Rachel McLish: The First Female Bodybuilding Champ

Rachel McLish started out as a typical Texan girl. Finding love for fitness and nutrition at an early age, she followed in her father’s footsteps.

When she started working in the fitness industry, she had no idea how her life would change. From small-town Texan to one of the most well known female bodybuilders of all time. 

Rachel credits her father’s weight lifting in her early years and the support of her family in shaping her ideals. Fellow female bodybuilding pioneer Lisa Lyon was her main physique inspiration and reason she felt she could compete and win.

She took a chance on getting started in IFBB bodybuilding competitions and never looked back. While her career was short, she became an icon of the Golden Era of bodybuilding.

From competitor to model to spokesperson to actor and author, she has spent most of her life in fitness.

At the peak of her bodybuilding career, Rachel sported the following stats:

• Height: 5’6 ½ ”
• Weight: 125 – 135 lbs
• Starting competition age: 24 years old

Today, we’ll discuss how Rachel McLish became the first Ms. Olympia and how she spent the rest of her career.

Rachel McLish: The Early Years

Rachel McLish was born Raquel Livia Elizondo in the town of Harlingen, Texas. She was born on June 21, 1955, as one of several daughters in the Elizondo household.

From a young age, Rachel dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer. She practiced ballet until the pulls of popularity called as she reached high school. No longer wanting to work on ballet as an individual, she wanted to try something new.

As is the norm in many parts of Texas, beauty was revered and cheerleading was common among high school girls. Rachel hung up her ballet shoes to become a cheerleader at Harlingen High School.

She graduated in 1973 after having been crowned Harlingen Cardinals Sweetheart twice while attending.

Her mother was a stay-at-home mom who raised Rachel and her siblings while her father worked. From an early age, Rachel always looked up to her father and knew she wanted to be like him.

Thanks to her father’s love of physical fitness, she had a mindset focused on health and fitness. Without ballet or cheerleading, she needed something to burn her energy.

She wanted to join a gym to lift weights but found she couldn’t afford the dues, so she applied for a job.

Rachel worked in the Shape Center health spa during college to help pay for her schooling. Her career started by becoming a fitness instructor and eventually moved up to becoming a manager. 

Then she graduated in 1978 from the University of Texas-Pan American (now known as the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley). Her major was in health and nutrition, and exercise physiology.

As Rachel was reaching graduation, the owner of the health spa made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.

Rachel McLish: The Entrepreneur

The owner of the Shape Center where she worked asked Rachel if she would consider a partnership. She agreed, and they decided to open up a huge health center right in her hometown. 

In October 1977, the Sport Palace Health Club officially opened for business. At that point, it was one of the most modern facilities available. In a time where fitness was just becoming popular, the health club had no problem getting members.

According to Rachel, Sport Palace already had 1,000 members before the doors officially opened. There was a men’s side and a women’s side, with state of the art facilities, at the time. Rachel was all too willing to show the women how to work out with weights.

The Sport Palace Association continued to grow, with locations in Corpus Christi and Brownsville opening in 1980. Rachel was busy living her life, lifting weights to keep herself fit and to show women how to tone up.

At one point, the men’s manager kept showing her bodybuilding magazines. He mentioned that there was going to be the first-ever women’s bodybuilding competition held that year. Maybe she’d like to enter?

Ever the entrepreneurial mind, Rachel reasoned that the platform could help her raise awareness of women’s fitness. She sent a photograph into Atlantic City and was chosen as one of 30 women to enter.

Rachel McLish: The First-Ever Ms. Olympia

The year 1980 was one that would forever change the life of Rachel McLish. She competed in the USA Championships by the Superior Physique Association (SPA) and won.

She also participated in the Frank Zane Invitational and took second place.

But even more notably, she competed and won the title of the first-ever Ms. Olympia, held by the IFBB. The difference between SPA and IFBB is that SPA was organized and run by women, IFBB by men. 

In the first-ever women-centric event, Rachel made history in the IFBB, and her bodybuilding career took off. Considered extremely promotable for her well-defined body and natural beauty, Rachel became the poster child for women’s bodybuilding. 

In between PR appearances, Rachel continued to place in other competitions. She took second to  Kike Elomaa in 1981’s Ms. Olympia contest. In 1982, she took back the title of Ms. Olympia and also won the World Pro Championships.

She remained a competitor for the IFBB, placing third in the Grand Prix Las Vegas in 1983. 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. 

The final competition of her bodybuilding career was the 1984 Ms. Olympia. Even though she tried to take the title there, Rachel took second place to Cory Everson who went on to win 6 Ms. Olympia titles. 

Cory’s physique was much different than Rachel’s. She had a much more muscular build similar to the men’s division. Rachel refused to compete at that level, wanting to instead stand out with a more feminine physique.

She realized that times were changing for women in the bodybuilding arena and she decided to make a surprise decision.

Rachel McLish: An Abrupt Retirement from Bodybuilding

Rachel decided to retire from bodybuilding competitions after the 1984 Ms. Olympia contest. Her entire platform while competing was that women could weight train, get fit, and still look like women.

As the women in bodybuilding competitions continued to gain in muscle mass, she campaigned against steroid use. In Rachel’s mind, women were not capable of building that type of mass without assistance.

On steroid use, Rachel had this to say,

“They do affect the musculature and make you look more masculine. My philosophy in bodybuilding has always been the same: to enhance your feminine attributes, in tone and shape. These women miss the point.” 

She chose instead to focus on living a holistic lifestyle, which meant:

• Breathing exercises
• Meditation
• A beneficial diet
• Resistance training
• Stretching exercises
• Anti-aging supplements

Though she hasn’t participated in competitions since 1984, she would have considered it. For the right category, like figure physique, Rachel may have come out of retirement.

