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Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 02:23 AM
This thread is dedicated to the wonder women of the world. Their conviction and belief paved the path for today’s female strength athlete, instilling in these remarkable women the mind power doctrine of Iron Warriors.

Unrelenting, they’ve shattered self and socially imposed limitations and persevered despite all odds, leaving a permanent imprint on the pages of history, their essence forged by the iron fist of conviction that molded them into a rare breed of women who dared to be different.


A tribute to female Powerlifters, WeightLifters and Strongwomen…


SS

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 02:27 AM
For Strong Women

A strong woman is a woman who is straining
A strong woman is a woman standing
on tiptoe and lifting a barbell
while trying to sing "Boris Godunov."

A strong woman is a woman at work
cleaning out the cesspool of the ages,
and while she shovels, she talks about
how she doesn't mind crying, it opens
the ducts of the eyes, and throwing up
develops the stomach muscles, and
she goes on shoveling with tears in her nose.

A strong woman is a woman in whose head
a voice is repeating, I told you so,
ugly, bad girl, bitch, nag, shrill, witch,
ballbuster, nobody will ever love you back,
why aren't you feminine, why aren't
you soft, why aren't you quiet, why aren't you dead?

A strong woman is a woman determined
to do something others are determined
not be done. She is pushing up on the bottom
of a lead coffin lid. She is trying to raise
a manhole cover with her head, she is trying
to butt her way through a steel wall.
Her head hurts. People waiting for the hole
to be made say, hurry, you're so strong.

A strong woman is a woman bleeding
inside. A strong woman is a woman making
herself strong every morning while her teeth
loosen and her back throbs. Every baby,
a tooth, midwives used to say, and now
every battle a scar. A strong woman
is a mass of scar tissue that aches
when it rains and wounds that bleed
when you bump them and memories that get up
in the night and pace in boots to and fro.

A strong woman is a woman who craves love
like oxygen or she turns blue choking.
A strong woman is a woman who loves
strongly and weeps strongly and is strongly
terrified and has strong needs.

A strong woman is strong
in words, in action, in connection, in feeling;
she is not strong as a stone but as a wolf
suckling her young. Strength is not in her, but she
enacts it as the wind fills a sail.
What comforts her is others loving
her equally for the strength and for the weakness
from which it issues, lightning from a cloud.
Lightning stuns. In rain, the clouds disperse.
Only water of connection remains,
flowing through us. Strong is what we make
each other. Until we are all strong together,
a strong woman is a woman strongly afraid...of nothing.

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 02:49 AM
Lady Hercules
Katie Sandwina



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3298/3262275617_9c03a73067.jpg

http://thehumanmarvels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/sandwina.jpg



Born Katie Brunbach(Sandwina) in Vienna, Austria (1884 – January 21, 1952) probably was the most powerful strongwoman of the epoch, she had outstanding physical parameters: 184 cm of height; 85 kg of weight; 44 turn cm of biceps; 20 turn cm of wrists and 67 turn cm of thigh.

She managed to surpass the famous Eugen Sandow himself in strength test – he was her idol and her nickname "Sandwina" was the female derivative of "Sandow". During years, Kate participated in circus spectacles with her family, and the most exciting point was when her father offered 100 marks to any man in the audience who would capable to defeat his daughter Kate in wrestling. According to the legend, nobody earned the 100 marks. Her future husband (they were married for 52 years), Max Heymann, was one of those daredevils who accepted the challenge and according to his own words, the following had happened with him: "As I have entered the ring I started thinking that if I earned the 100 marks it would be the most extravagant way to earn money I have ever had. All the sudden, these thoughts were interrupted and the only thing I recall is my sudden rotation in the air with the flashing blue sky in my eyes, and then free falling down. Eventually, I found myself on the floor panting and semi-unconscious, while the girl bent down to me and said, "Have I inflicted any damage to you?"

Then she grabbed me in her arms as a dummy and carried me to her tent."


:)

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 02:55 AM
Minerva & Charmion - Strongwomen

http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/uploaded_images/JosephineBlatt-754548.jpg (http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/uploaded_images/JosephineBlatt-754550.jpg)

The strongman has long been a staple in circus and sideshows. The image of handlebar mustached man garbed in a leopard print leotard has become the stereotypical image associated with feats of extraordinary strength. But, what about the ‘fairer sex’? Was there ever a professional strongwoman?

Truth be told, there were several.


