At the peak of her bodybuilding career, Rachel sported the following stats: Today, well discuss how Rachel McLish became the first Ms. Olympia and how she spent the rest of her career. But she comitted to the sport after realizing her potential to succeed. Thanks for your comment, Wanda! With her natural beauty, feminine and slightly muscular build, she became the spokesperson for female fitness. Benjy studied journalism at Goldsmiths University of London, graduating in 2009. Physical Culture: Rachel McLish, Part Twenty-Five. I mean I love competing. Rachel was always a big lover of animals, and often spent her free time on her cousins farm where he had horses and other animals Rachel was friends with a very special horse, and the two were inseparable. But the last time I competed was 1984 [at the Ms. Olympia] and I came in second and I should have come in last really. In the book, she provides education and how-tos for women of all skill levels to weight train. It didnt do anything to change it except to stunt the growth of womens bodybuilding. FLEX: Why did you decide to start competing? But basically I became a household name based on the very first competition in Atlantic City. Signed Daniel. The edited version had very little to do with the actual process and being filmed while youre trying to compete and prepare for a competition. Though she initially wanted to be a ballet dancer while she was still in school, that changed over time and decided to be a cheerleader. These breakthrough victories, together with Rachel's visual appeal, [] Almost before there was womens bodybuilding, it seemed, there was Rachel McLish. It was filmed over the course of a year and a half. She had a much more muscular build similar to the mens division. She sent a photograph into Atlantic City and was chosen as one of 30 women to enter. Her roles were always meant to shed a positive light on women and she refused anything she considered demeaning. Hier knnen Sie Inhalte sammeln, auswhlen und Anmerkungen zu Ihren Dateien hinterlegen. Fellow female bodybuilding pioneer Lisa Lyon was her main physique inspiration and reason she felt she could compete and win. She is an actress, known for The girlfriend from outer space (1989), Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992) and Raven Hawk (1996). You can bet she hasn't been curling 3 lb barbells for the last 30 years (we'll ignore the other work she's been doing). Corys physique was much different than Rachels. Towards the end of 1980, Rachel entered the debut Ms. Olympia for women. Jurassic Gorilla https://jurassicgorilla.com Rachel McLish stars in Iron Eagle 3 along with Academy Award Winner Louis Gossett Jr.. Also starring British actor Paul Freeman along with Horst Buchholz. Contact us: evolutionofbodybuilding@gmail.com. I have to go there and it was like Oh OK, I gotcha. I love all the basic power movements. Old School Labs products do not hide behind proprietary blends, contain no artificial sweeteners or artificial flavors, and are manufactured using only high-quality ingredients. As quoted by several magazines covering the event[citation needed], some competitors expressed surprise at McLish's high placement because she didn't carry the muscle mass carried by many of the top women. Rachel McLish, who became the first Ms. Olympia in '80, and went on to win her second in '82 pic.twitter.com/tulfWJjHpI, Bodybuilding History (@muscle_history) January 22, 2014. No disrespect to Bev but quite frankly that look is what diminished female bodybuilding in my opinion. When my wife and I purchased our home in Woodland Hills we were given the phone # (818) 887-9808. I was very good at it! As soon as she graduated from college, she was offered a partnership with a company, Shape Center. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Rachel McLish was born on 21 June 1955 in Harlingen, Texas, USA. She continues today to promote good health, fitness, and nutrition to women across the globe. FLEX: You burst onto the scene as the face of womens bodybuilding in the early 1980s were you ready for all the attention that came your way? Rachel placed 1st in the prestigious contest, but shed achieved much more than a trophy. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, Rachel helped inspire generations of females to sculpt their physiques and thrust female bodybuilding into the spotlight. They do affect the musculature and make you look more masculine. She has added more healthy fats into her diet as shes aged, to ensure she gets her essential fatty acids. But of course he never stopped training and went on to create a thriving chiropractic practice which he loved. In 1982, she took back the title of Ms. Olympia and also won the World Pro Championships. It was here that Rachel began training in the gym and taking an interest in fitness shed embarked on her fitness journey. She also participated in the Frank Zane Invitational and took second place. Rachel McLish) became one of the industry's most recognizable figures through her incredible career. Wiki Biography, The most popular female bodybuilders in the world. McLish has authored two books on weight training for women that made the New York Times bestseller list Flex Appeal, by Rachel, and Perfect Parts. She authored a numbers book under the name and still continues to do the same. She got sponsored by Dynamics Health Equipment Manufacturing Corporation. Lets chat again soon!!! anabolic use to be a curse, but a necessary evil in the sport in order to compete. 