5 Biggest Female Bodybuilders | Most Muscular Women in the World

Who says bodybuilding is only for men?

Bodybuilding hasn’t remained a sport where only men cheer up; women considerably are making their spot and grabbing worldwide attention too!

Becoming the biggest female bodybuilder takes a lot of courage and dedication, as many think getting jacked isn’t a women’s thing.

To clear the mist, female bodybuilding has come a long way. Women started participating in bodybuilding competitions in the late 1970s.

Over the years, jacked female bodybuilders have stepped on stage, shown their incredible physiques, and become the inspiration for the new generations of female bodybuilders.

All women deserve appreciation, but today we’ll only discuss the elite female bodybuilders of all time.

Moreover, we’ll take a closer look at the lives, careers, and achievements of the 5 best female bodybuilders of all time.

5 Biggest Female Bodybuilders of All Time

Over the years we’ve found that muscle gain in females has become a new forte for young growing girls and efficiently they’re adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Determining the best female bodybuilders of all time is subjective and can vary depending on personal opinions and criteria.

In this post, the criteria for the top 5 female bodybuilders depend on the number of Ms. Olympia titles they won.

So, have a look at the most notable and jacked female bodybuilders in history:

#1. Iris Kyle – United States

Iris Kyle is a legendary figure in the female bodybuilding industry, widely considered the greatest female bodybuilder of all time.

She was born on August 22, 1974, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA. Iris began her athletic career as a track and field athlete.

Moreover, she participated in various sports events while schooling. In her early 20s, she used to watch bodybuilding competitions and get inspired to build a career in it.

With a lot of passion and hard work, she built an incredibly well-rounded physique and won her first professional bodybuilding competition (NPC Long Beach Muscle Classic) at 20.

After that, Patrick Lynn, a professional bodybuilder, becomes the mentor of Iris Kyle. And from then, there’s no coming back for her.

In 2001, she won her first Ms. Olympia title in the heavyweight category, the most prestigious bodybuilding competition in the world.

She went on to win the title nine more times, becoming the only and greatest female bodybuilder to win 10 Ms. Olympia titles.

In addition, Iris has also won several other professional bodybuilding competitions, including IFBB Ms. International, IFBB GNC Show of Strength, and more.

Here is a brief introduction to her Info:

• Full name: Iris Floyd Kyle.
• Nickname: The Female Ronnie Coleman, Iron Maiden, and Chocolate Chip.
• Date of Birth: August 22, 1974.
• Height: 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) [6].
• Weight: 130–167 lbs (59–82 kg) (vary according to seasons).
• Career: 1994 – 2014.

Iris Kyle is known for her incredible physique, symmetry, balance, and most importantly, her muscular leg development.

Furthermore, she is also known for her dedication to training, nutrition, and discipline, which helped to maintain the dominant position in female bodybuilding for over a decade.

According to many, Iris has a friendly and approachable personality and has been a mentor and inspiration to many aspiring bodybuilders.

#2. Lenda Murray – United States

Lenda Murray is an American former professional bodybuilder, fitness athlete, and one of the top 5 female bodybuilders.

She was born on February 22, 1962, in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in a working-class family.

She developed an interest and started participating in organized sports at a young age (15 years old) during high school.

After graduating from high school, Murray pursued a career in law enforcement at Western Michigan University.

During that period, she also participated in cheerleading, and after her college, she worked as a cheerleader for a few years in the USA.

However, her passion for bodybuilding never waned, and she began training seriously in the late 1980s.

She quickly rose through the ranks with strict training and diet and won her first major title, the IFBB North American Championships, in 1989.

She then went on to dominate the female bodybuilding space, winning the prestigious Ms. Olympia title eight times between 1990 and 2004.

Personal Info of Lenda Murray:

• Full name: Lenda Murray.
• Nickname: Female Haney.
• Date of Birth: February 22, 1962.
• Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m).
• Weight: 250 – 164 lbs (vary in different seasons).
• Career: 1985 – 2004.

In addition to her bodybuilding achievements, Murray also pursued a successful fitness modeling and acting career.

She appeared in several films and television shows, including Crime Scenes (2017), Loiter Squad (2012), and more.

After retiring from a female bodybuilding competition in 2004, Murray continued to be involved in the fitness industry and worked as a personal trainer and motivational speaker.

She was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2005 and remained an inspiration to many aspiring athletes and fitness enthusiasts worldwide.

#3. Corinna Everson – United States

Corinna Everson, also known as Cory Everson, is an American former professional bodybuilder and actress who was born on January 4, 1958, in Racine, Wisconsin.

She is one of the most successful, influential, and biggest female bodybuilders of all time, having won six consecutive Ms. Olympia titles between 1984 and 1989.

In her university days (University of Wisconsin–Madison), Everson was an accomplished athlete and into several sports, including gymnastics, badminton, and track and field.

At the same time, she met Jeff Everson, a competitive bodybuilder who worked at the university as a strength coach, and got married to him.