Perhaps the best known and traditional of these brawny babes was Josephine Blatt, who was better known by her stage name Minerva.
Josephine Blatt’s early history is shrouded in carnival gimmickry. She claimed to have been born in 1865 in Hamburg Germany but other sources, most notably The Guinness Book of World Records, pegged her as an American born in 1867 in Hoboken, New Jersey. haha!

Regardless of this discrepancy, few questions exist in regards to her remarkable strength. In her displays she demonstrated her strength by breaking horseshoes with her hands, breaking steel chains by expanding her chest, and playing catch with a 24 pound cannon ball. She was capable to lift a stone weight of 360 lbs with a single finger thrust through a lifting ring. :eek:

Furthermore, The Guinness Book of Records recognized Minerva as having lifted the greatest weight ever by a woman. At the Bijou Theatre in Hoboken on April 15, 1895 Josephine Blatt lifted 3,564 lbs in a hip-and-harness lift. With that superhuman lift, Josephine Blatt nearly achieved the mythical status of her namesake.

She retired with her strongman husband, Charles Blatt, in 1910 and eventually passed away on September 1, 1923.

Around the same time that Minerva was raising great weights, a young lady named Charmion was raising eyebrows with her unusual strength-related act...

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 02:58 AM
http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/uploaded_images/charmion-774226.jpg (http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/uploaded_images/charmion-774228.jpg)

Laverie Vallee, Charmion, was a Sacramento born trapeze artist who possessed strength and a physique most men would be envious of. However, she was most well known for her risqué striptease performances.

The act opened with Charmion taking the stage in full Victorian attire. She would then mount the trapeze and proceed to undress to her leotard while performing impressive and strength-dependant stunts. The act was incredibly impressive and provocative for the era. However, the controversy created by her performances did not prevent the formulation of a devoted, and mostly male, fan base.

One of her greatest fans was Thomas Edison. As a result of that adoration, on November 11, 1901 Charmion committed a simplified version of her act to film for Edison. The film, simply entitled ‘Trapeze Disrobing Act’ focused more on the erotic aspect of the performance, though a few remarkable feats of strength are featured.

Charmion eventually retired to Santa Ana, California. She passed away on February 6, 1949 at the age of 73.

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 03:08 AM
Miss Lala

http://www.reproarte.com/files/images/D/degas_edgar/0017-0213_miss_lala_im_zirkus_fernando.jpg

Famous Miss Lala (Dega's painting above) performed strength acrobatic and trapeze acts throughout Europe in circuses, music halls, in the troupe called “Follies Bergere” (Mad Shepherds) between 1860s and late 1880s.

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 03:14 AM
Madame Ali-Braco ("The woman-cannon")

This powerful woman worked in the circus world since 1875. She was an expert in acrobatics, but the most of her famous stunts was demonstrations of her strength with a cannon, which was placed on her shoulders. In the other action, she hung upside down leaning on a trapezium by her legs and lifting a heavy cannon held by the teeth (without using the hands).

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 03:17 AM
Athleta


http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-athleta1.jpg
http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-athleta2.jpg


A daughter and granddaughter of athletes, Athleta was born in 1868, in Anvers, Belgium. Married at the age of 18 Mr. Go Huffelen she had three daughters, Brada, Louise and Anna, who followed their mother.

Athleta had biceps of 42 centimeters, and calf of 43 centimeters. In 1886, when she was only 18, Athleta acted in a weightlifting spectacle moving heavy loads in the theater “Eden Alhambra” in Brussels. After her initial success in Belgium, Athleta traveled to England, where she also had a great success. Later she traveled all over Europe and America holding exhibitions of physical power. Athleta participated in numerous spectacles with strength demonstrations which consisted in lifting and carrying different heavy objects.

In those spectacles she was dancing with three men on the shoulders; carrying on her shoulders a heavy bar with four suspended men dressed as soldiers... In 1905, after gaining sufficient money, Athleta decided to leave the world of spectacles and went to live to a chalet (called "Village Athleta") in the country, near Anvers, in Belgium, along with her husband and her family.

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 03:20 AM
http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-athleta-d.jpg


Continuing the business of their famous mother, Athleta, her daughters Brada, Louise and Anna also worked in spectacles demonstrating physical strength. At first, they began to act together with the mother and then, after she had withdrew, the three continued acting in spectacles performing in the famous Parisian nightclub "Folies Bergere" (Folly Shepherds). Nevertheless, they did not reach the glory of their mother had obtained.

In 1905, when Athleta visited the “French Club of Weightlifting”, The oldest daughter Brada, 18, had parameters 170cm/70 kg and lifted a bar of 70 kilograms over her head. Louise, the second daughter, 16 (168cm/40 kg) lifted 40 kg over her head. Anna, the youngest one, 14 (165cm) lifted 50 kg over her head and 55 kilogram to the shoulders.

