| Female Bodybuilding first started coming to the | | | | As the competition gets older with more and more |
| forefront during the late 1970s. Before that the world | | | | women participating the workout regimes are getting |
| of competitive bodybuilding was given over to men | | | | increasingly rigorous. There are now championship titles |
| alone. The 1970s were the time when female | | | | that are highly competitive and no place for women |
| bodybuilders started participating in competitions | | | | who are good at posing in high heels but do not have |
| specifically for their gender and over the years the | | | | well defined muscles. Not only are the competitions |
| sport has gathered a lot of respect. The earliest | | | | increasing but they are also gathering quite a large fan |
| recorded competition among female bodybuilders can | | | | base. |
| be found in the 1960s but back then they were more | | | | There are also many films that have been produced in |
| like bikini contests rather than bodybuilding competitions. | | | | order to honor female body builders and their |
| It is now believed that the first legitimate bodybuilding | | | | competitions. Major TV networks have covered these |
| competition for women took place in 1978 in Canton, | | | | events and despite a few controversies in the past |
| Ohio. This competition was promoted by Henry | | | | few years women body building competitions have |
| McGee and called the United States Women's National | | | | managed to remain popular. The IFBB also established |
| Physique Championship. It was different in the sense | | | | started the Hall of Fame in the year 1999. This Hall of |
| that the competitors were judged based on their | | | | Fame includes the names of the top athletes in the |
| muscularity and not on how pretty they looked in bikinis | | | | sport of bodybuilding. As of this day there are 14 |
| or swimsuits. | | | | women body builders that have been included in this |
| Just within one year, by 1979, there were a lot more | | | | Hall of Fame. |
| female bodybuilders taking part in the increasing | | | | Besides women bodybuilding there are also some |
| number of competitions that rated healthy bodies | | | | other categories related to the main event that are |
| rather than beauty alone. In 1980, the female | | | | also included during the competition. The fitness |
| bodybuilding competitions got their sanction. Named the | | | | category includes a swimsuit event and also an |
| National Physique Committee the organization was | | | | aerobics performance, gymnastics, or dancing. Another |
| responsible for hosting the first ever women's national | | | | category is the figure competition during which the |
| competition and it also became the topmost amateur | | | | competitors are judged on the basis of muscle tone |
| competition for female bodybuilders in the United | | | | and symmetry. |
| States. 1980 is a special year also because it was the | | | | The only difference between male and female |
| year in which Ms. Olympia, the most honored female | | | | competitions is that the prize money for the latter is |
| bodybuilding competition, took place for the first time. | | | | much lower. |