watchers after struggling with her weight all her life. She lost almost 100 lbs by focusing on healthy eating and moderation.
In 1967, Katherine Switzer challenged all expectations by being the first woman to enter a marathon by disguising her gender and using an alias. When an official recognized her and started chasing her down, her then boyfriend knocked him out.
The 70’s-80’s — Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda started filming her aerobics videos and women everywhere were sold. Leg warmers, leotards, and tights were the look and step aerobics was all the rage. The sports bra was also invented during this time by a woman named Lisa Lindahl.
Rachel McLish became the first MISS Olympia bodybuilder in the year 1980 along with Bev Fracis, Carla Dunlap, and several others.
In 1973, Billie Jean King formed the women’s tennis association. She also boycotted the U.S. Open until they equalized the prize money for female and male athletes and she was successful in her efforts.
90's-Early 2000's
In the bodybuilding world, the Fitness division was born and athletes like Mia Finnegan, Monica Brandt, and Saryn Muldrow became an inspiration for other women.
In 2000, women’s weightlifting became an olympic sport for the first time.
Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice opened the first SoulCycle studio in 2006, reinventing and revolutionizing spin classes.
2010 and on:
Curves, muscle, and strength are much more attainable and attractive for everyday women. The importance of building muscle and weight lifting for women is now widely recognized and today, most women participate in some sort of resistance training exercise along with cardio like jogging, walking, biking, and more.
In 2010, the Bikini division was added to NPC and Professional Bodybuilding to give more women a chance to compete. Sonia Gonzalez became the first Miss Bikini Olympia.
Sports like CrossFit and powerlifting are filled with women wanting to show their strength and endurance by training and competing all around the globe.
Women have changed and shaped the face of fitness for centuries now. There are so many more names that belong on this list, I’m sure, but I learned a lot just writing this post and I hope you did too! Remember these women, celebrate them, and celebrate all the others that continue to pave the way for all of us in this male-dominated industry.
References:
Take a Look at the Fascinating History of Women’s Exercise: https://www.byrdie.com/womens-fitness-decades
The History of Women in Fitness http://ironplatestudios.com/blog/2019/4/1/the-history-of-women-in-fitness
Famous Women in History Who Changed the Health & Fitness World https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/18-women-history-who-changed-health-and-fitness-game?slide=b343da49-5fe3-4dae-a8bf-4ae45f980ad9#b343da49-5fe3-4dae-a8bf-4ae45f980ad9