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 03:25 AM
Madame Montagna

She was born in the city of Bologna, Italy, in 1874. Married another strong person who weighed 115 kilograms. Madame Montagna, in an occasion, bore cannon on her back which weighed 105 kilograms while it was loaded and shot. In 1909, an Algerian newspaper published that Madame Montagna tear and left in half a composed deck of 110 playing cards in five seconds and later halved them again. :eek:

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 03:28 AM
Kate Roberts (“Vulcana”) http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/circus-vulkana3.jpg

Kate Roberts, the famous lightweight strongwoman was born in 1883, of Irish parents. She took the artistic name "Vulcana" when was performing with strength demonstrations in the “English Music Hall”. Although she weighed just 57 kilograms, she lifted 65 kilograms above the head with one hand. :D

When she was young she loved running without rest, climbing to the trees and all those things that girls were not supposed to do. Being a middle school student she surprised her classmates by carrying the school organ.

Years later, in the “Music Hall of London”, her specialty was lifting men. Although her power stunts were not especially innovative, being the typical for strongwomen, Vulcana was the first woman who included in her repertoire the unique stunt, so-called "Tomb of Hercules" which had been performed just by few powerful men. This act consisted in supporting a big platform placing on the abdomen of the performer who leans backwards on the floor by the hands and legs. The wonder is that two horses with their attendants stood on that platform and leave it for a few seconds.

It is said that once, in Paris, she caught a thief, grabbed him and took him to a police precinct. She convinced women to be in charge of their own physical development. She struggled against the custom of wearing corsets considering this part of women’s equipment to be unnatural that was an instrument of torturing grandmothers of that epoch. There are a lot of legends about her strength and courage.

:)

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 03:33 AM
Maria Loorberg (scenic name Marina Lurs)
one of the strongest Russian women in the 1900s -1910s. She was trained by the weightlifting enthusiast A.I. Andrushkevich, who was the first trainer of the famous George Gakkenshmidt. Marina had been training since 1903 and four years later, she started participating in wrestling championships and performed with strength stunts.

Maria was born on April 10, 1881, in Tallinn (Estonia), and passed away on March 30, 1922. Maria had a solid build – weighed 80 kg having the height of 168 cm. In 1903 she became a student of Adolph Andruschkevich, a Russian coach of powerlifting and two years later, in 1905, Maria already appeared in carnivals and circuses of Estonia and other provinces of Russia.

Maria was capable to lift two men, weighing 66 kilograms each, with one hand and to move a man suspended with a strap which she held with the teeth. On August 13, 1913 she carried a board in which 13 men were seated just by her teeth. ;)

In her epoch she enjoyed an enormous popularity, and went known as a woman Kalev (Kalev is a national hero of Estonia). And she is still honored in Estonia as a strongwoman and a great wrestler.

The Russian magazine "Hercules" reported in 1913: "Special attention is attracted by a female power athlete Marina Lurs. She is perfectly built and has massive but gracefully outlined musculature. Lurs performs weight tricks, which would be good for a strong male athlete. She works as a "Hercules" in an old kind circus. Each her trick is perfectly finished each her move expresses strength. However, at the same time, the body of Marina Lurs is not even coarse but it impresses you by its soft plastic lines… Let's put pictures of Marina Lurs on circus placards and let all town ladies see this daughter of Eve who is deservedly proud by her strength and harmony". Odessa's newspapers in 1913 reported with gusto about visit some power lady Marina Lurs already having shocked the European audience. "Her best-known number was lifting a stick where nine men located as roosters on a perch. By the way, she was spinning this weight as well. And shame on those who think she has lost her femininity for their."

Lurs’ the most famous stunts were the following: she carried three people on her back; lying on back she 32 times lifted by legs a bar with two people on it’s tips (with total weight 184 kg) and held in such a position 9 people. On August 27, 1913 she established the record: she planted her arms firmly on the knees and maintained 13 people on her legs. The total weight – 880 kg! (The famous male athlete Arthur Saxon managed to hold 1040 kg on his legs.) Lurs easily joggled with two 32kg dumbbells, pushed up 90kg with two arms, and snatched 48kg by one hand. The audience was dazzled by the act in which Marina was spinning a yoke with “human loads” on its tips.

smj091977
05-12-2009, 08:12 AM
Great Post! and WOW! Thanks for the post sister! I was recently reading up on my strongman history; guys like Sandow, Appolon, Inch and Cyr! I am now Complete! :beerbang:

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 09:32 AM
Great Post! and WOW! Thanks for the post sister! I was recently reading up on my strongman history; guys like Sandow, Appolon, Inch and Cyr! I am now Complete! :beerbang:
I am SUPER excited you dropped by :) I been wanting to post this thread up for a while! It will be leading all the way up to Bev Francis, Jill Mills, Becca Swanson...

