OK, so we just got done telling you about 5 of the world’s strongest men. One of the complaints that we know would be on the horizon is the presence of women bodybuilders. Yes, we know they exist. So yes, we’re going to give you another list filled with strong women.
The subject of women practicing the sport of bodybuilding is something that is challenged by a lot of people. There are quite a few people that feel that female bodybuilding destroys the feminine physique, but we strongly disagree. Even though it’s not a look that we would want to strive for, we have to admire the women that wield sheer discipline and determine to get to that look. It’s a lot of hard work, so much more so than with male bodybuilders. This is because women have less testosterone, which contributes to slower muscle gains. It takes a long time for women to put on muscle the way men do, but they definitely can do it — as you can tell from this list. It’s all about trusting in your own power to make things happen, and that means just going where life takes you. These women deserve our respect just as much as the male bodybuilders do.
So the next time your girlfriend picks up that barbell and you like the bodybuilder physique, you might find yourself her new cheerleader.
Or not. At least there’s this list to keep you company. In the doghouse, that is. 🙂
1. Irene Andersen
Irene Andersen is from Denmark, but this Danish star has been training for a long time and has competed in several competitions across the globe. She is considered one of the most successful out of all of the female bodybuilders, and that’s why she’s on top of this list.
2. Yolanda Hughes
Who knew going pro could look so good? Meet Yolanda Hughes, a woman that went into professional bodybuilding in 1992, and went on to dominate her field dramatically. Unlike other bodybuilders of her timeframe, she only competed in the Arnold or the Olympia. She never held any interest in competing in other shows. She was 164 lbs, which is impressive when you realize that her body is mostly made of muscle and not fat! Wow!
3. Rosemary Jennings
The definition that Rosemary Jennings was able to achieve is just stunning if you’re a true bodybuilding fan. Like Yolanda Hughes and Irene Andersen, she is hailed as one of the best female bodybuilders around.
4. Ana Claudia Pires
Hey, we’re multicultural around here — so make way for this stunning Brazilian female bodybuilder. She isn’t just a pretty face, either — Ms. Pires has won the championship in Rio de Janeiro 8 times, and has also won four times at the overall Brazilian championship. If that weren’t enough, she’s also taken the top spot twice at the South American level, and even finished 8th two times on the World Championship level. This is definitely a woman that proves that feminine beauty and raw power can combine in wonderful ways.
5. Nicole Bass
Who said that bodybuilding doesn’t open doors? Nicole Bass started out in bodybuilding, where she held her own. She is actually considered one of the largest female bodybuilders in the world. She took the top slot at the 1997 NPC National Bodybuilding Championships, and has competed in Ms. Olympia contests as well.
Not just satisfied with bodybuilding, she branched out into pro wrestling on the independent circuit — where she is still to this day.
Are you happy now that we covered both men and women bodybuilders? Good — these are some pretty crazy people to go out there and work this hard to achieve such low body fat percentages, but we salute them anyway!