A New Golden Age? Part IV

PIU: For me , the pairing of Janice Ragain on the cover of WPW and Cindy was mostly to emphasise the positive appeal to other women (as opposed to the admiring male fans) as a lifestyle choice, while Cindy does her own promotion mostly and offers her own personal training and hopefully encourages the next generation of fit ladies.

FMS: Yes, absolutely. Not all those pictures are for our benefit! One of my other choices will return to the theme of the inspirational - "fitspirational" - types with large female social media followings. For now I'll add that it's a good sign that these women can make a career of being the muscular role model for other women. Not possible in the past I would say. Not to such an extent anyway, even if you were Cory or Kiana Tom and were on TV, I reckon there were a lot fewer women who were after your "look" compared to now.

My next choices probably take us back to a theme we touched on earlier. Marjo Selin - "bodybuilder" - and Diana Schnaidt, IFBB Figure.



OK, I haven't chosen a pic of Marjo at her most ripped, but I think it's fair to say that it isn't just today's Physique women who carry as much muscle as old school FBBs.



On top of that, what gloriously beautiful women they are. I can see how many of the freaky big women wouldn't appeal to a lot of guys, but not finding Marjo or Diana sexy is just incomprehensible.

PIU: Hmmm, Marjo and some others back then seemed to express a particular kind of European elegance and sophistication, as if they had to be that much better to be seen in the early days amid the dominance of the US Olympia contestants, like Marie Laure Mahabir (later Parisian but originally from French West Indies) or a particular early but very rare fave of mine Michelle Sa. Remember those Women's Muscle Power VHS tapes?



(But what is it with me and stunners called Michelle (Lewin, Cummings, Trapp, Sa?)

Now with the internet, we perhaps have a kind of globalisation, where a Russian, a South Korean or a Brit can potentially, if they make the effort to be seen, compete for world attention on a more level playing field, and build a fan base.

As mentioned before, readers' comments are always very very welcome but would be particularly welcomed on the subjects and female muscle eras discussed this week.

Or maybe you are similarly afflicted with a "thing" for hot muscle Michelles?

'Fess up!