Should be fun. I am glad you are enjoying it :)

GirlyMuscle
05-12-2009, 09:50 AM
[URL="http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/uploaded_images/charmion-774228.jpg"]http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/uploaded_images/charmion-774226.jpgI LOVE this picture!

Lee Penman
05-12-2009, 10:17 AM
Hi there!

I will be putting together that interview with Bev Franicis talking about her powerlifting days and her transition to bodybuilding REAL SOON.

Mandla
05-12-2009, 10:26 AM
SS
Great job bringing us this history. I'd be interested in more of the relationships between the strongwomen and strongmen like Sandow & Sandwina. How did they view each other? Did they perform together? Did the women consider the strongmen their brothers and vice versa? etc. I look forward to seeing more as, like you said, you move more toward the current era. This is great stuff. It should be a sticky.:lift2:

exit2010
05-12-2009, 11:41 AM
Hi there!

I will be putting together that interview with Bev Franicis talking about her powerlifting days and her transition to bodybuilding REAL SOON.


I'll be looking forward to that. That should be a good read.

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 11:55 PM
SS
Great job bringing us this history. I'd be interested in more of the relationships between the strongwomen and strongmen like Sandow & Sandwina. How did they view each other? Did they perform together? Did the women consider the strongmen their brothers and vice versa? etc. I look forward to seeing more as, like you said, you move more toward the current era. This is great stuff. It should be a sticky.:lift2:

Actually men and women performed together in the circus during those times.

Sistersteel
05-12-2009, 11:59 PM
Loise Armaindo
http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-armaindo.jpg

Her real name was Louise Brisbois, she was born in St. Ann, Quebec (Canada). Having 158 cm in height and weighed just 55 kilograms she held up two suspended men for a minute just by her teeth – she performed that on the exhibitions in the Athenaeum Gymnasium in Chicago.

A short time before the end of the XIX century she became the first woman in the world running 20 miles uninterruptedly (with an average speed of 9.5 miles per hour). With a “high wheel" bicycle” (the old bike style with enormous wheels which were utilized in that epoch) she covered 760 miles in the six day ride. In the Reservoir Park in Maryland she broke the record for this type of bicycle that had been owned by a man, Chat Jenkins. It was told that she lifted a weight of 760 pounds (345 kilograms)! If this is true, it would be the record of all the times for the both genders. This is especially unbelievable if consider her own weight. In fact, there are no reliable sources confirming that and it’s quite difficult to believe in such a feat. In 1911 Louise withdrew from all the practices of athletics.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:03 AM
Lillian Leitzel

Beautiful strongwoman and acrobat Lillian Leitzel was born in Breslau, Germany on January 2, 1892. She weighed just 43 kg (95 Lbs) with the height 143 cm (4’9”). Leitzel's parents separated when Leitzel was very young and she was raised by her grandparents. Born as Leopoldina Alitza Pelikan, she took her better-known name Lillian Leitzel that means "Little Alice." She received a quality education including advanced training in music, dance and language skills. She was fluent in 5 languages. She studied the arts at conservatories in both Breslau and Berlin and excelled at the piano. Her instructors encouraged her and it was thought that she may one day pursue a career as a concert pianist. Leitzel, however, had very different ideas. In her private time, she constructed a trapeze bar for herself and taught herself the tricks she had seen her mother and aunts accomplished. Leitzel's mother and two aunts performed in an aerial act known as the “Leamy Ladies”. The Leamy Ladies trapeze act was famous throughout Europe. Leitzel begged her mother to let her perform and her visits with her mother eventually lead to her participation in the act.

Leitzel first came to the United States in 1908 as a member of the Leamy Ladies, appearing with the Barnum & Bailey show during the New York engagement that year. They returned in 1911 as a featured act with Barnum & Bailey. At the end of the 1911 season, the Leamy Ladies returned to Europe without Leitzel who remained in the United States working the vaudeville circuit. It was during this time that Leitzel honed and developed her solo Roman rings act which by then included the one-arm plunges for which she is most famous. During the plunges, Leitzel would separate her shoulder and throw her entire body over her shoulder again and again. It was not uncommon for Leitzel to do 100 revolutions during a performance. All the while, audiences would count out loud as Leitzel would flip over and over, "....96....97...98...99...100!" Leitzel's record was an amazing 249 revolutions! Audiences loved her.