In the early years of her marriage, she discovered her passion for fitness and bodybuilding and wanted to make a career in the sport.

Therefore, Corinna started training with Jeff and won her first major title, IFBB Ms. Olympia, in 1984 and remained undefeated from 1984 to 1989.

Corinna Everson Personal Info:

• Full name: Corinna Everson.
• Nickname: Cory.
• Date of Birth: January 4, 1958.
• Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m).
• Weight: 145 – 150 lbs (depending on the seasons).
• Career: 1980 – 1989.

After retiring from the competition, Everson pursued a successful career in acting and appeared in several films and television shows.

For instance, she became a part of the hit TV series “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys” and the movie “Double Impact.”

Furthermore, Everson was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Muscle Beach Venice Body Building Hall of Fame in 2005.

For seven years, Corinna Everson also hosted her exercise show on ESPN, Cory Everson’s Gotta Sweat, to inspire new generation bodybuilders.

#4. Rachel McLish – United States

Rachel McLish (actually, Hispanic – McLish was her married name) is an American former professional bodybuilder and actress born on June 21, 1955, in Harlingen, Texas.

Along with that, McLish is an influencer and author of the popular books Flex Appeal and Perfect Parts.

She is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern women’s bodybuilding and was the first woman to win the IFBB Ms. Olympia title in 1980.

While graduating from the University of Texas-Pan American in physiology and health and nutrition, she partnered with the health club manager and founded the Sports Palace Association in Harlingen.

After the success of the Sports Palace, she opened two more facilities in Corpus Christi and Brownsville in 1980.

To make them a success, McLish wanted to compete with the biggest female bodybuilders, and thanks to Lisa Lyon and the club manager, she decided to compete.

She quickly rose through the ranks and won several major titles in the female bodybuilding space, including the IFBB Ms. Olympia in 1980 and 1982.

Rachel McLish Personal Info:

• Full name: Rachel McLish.
• Nickname: N/A.
• Date of Birth: June 21, 1955.
• Height: 5 ft 6.5 in (1.69 m).
• Weight: 125 – 135 lbs (56.7 – 61.2kg).
• Career: 1980 – 1984.

In addition to her successful bodybuilding career, McLish is also a successful actress and appeared in several films and television shows, including Getting Physical (1984), Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992), and Raven Hawk (1996).

Indeed, McLish’s success popularized bodybuilding among women and inspired many to pursue sports careers.

In January 1999, Rachel McLish was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame as an honor to the first Ms. Olympia winner.

#5. Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls – United States

Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls is a former American bodybuilder and fitness athlete born on April 23, 1968, in Park Ridge, Illinois.

She is one of the greatest female bodybuilders of all time, as she won the prestigious IFBB Ms. Olympia title four times in a row between 1996 and 1999.

Chizevsky-Nicholls began her athletic career in high school and became a multi-sports star, including long jump, relay race, volleyball, basketball, and cheerleading.

After graduating from high school, she went to Southern Illinois University to study legal and medical secretarial services, where she participated in aerobics and other sports.

In 1988, she began dating Chad Nicholls, the person behind the greatest female bodybuilder Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls.

Moreover, Chad inspired and directed her toward bodybuilding. Under his supervision and instructions, Kim trained herself to become a jacked female bodybuilder.

She started participating in many female bodybuilding competitions and won her first IFBB Ms. Olympia title in 1996 and continued winning for the next three years (from 1996-1999).

Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls Personal Info:

• Full name: Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls.
• Nickname: Sunflower.
• Date of Birth: April 23, 1968.
• Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m).
• Weight: 121 – 180 lbs (depending on the seasons).
• Career: 1989 – 1999.

Along with jacked female bodybuilders, Chizevsky-Nicholls was also a successful fitness model and appeared on the covers of several fitness and bodybuilding magazines.

She was known for her striking looks and helped to redefine the image of female bodybuilders in the late 1990s.

Furthermore, she also founded the Women’s Physique World magazine and served as the president of the IFBB Professional Women’s Bodybuilding Association.

Hence, these are the biggest female bodybuilders of all time with the highest numbers of Ms. Olympia title-winning.

Conclusion

The world of elite female bodybuilders has seen some remarkable women who have set the bar high with their passion, determination, and dedication to the sport.

Among these greats are Iris Kyle, Lenda Murray, Corinna Everson, Rachel McLish, and Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls, who have paved the way for generations of female athletes to follow.

Indeed, their success has inspired women in the fitness industry to break down stereotypes and challenge the notion that women cannot be strong and muscular.

Appraising them and trying to be like them is indigenous; however, facing complexity during the initial phase is genuine.

Henceforth, jacking up strength by employing the best steroids for women with an active workout regime and diet routine will be fruitful.

These top 5 female bodybuilders have left a legacy that will be remembered for years to come.

Make some lifestyle changes and push yourself hard to be the next biggest female bodybuilder!