Female Bodybuilding Pioneer, Who Mesmerized Arnold Schwarzenegger Once, Is Fighting for Her Life Today

Bodybuilding’s popularity started to rise in the 1970s with the advent of champions like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger’s record-setting championship run, charisma, and Hollywood connection attracted eyes to the sport. Mr. Olympia also dispelled many myths surrounding the sport. The efforts of bodybuilders like the Austrian Oak ushered in a new era of women’s bodybuilding.

While Women’s bodybuilding has continued to evolve throughout the decades, none of it would be possible without pioneers like Lisa Lyon. In 1979, the model and bodybuilder became the first woman to win the first IFBB Women’s World Pro Bodybuilding Championship. However, the woman who set the standard for women’s bodybuilding is in grave condition.

Lisa Lyon’s battle with cancer

Earlier this week, news broke that Lyon had been hospitalized in her critical battle with cancer. The 70-year-old is battling pancreatic cancer. However, according to a TMZ report earlier this week, it’s an uphill battle for the bodybuilding legend. Lisa Lyon was a trailblazer in the world of bodybuilding and fitness.

One could argue that the champion bodybuilder was also one of the first fitness models as she posed for various magazines. In 1980 she famously featured on Playboy. She also promoted bodybuilding and wrote the book Lisa Lyon’s Body Magic. Besides appearing in Playboy and bodybuilding magazines, she also posed for Robert Mapplethorpe, a renowned photographer who produced some of Andy Warhol’s work.

After winning the first IFBB bodybuilding contest for women, Lisa Lyon teamed up for a photo shoot with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The duo took some iconic photographs, and she impressed the seven-time Mr. Olympia immensely. Despite weighing 120 lbs, Lyon lifted Schwarzenegger on her shoulders. The Terminator actor became one of her biggest fans. “She is the best. I love her,” he told TMZ when asked about Lyon. The female bodybuilder also reportedly inspired comic book legend Frank Miller.

Did the bodybuilding icon inspire the creation of a comic book character?

Frank Miller is a legend in the world of comic books and visual novels. Many of his works have received live-action and animated adaptations. Daredevil, Sin City, 300, and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns are some of the most popular. While Miller hasn’t explicitly confirmed the rumor, comic book fans believe Lis Lyon inspired Elektra.

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According to CBR Miller’s Elektra debuted in Daredevil #168 in 1981, a year after Lyon’s Playboy appearance. While introduced as an antihero in Daredevil, Elektra became popular among comic book fans. Four years later, she featured in her series.

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Only time will tell the bodybuilding pioneer’s fate. However, the significance of her contribution will remain immortal.