In November, 1914, while performing in South Bend, Indiana, a booking agent with Ringling Bros. Circus saw her act and offered her a contract on the spot. The 4 foot 9 inch, 95 pound Leitzel made her solo Big Top debut on April 17, 1915 at the Coliseum in Chicago. Leitzel was a Ring 2 headline performer from the outset where she remained throughout the rest of her life. In 1918, when she was 26, in the gymnasium Merrimann, in Philadelphia, being hung on a bar with a single hand performed 27 tractions with the right hand and 17 tractions with the left, consistent in lifting the head to the height of the bar (surpassing with a great deal the record for women as well as of men). Using two hands she was capable to perform the tractions charging with another person. In 1920 she married a man of circus, Clyde Ingalls, being divorced four years later. A little later she fell in love with the legendary trapeze flyer, Alfredo Codona, who she married in 1928.

Leitzel and Codona were tireless performers, even scheduling engagements during the Circus' winter break. During one of these breaks, on February 13, 1931 Leitzel was performing at Valencia Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Codona at inter Garden in Berlin. Shortly after midnight, Leitzel finished up her Roman rings presentation and ascended into the air to begin her infamous one-arm plunges. On that night, the brass swivel on the rope crystallized and broke. She fell over 20 feet to a hard, concrete floor. She suffered a concussion and spinal injuries in the fall, but doctors were confident she'd recover. Codona rushed to her side. She insisted she was fine and urged Codona to return to Berlin to finish his engagement. She boarded a train with him and the pair headed back to Berlin when she died 2 days later on February 15, 1931.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:05 AM
Elvira Sansoni and her Sisters

http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-sansoni.jpg

The sisters Sansoni, and first of them, Elvira, worked in the “Circus Rancy” performing in spectacles of strength. Usually they worked with weights between 36 and 68 kilograms (80 - 150 pounds). Just as it is seen on the placard, one of the stunts consisted in leaning feet and hands on the floor backwards, forming an arch and supporting a little orchestra on the chest: a woman-pianist with a piano and a man touching the violin. In the placard there you can see also maintaining three men on her shoulders: a seated one and two others hanging on the bar. She also was good in playing with cannon balls. Her performances attracted a lot of attention and she became very popular and famous in the world.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:08 AM
Marie Ford

http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-ford.jpg

She was born in 1900, in the town of Olean, in the New York state, USA. Having 163 cm (5' 4'') and 59 kg (130 Lbs) she was very versatile athlete - she participated in boxing, wrestling, marathon; she also worked in the circus as acrobat. In one of her spectacles, she caught a nail and punched them into a wood board to an inch (two and a half centimeters). While she traveled all over North America with her spectacles, she challenged any woman or man in the audience to a wrestling or boxing match - for male volunteers for boxing it was the restriction though, to have about the same weight and not to be a boxer-professional.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:10 AM
Martha Farra
http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-farra.jpg

Marta was born in 1903 in Vienna, Austria. Her maiden name was Martha Khan. She weighed just 55 kilograms. Her parents were circus acrobats, and since she was a baby Marta learned to be an equilibrist and to accomplish somersaults.

In 1924, she proclaimed herself to be the strongest woman of the world - she was capable to lift a platform of 3500 pound (1587 kilograms) to 75 centimeters over the floor. There is the famous photograph where she can be seen trying to lift a young elephant standing on a platform. In reality, however, it turned out later that the stunt with the platform was just a trick. Besides powerlifting she practiced in freestyle wrestling and participated in some wrestling matches.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:14 AM
Ada Ash

http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/circus-ash1.jpg

This powerful blonde was born in 1906, in Hamilton, Ohio (USA). She was surprisingly short, her height was just 153 cm. Around the decade of 1930s he worked in diverse spectacles with strength stunts. In one of these spectacles, her husband, Al Szasz, directed a truck of 4 tons that rolled above a board situated on her stomach. In other actions, Ada fought against a crocodile suffering several serious bites in jaw, arms and legs. Another ]act consisted of lifting a horse that stood on a wood platform. She also doubled iron bars and performs many other strength demonstrations like being an anvil – holding a board which her husband hit by a sledgehammer. Besides possessing an enormous physical strength and acting as a strongwoman she showed her worth as a great wrestler and trainer having written three books dedicated to judo and self-defense (together with her husband). Being brave and strong she participated in female wrestling competitions (her husband also was a great wrestler). Actually, at her time women wrestling was transformed from competitive (albeit not always real) to an entertainment show which now is known as “professional wrestling”, the profitable show industry. In one of wrestling matches against another famous female wrestler Nell Stewart (who was much younger her), Ada accidentally fell out of the ring to the floor in a bad position and damaged her spine. As the result, she was disabled during almost two years, and recovered thanks to the care and dedication of her husband, who remained next to her doing massages for five hours every day.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:17 AM
Ivy Russel
http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/circus-russel1.jpg