2023 Greatest Physiques. It has been alleged that Matts cause of death was due to his recent operation or the negative effects of the heavy medication that he was consuming. Yup, the good ole boys. She was mostly focused on power movements with weights, so that she could work on her entire body, and she used ballet classes to work on her calves. Food & Fun In a long post on her official Facebook page, Rachel wanted to set the record straight about some of the rumors being spread after Matts death. At this point, she was more determined than ever to make a name for herself. In 1999 she was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame. We love reading comments like this, Ruth! Perfect Parts: A World Champions Guide to Spot Slimming Shaping and Strengthening Your Body came in 1987. Were glad to hear that Rachel helped strengthen your love of lifting! When ladies' bodybuilding got ugly, it broke . As she grew older, she began to appreciate the value of being fit, proud of the progress she was making. Considered extremely promotable for her well-defined body and natural beauty, Rachel became the poster child for womens bodybuilding. I think thats the toughtest thing. I really like the Power Plate. One thing we can take away from Rachels story is to always stay true to yourself. Muscleandfitness.com is part of a360media Fitness & Health Network. Although she didnt have the fairytale ending to her career, she finished a very respectable second. She chose instead to focus on living a holistic lifestyle, which meant: Though she hasnt participated in competitions since 1984, she would have considered it. In the process, she was able to continue empowering women through fitness and functional weight training. After gaining attention for her aesthetics, she was invited to join the high school cheerleading team. Greatest Physiques is the number 1 destination for the best looking bodies on the planet. But even more notably, she competed and won the title of the first-ever Ms. Olympia, held by the IFBB. Back before female bodybuilders became roided out freakazoids. According to authoritative sources, her current net worth is estimated to be more than $500,000, and may still be rising, as although she is no longer competing, she is still motivating others. Spending almost her entire life in the gym has made her realize that food is fuel, and she eats accordingly. They are currently living in Rancho Mirage in California, and dont have any kids they were living in a $3 million worth house before they sold it to Coco Crisp, the popular Boston Rex Sox player. She has an elder sister Sandra Lopez, and Leah Elizondo Yakub is her niece. Rachel does not enjoy talking about her love life, as she prefers to separate her personal matters from her professional life, but she has still shared some details of her former relationships and marriages with the public. Winning the Ms. Olympia had made Rachel into a fitness icon, being exposed to mainstream media around the world. Matt also was also very frustrated that he could not continue helping people or in his own words, Doing Gods healing work as a chiropractor due to his injuries. Rachel met her first husband while she was still attending college, and was still shaping her figure she married John P. McLish on 3 February 1979, but they soon divorced for unknown reasons. The other thing Rachael projects is the importance of health as an adjunct to physical fitness. So if you dont have that fire, dont even make the attempt because your whole life has to be directed toward that. Doing Gods healing work never does, I loved helping others get out of pain. Work out a few days per week on strength training each muscle group, with cardio mixed in on off days. Rachel holds an impressive net worth of $19 million. Check regularly for the latest, Greatest Physiques. In the weeks prior to this exchange, Matt was in ICU following a highly invasive spinal surgery. Her career as a bodybuilder was short lived, but her beauty and charisma made her a natural in front of the camera. As the first womens champion, I felt a great responsibility to expand that truth onto the sport that I had no doubt, would catch on like wildfire. For this project, Rachel uses her educational background and fitness knowledge to promote the importance of fitness and a healthy diet. anabolic use to be a curse, but a necessary evil in the sport in order to compete. Would you compete in figure? Hope to hear from U. She always kept her figure lean, refusing to bulk-up and attempt to emulate male bodybuilders. Honestly, she was before her time! Rachel, who was born on June 21, 1955, to father Rafael Elizondo and mother Raquel Elizondo, won her first bodybuilding championship at the age of 25. From small-town Texan to one of the most well known female bodybuilders of all time . when the pole broke mid-air as the teen Ohio State Pole Vaulting champ. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Rachels career of a bodybuilder began while she was still attending college she was working at a health club in McAllen, Texas and formed a partnership with them. At age 62, "Big Bill" shares his wisdom to dominate one of the ultimate strength marks. FLEX: You retired from competitive bodybuilding in 1984, after only five years and eight contests. She was previously married to John P. McLish. Although Rachel had been training since College, shed never considered a career as a competitor until 1980. Even when they went their separate ways, they remained very close friends, till the day Matt died. In January 1999, she was officially inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame. In Rachels mind, women were not capable of building that type of mass without assistance. After her retirement, the former bodybuilder tried her hands at modeling. Rachel is currently 64 years old. Rachel, who saw a plethora of career switches, got to work along with Arnold Schwarzenegger in an instructional video named 'Shape Up with Arnold,' following which she got her stint on movies like 'Getting Physical' in 1984, 'Aces: Iron Eagle II' in 1992, 'Raven Hawk' in 1996, and 'Ordinary Average Guys' in 2011. Rachel lectured on nutrition, diet, beauty, and being a woman in a male-dominated industry. Glad I came across this article! Das Getty Images Design ist eine eingetragene Marke von Getty Images. McLish: Well Pumping Iron II unfortunately you get someone who has the vehicle to really reach a lot of people with the hype they basically utilized what Joe Weider had built and FLEX magazine and all of us women .. they utilized all of our hard work and everything and they slanted it. Read our comprehensive guide on how. She went on to play roles in a few other movies: To her credit, Rachel used her fitness level to play strong, physical women in these movies. [1][3], McLish was the first winner of the Ms. Olympia title. Nope. Personally, I liked Rachels physique more than Bev Francis because Rachel retained her feminine look. 9,308 Followers, 3 Following, 34 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Rachel Mclish (@rachelmclish) Her first competition was in 1980, when she went on to win the inaugural United States Championships she also won the IFBB Ms. Olympia contest in the same year.Rachel McLish. There is so much to say about Matt, and its all good! I began lifting weights in 1976-77 when it really wasnt cool for females to lift. I, too, think she was the ultimate female physique. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a579323d71f7e68932fce6699ac06752" );document.getElementById("de63bbf7bd").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); To me i have been following you since the 80s and before that actually and I can only say that I believe you are the most beautiful woman in the world. While her career was short, she became an icon of the Golden Era of bodybuilding. While attending Pan American University, she met John P. McLish, whom she married on February 3, 1979. Where Is Bodybuilder Rachel McLish Now? With the success of the Sport Palace Association, she opened two more facilities in Corpus Christi and Brownsville in 1980. A post shared by Rachel Mclish (@rachelmclish) on Jul 20, 2017 at 12:43pm PDT. Rachel McLish is also a model, actress and author.Source: BiographyPedia. She made her acting debut in the film Pumping Iron II, as both the main attraction and the main antagonist in a movie that centered around the Ceasars World Cup in Las Vegas in 1983, a contest which was arranged specifically for the film, which pitted the two extremes of womens bodybuilding McLish and the ultra-muscular Bev Francis against each other. She took a chance on getting started in IFBB bodybuilding competitions and never looked back. She realized that times were changing for women in the bodybuilding arena and she decided to make a surprise decision. This contest was the subject of the film Pumping Iron II: The Women, in which Rachel was one of the featured stars of the movie. She attended the Harlingen High School, where she was a cheerleader and twice-named Cardinals Football Sweetheart. Shed developed into a big figure in the industry, meeting many athletes such as Lisa Lyon as a result. 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