The Strongest Women In The World Today

We can definitively state that the term - weaker sex - is outdated. In bodybuilding and powerlifting competitions, the number of men is overwhelming. It’s not surprising, given the qualities the contestants need. However, we must not forget that in the history of this sport, there have certainly been ladies who have the physical strength to put men to shame. In this article, we take a look at the strongest women in the world today!

The Evolution of Female Bodybuilders

Over the years, history has given us plenty of strong and inspiring women. They were the pioneers of women's rights and equality and redefined the male-dominated world of sports. They showed their male peers what it means to be a role model. The origins of bodybuilding can be traced back to ancient times. Think of the Roman gladiators or the wrestlers in the ancient Olympics. Modern bodybuilding began to develop in the late 1800s when they realized the results they could achieve with diet and exercise.  The first strongest women appeared in the 19th century, but it took a while before people started showing interest. It was in 1890 that Minerva, one of the very first strong women, lifted the weight of 23 men, earning her the title of the world's strongest woman. Her great rival, the Austrian Katie Sandwina, could carry a half-ton cannon on her back. None of them were famous for their massive muscle groups or fantastic builds. People considered them spectacles. The ideal woman of the 19th century was fragile and fair-skinned. If you take a look at today's female bodybuilders, they are the exact opposite! Charlotte Perkins Gilman wanted to break this and started lifting weights, running, and doing gymnastics. In her books and articles, her goal was always to eliminate society's single-mindedness regarding women. After all, as James Brown sang, it was a man’s world. Of course, this went completely against the expectations of the time.

The Strongest Women in the World Today

Female bodybuilders have come a long way. Female strength was not particularly respected, in fact, it was unimaginable that a woman could be stronger than a man. If there were some strong women, they were the exception and not the rule itself. Around the turn of the 20th century, most men, including doctors, looked down on women exercising. Everyone believed that women were weak and clumsy, and it was better to save their energy for housework and raising children. Mainly because, according to them, any sports performed by men would negatively affect women, making them masculine and sterile.  So, women had to accept that since doing sports was much more of an inconvenience than glory. Even if some ladies were interested in sports up until that point, they also began to avoid them. About 30 years later, the feminist movement began when women started becoming aware of their power and capabilities. Since physical strength was a form of showing will and power, they turned to it more confidently than ever before. Women explored their physical abilities, becoming increasingly conscious and self-confident.  Just like in the past, the social perception of a muscular woman is still a controversial subject. Society always had a positive attitude toward male strength. The first bodybuilding competition happened in 1901 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Eugen Sandow, the most muscular and strongest man in the 1890s, organized the competition. Sandow made history to such an extent that they named the trophy of the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competitions the Sandow trophy. However, the first female bodybuilding contest, the Ohio Regional Women’s Physique Championship, was much later, in 1977.

Abby “Pudgy” Stockton - America’s Barbelle

Abby was born in the USA in 1917 and died in 2006. Even though she is not among us anymore, Pudgy is still a huge inspiration to bodybuilders today. Abbye Pudgy Stockton toured the Los Angeles area with her husband and a friend in a balancing act that put cheerleaders to shame. Stockton, who was 157 cm tall, held her towering husband above her head in a handstand. Ironically, the lady nicknamed Pudgy was such a pioneer in the history of women's weightlifting and transforming fitness that she soon earned the names The Fist Lady of Iron, the Queen of Muscle Beach, and America’s Barbelle.  In 1944, Stockton edited the column in Strength and Health magazine called Barbelles, which on the one hand, refers to the English name of the two-handed barbell and, on the other hand, to the French adjective belle, which means female beauty. In the paper, she provided advice and encouraged girls and women to ponder weightlifting. She helped women do well in traditionally male sports! She was considered an inspirational icon of the age and the area, who, contrary to the prevailing public opinion of the time, inspired many to proclaim that femininity and strength are not exclusive. In addition that weightlifting does not necessarily masculinize ladies. According to the pictures at online sportsbook sites in the US, we believe Pudgy wholeheartedly!

The Strongest Women in the World Today

Bev Francis was born in Australia in 1955. She was a member of the Australian athletic team between 1977 and 1982. Francis became a champion in shot put, discus, and javelin throwing. Later, she switched to powerlifting, and between 1980 and 1985, she broke more than 40 world records and won six IPF World Championships.  Francis was the first woman to bench press 136 kilos, making her one of the World’s strongest women. Her records were the 227-kilogram squat, the 152-kilogram bench press, and the 227-kilogram pull-up. She is something else, and if you look at her now, even at 67, based on her body, she is still among the strongest women in the world today! Aneta Florczyk was born in Poland in 1986. Florczyk started her powerlifting career at the age of 16. In addition to her Europe's Strongest Woman title in 2004, she also collected world championship titles. They chose her as the World's Strongest Woman in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008, making her the most successful competitor ever. She also entered the Guinness Book of World Records with another record in 2008, when she lifted 12 grown men over her head in 2 minutes. However, that is not all! The Polish powerlifter was the first woman to lift 500 kilograms! Check out 22BET Sportsbook to see what else she has up her sleeve!

Jan Todd - The record breaker

One of the World’s strongest women was born in the USA in 1952. Jan Todd began her powerlifting career in 1973 when she married Dr. Terry Todd, the first US powerlifting champion. In 1975, right at her first serious competition, she broke a nearly half-century-old Guinness World record with a 179-kilogram, 394 pounds pull-up. The following year, Todd became the first woman to go above 180 kilos in powerlifting when Jan lifted 187 kilograms, 412 pounds. To top it all off, she was the first female to lift over 544 kilos, 1200 pounds, in total, including squats, bench press, and pull-ups. The sports magazine Sports Illustrated called her the World’s strongest woman.

The strongest women in the world today

Nataliya Kuznetsova is one of the most famous and strongest women in the world today. The 29-year-old Russian woman is a multiple European and World champion whose records no one has broken yet. Nataliya is the daughter of healthcare workers, but she knew from an early age that she wanted to do something completely different. She started bodybuilding at 14 when she was only 40 kg, 88 pounds. Now her weight is around 93 kg, 205 pounds. Her biceps are 49 cm, her thighs are 76.5 cm, and her bust is 128 cm. She went to the gym for the first time as a little girl, and six months later, a trainer noticed her and entered Nataliya in a regional bodybuilding competition. She doesn't necessarily follow a strict diet to maintain her figure. Nataliya eats when it suits her, but she tries to eat healthily and exercise regularly. You can follow her career at 22BET Sportsbook!

The Oldest Bodybuilder Today

Edith Murway-Traina celebrated her 100th birthday last August, and on this occasion, she officially entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest powerlifting competitor. She is among the strongest women in the world today as she is still actively practicing the sport. At her last competition in 2019, she was 98 years old! Can you imagine that? If not, check out her at online sportsbook sites in the US! The woman previously worked as a dancer and dance instructor, so sports have always played a central role in her life. Though not exactly like in the past decade. She was 91 years old when a friend invited her to the gym to try powerlifting. Even if that sounds weird, it turned out extraordinary. As she became a regular, Edith recognized the challenge and accepted it. It wasn’t long before she joined a team and participated in competitions. Murway-Traina usually lifts weights between 20 and 70 kilograms and has already won so many trophies that they barely fit in her home. Isn’t it crazy?

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