Ivy Elizabeth Russel was born in 1907 in Croydon (England). Her parameters were 167 cm and 57 kg. She was born being just one and a half kilograms. In school she practiced swimming and gymnastics. When Ivy was 12, she became a member of a local gymnastic club. At 14 she had serious pulmonary problems and asthma. Little later she showed an interest to physical culture, started training with weights and became one of the most famous strongwomen of the decade of 1930s. She worked in strength demonstrations, like lifting and maintaining several persons... Later, she opened a small gym in Croydon, England. Just before the World War II she married a doctor Londoner, crossed the Channel and relocated to England. In the article of the magazine "Pearson' s Weekly" for October 9, 1937, it was said that her biceps were of the same size that ones of the German boxer Max Schmeling, heavyweight world champion. Her physical parameters were higher than ones of that strong man: her calf size exceeded his by more than one centimeter, the circumference of her thighs – by two and a half centimeters. Owing to her incredible physical strength Ivy became a great wrestler. In 1934 she started attending the “Victory Ladies Wrestling Club” for training in wrestling, and in a year she managed to gain the champion title in the female wrestling championship defeating all her opponents. Once a man visiting the wrestling class learned that Ivy was training in wrestling and started mocking her. Other men in the class retorted him that any woman should know how to wrestle. Being deeply touched by this incident Ivy invited the man to her gym and there grabbed him into her arms and kept squeezing strongly until he asked for mercy and begged to release him.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:21 AM
Joan Rhodes

http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-rhodes.jpg

Her real name was Joan (Josie) Terena. She was born in 1920 (?) in England. Being slender (170cm/65 kg) she dedicated all her life to circus - she left her house when she was thirteen and started working in circus where performed in different kinds of roles, such as trapeze artist, acrobat and strength performer. She doubled bars of iron, broke nails of iron of six inches and tore telephone guides just by hands. In one of her spectacles, Joan grabbed "Atlas", a gigantic Belgian man, who weighed 200 kilograms and charged him on her shoulders. After doubling bars of iron she asked men in the audience to straighten them and, after contemplating as various men from the public unsuccessfully tried that with all their might, she got the bar back and straightened it without any visible effort.

Once Joan was busy in a spectacle in a night club in Vienna, where two spectators happened to be Olympic weightlifters. They declared that they could do easily the same things that she did. Joan offered them to break the nails of 6 inches that she used in her action. In spite of the fact that the both tried that, none of the two managed that. After all, Joan got the nail and broke it. Joan Rhodes coached during a time in the gymnasium with Ivy Russel and also had a class of Judo in the Dave Crowley’s Club of London. Besides possessing an incredible physical force, Joan was also able to speak French, Spanish and German.

Lee Penman
05-13-2009, 12:28 AM
I'll be looking forward to that. That should be a good read.
Hang in there... I will be getting it together next week!

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:28 AM
Alice Collins

http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-collins.jpg


The trapeze artist who worked in the circus in the late 1910s and the beginning of 1920s. She possessed a muscular body, especially incredibly strong arms. Eugenia Werkme. Eugenia had hired a guy of the enormous size who played his role in her actions. The giant came to the stage and lifted a heavy bar. Then Eugenia appeared, grabbed the giant along with the weight, lifted them on her head and walked over the stage demonstrating exceptional physical strength.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:36 AM
Gertrude Leandros

http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/circus-leandros.jpg

Born in Antwerp (Belgium) in 1882. Her parameters were 1'67 cm/ 72 kg. She was a daughter of the famous athlete of the epoch, Philipi. In her actions she performed diverse exercises of strength and dexterity acting with her husband (whose weight was just 60 kilograms) – she lifted and manipulated with his body in different ways. Gertrude had biceps of 37,5 cm and thighs of 63,5 cm.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:38 AM
Athelda

http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-athelda.jpg


She was born in Manchester (England), her real name was Frances Rheinlander. Her height was 170 cm and weight 75 kg. Athelda performed in the decade of 1910s in various music halls in England, where accomplished different exercises demonstrating exceptional strength lifting and carrying weights and people.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:39 AM
Anna Abbs

http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-abbs.jpg

Was a daughter of the famous powerful man Carl Abbs. She held spectacles of physical strength demonstration including weightlifting. She traveled all over Europe. During her actions she called any person from the audience to verify the authenticity of the weights she had lifted and then offered him to try pick up and carry them.

Sistersteel
05-13-2009, 12:41 AM
Many other powerful women acted in the early XX century - they lifted and supported heavy weights (including people and big animals) in different ways. Among them the following strongwomen stood out: Mademoiselle Ani, Miss Hertha, Caroline Bauman, Madame Starck, Perlane, Hermanas Rubio, Louise (Luisita) Leers, Miss Ella.


http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-ani.jpg http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-hertha.jpg http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-bauman.jpg
http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-perlane.jpg http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-rubio.jpg http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-leers.jpg http://www.fscclub.com/strength/images/strong-ella.jpg

Skeptic
05-13-2009, 12:07 PM
While not technically a Strong-woman, still not someone with whom you would wish to fuck.....


http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(ogy52y551krtro3kztp1ka55))/default.aspx

Edit: Crap. Link not gonna work. Look for Mary Fields.

ups1984
12-06-2010, 02:58 AM
thanks for coming by schmoe

Ibarramedia
12-06-2010, 08:45 PM
this is not a schmoe thread thanks...

saiyajinali
12-08-2010, 11:40 AM
Looking over this nostalgic thread of strong women is a prime example of the natural strength & genetics that a woman can possess.

This period was before performance enhancing drugs too.

I can only wonder what their daily lives were like considering how society's standards were much more conservative then compared to now?

robert da strongman
12-08-2010, 11:59 AM
Looking over this nostalgic thread of strong women is a prime example of the natural strength & genetics that a woman can possess.

This period was before performance enhancing drugs too.

I can only wonder what their daily lives were like considering how society's standards were much more conservative then compared to now?

i am going to guess most were circus and vaudeville performers...they were on the fringe of society anyway. guess much has not changed?

saiyajinali
12-08-2010, 12:11 PM
i am going to guess most were circus and vaudeville performers...they were on the fringe of society anyway. Guess much has not changed?
qft

robert da strongman
12-08-2010, 12:18 PM
have to say that women strength athletes are making a comeback....strongwoman is growing

Maitolasi
12-08-2010, 12:50 PM
have to say that women strength athletes are making a comeback....strongwoman is growing

Will the world strongest woman competition return?

robert da strongman
12-08-2010, 12:52 PM
Will the world strongest woman competition return?

i think the last time it was run was in 2008 in poland.
hopefully it comes back like it was in the 90's

saiyajinali
12-08-2010, 02:07 PM
have to say that women strength athletes are making a comeback....strongwoman is growing

Funny you say that. Megan Abshire is a very good friend of mine. She is a young lady that is genetically blessed with very good bodybuilding genetics, but also strong as an ox. Among other impressive strength feats, she can literally spit out close grip pull ups like I can (that says alot). Deb & I told her about the changes that FBB is about to undergo & she said that she wasnt going to try & fit the new physique "standards" & was going back to powerlifting.

Not the same as strongwoman events, but the same principle with strong FBB's that are not willing to scale back what they are naturally good at..

robert da strongman
12-08-2010, 05:09 PM
Funny you say that. Megan Abshire is a very good friend of mine. She is a young lady that is genetically blessed with very good bodybuilding genetics, but also strong as an ox. Among other impressive strength feats, she can literally spit out close grip pull ups like I can (that says alot). Deb & I told her about the changes that FBB is about to undergo & she said that she wasnt going to try & fit the new physique "standards" & was going back to powerlifting.

Not the same as strongwoman events, but the same principle with strong FBB's that are not willing to scale back what they are naturally good at..

yeah i have heard that too. at least in strength sports looking good is not required. you either move the weight or you don't.

Ibarramedia
12-08-2010, 10:50 PM
Funny you say that. Megan Abshire is a very good friend of mine. She is a young lady that is genetically blessed with very good bodybuilding genetics, but also strong as an ox. Among other impressive strength feats, she can literally spit out close grip pull ups like I can (that says alot). Deb & I told her about the changes that FBB is about to undergo & she said that she wasnt going to try & fit the new physique "standards" & was going back to powerlifting.

Not the same as strongwoman events, but the same principle with strong FBB's that are not willing to scale back what they are naturally good at..


Great physique on Megan Abshire.

LacyOkey
12-26-2010, 12:48 AM
Awesome thread SS!

nikole.957
12-28-2010, 02:35 AM
Hi there!

I will be putting together that interview with Bev Franicis talking about her powerlifting days and her transition to bodybuilding REAL SOON.
Great job bringing us this history. I'd be interested in more of the relationships between the strongwomen and strongmen like Sandow & Sandwina. How did they view each other? Did they perform together? Did the women consider the strongmen their brothers and vice versa? etc. I look forward to seeing more as, like you said, you move more toward the current era. This is great stuff. It should be a sticky.

sandmanss
12-30-2010, 12:53 PM
Great thread!

ZenFit
04-04-2011, 02:30 PM
yeah i have heard that too. at least in strength sports looking good is not required. you either move the weight or you don't.
this is true..

rickiii
04-08-2011, 11:51 AM
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5517/1229696618_Z7ac9-M-2.jpg

http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5558/1229698013_ivLhR-M-2.jpg

http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5570/1229701007_fPEFo-M-2.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5575/1229702779_jnN9J-M-2.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5596/1229705878_vpbvW-M-2.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5628/1229712702_XWoVr-M-1.jpg


http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5692/1229717310_zDWvF-M-1.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5702/1229718534_vLvxR-M-1.jpg

rickiii
04-08-2011, 11:54 AM
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6301/1230148097_wH7hX-M-5.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6314/1230150941_5DsX7-M-5.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6340/1230156258_Cb8C7-M-3.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6361/1230160919_uaipC-M-1.jpg

http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6372/1230162600_kKtix-M-1.jpg











http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6652/1230247202_ds8o5-M-1.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6676/1230251731_ReKzN-M-1.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6719/1230259253_BTE2w-M-1.jpg

rickiii
04-08-2011, 12:02 PM
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/2011-NAS-Florida-Strongman/IMG3613/1164931726_Xpc2X-M-1.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/2011-NAS-Florida-Strongman/IMG3628/1164934525_YPvrN-M-1.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/2011-NAS-Florida-Strongman/IMG3645/1164938371_pyZbi-M-1.jpg

rickiii
04-08-2011, 12:03 PM
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/2011-NAS-Florida-Strongman/IMG3683/1164943380_qvT34-M-1.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/2011-NAS-Florida-Strongman/IMG3688/1164945524_3iyMS-M-1.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/2011-NAS-Florida-Strongman/IMG3665/1164940150_TRieF-M-1.jpg

rickiii
04-08-2011, 12:03 PM
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/4th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5713/812090182_ECskY-M-4.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/4th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6229/812123860_ToZ4t-M-3.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/4th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6251/812125263_ezDD3-M-3.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/4th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG7404/812864587_EJGDu-M-4.jpg
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/Southwest-Floridas-Strongest/IMG6066/594867305_z9uEV-M-1.jpg

Ibarramedia
04-10-2011, 10:22 PM
Awesome work by all the ladies. :ok: :beerbang:

Ibarramedia
04-10-2011, 10:24 PM
http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG5628/1229712702_XWoVr-M-1.jpg


http://ampedfx.smugmug.com/Strongman/5th-Annual-Southwest-Florida/IMG6361/1230160919_uaipC-M-1.jpg



Where do you buy these kind of weights?

smj091977
04-12-2011, 10:43 AM
the log can be found in a ton of places.
http://www.prowriststraps.com/strongman_logs_strongman_event_log
http://www.myspace.com/pitbullstrongmanequipment
http://www.ilstrongman.com/37901.html
the prowrist wraps site sells Steve Slater's equipment, the pitbull stuff is highly rated. Both are talked about word of mouth style. The Illinois site I can personally attest is high quality.
I am guessing that the second piece of equipment was from a Lowes or Menards. Looks like some 1 7/8" pipe welded together. If you have a local welder, they can make nearly any strongman equipment.

Ibarramedia
04-13-2011, 07:14 AM
the log can be found in a ton of places.
http://www.prowriststraps.com/strongman_logs_strongman_event_log
http://www.myspace.com/pitbullstrongmanequipment
http://www.ilstrongman.com/37901.html
the prowrist wraps site sells Steve Slater's equipment, the pitbull stuff is highly rated. Both are talked about word of mouth style. The Illinois site I can personally attest is high quality.
I am guessing that the second piece of equipment was from a Lowes or Menards. Looks like some 1 7/8" pipe welded together. If you have a local welder, they can make nearly any strongman equipment.


Thanks.