Since then, she has worked on several other entrepreneurial endeavors. Let’s take a look now at some of the roles Rachel McLish has taken on since her bodybuilding career started.

Rachel McLish: The Model

Rachel was almost immediately thrust into the role of a model from the moment she stepped onto the bodybuilding scene.

With her natural beauty, feminine and slightly muscular build, she became the spokesperson for female fitness.

She was a cover model for magazines starting in 1982, featured fairly regularly through the late 90s. Rachel appeared on the covers of the following magazines:

• Muscle Training Illustrated
• Muscle and Fitness
• Flex
• Female Bodybuilding
• Muscular Development

And she was even featured on the cover of IronMan as recently as 2006 at 40 years old. Even though she was well past the prime age for the industry, her physique was still incredibly impressive.

Rachel herself admits that her legs were easy to develop and says genetics helped her out. However, she had to put a lot of effort into building her upper body. She was proud of her ability to overcome something that is difficult for women to create a fantastic physique.

Even today, you can view Rachel McLish’s signature poses and nostalgic images on her Facebook and Instagram pages.

Rachel McLish: The Spokesperson

Using the title of World’s First Female Bodybuilding Champion, she used her education and knowledge to tour the world. She also represented the Health and Tennis Corporation of America, which eventually became Bally Total Fitness.

Her drive and dedication to health and fitness, along with her charisma, helped her in competitions and as a role model. Rachel lectured on nutrition, diet, beauty, and being a woman in a male-dominated industry. 

She did this, modeled, and still found time to compete from 1980 – 1984. With her talent in front of the camera, it was only natural for Rachel to appear in films as well.

Rachel McLish: The Actress

Rachel’s popularity and physical strength were able to land her several roles in films. She first appeared in her own fitness video, “In Shape with Rachel McLish.” 

Soon after, she worked alongside fellow Golden Era legend Arnold Schwarzenegger in another instructional video. The fitness video, titled “Shape Up with Arnold,” was released in 1982.

She then went on to appear as a fitness instructor in Herb Alpert’s “Red Hot” music video in 1983. 

Rachel was also a big part of the documentary film from 1985, Pumping Iron II: The Women. The crew followed her for a year and a half while she trained and participated in the 1983 Caesar’s World Cup.

The competition was created strictly for the movie, and Rachel felt it led the shift in women’s bodybuilding physiques.

Movie Roles

She went on to play roles in a few other movies:

• Getting Physical (1984)
• Aces: Iron Eagle II (1992)
• Raven Hawk (1996)
• Ordinary Average Guys (2011)

To her credit, Rachel used her fitness level to play strong, physical women in these movies. This was a first for women and another way that Rachel was able to stand out from the rest of women bodybuilders.

Her roles were always meant to shed a positive light on women and she refused anything she considered demeaning.

In fact, she was asked to play the role of Private Vasquez in the movie “Aliens” but she refused to take the role because the character was required to use foul language in the film.

Then in 1989, a CBS documentary was released titled Women of the 21st Century. For this project, Rachel uses her educational background and fitness knowledge to promote the importance of fitness and a healthy diet.

She also went on to author several books using her experience and expertise in fitness and bodybuilding.

Rachel McLish: The Author

After leaving her career in bodybuilding, Rachel McLish also became an author. She started out in 1984 with her first book Flex Appeal by Rachel, co-authored by Bill Reynolds. 

In the book, she provides education and how-tos for women of all skill levels to weight train. She also provided health and diet tips, how to sculpt your body and feel beautiful in your own skin.

Perfect Parts: A World Champions Guide to Spot Slimming Shaping and Strengthening Your Body came in 1987. This book was co-authored by fellow female bodybuilder Joy Vedral.

Both books got rave reviews, even still today, for their timeless tips that both men and women can use.

She has had the third book in the works for some time, titled T L C … Tighter and Leaner to the Core. It still has yet to be released.

Rachel McLish: The Fashion Icon

So far, we’ve discussed Rachel’s career in fitness as a:

• Champion bodybuilder
• Spokesperson
• Model
• Fitness instructor
• Health club owner
• Author
• Actress

On top of all those roles in the fitness industry, Rachel was also part of the fashion industry. She created a line of bodywear that debuted in over 2,000 K-Mart stores in early 1990. Her collection was called “Rachel McLish for the Body Company.” 

Her mother was a very skilled seamstress and taught Rachel how to sew when she was young. She wasn’t only the spokesperson for the brand, she was involved in every step of the way.

Within the first year, her line of bodywear made up 28% of the U.S. sportswear industry.

Rachel McLish’s Diet and Exercise Plan

Rachel didn’t and still doesn’t follow a strict diet. Her parents instilled healthy eating habits in her when she was young, and her education has helped her maintain her habit.

She makes sure to eat at least three meals per day, leaving room for snacks as needed. She recommends the same for anyone who follows her diet advice. No foods are off the table, as long as you know your body can handle it and maintain moderation.

She was never a calorie counter, instead preferring to listen to her body to fuel it daily. Spending almost her entire life in the gym has made her realize that food is fuel, and she eats accordingly.

Even today, Rachel McLish still eats much the same and has managed to stay within the same weight range. She has added more healthy fats into her diet as she’s aged, to ensure she gets her essential fatty acids.

As far as exercise goes, she mixes up her routine between home and the gym, choosing Gold’s gym locations near her home. The intensity of her workouts may have changed some, but she still takes it seriously.

Work out a few days per week on strength training each muscle group, with cardio mixed in on off days. Rachel’s tips for fitness success:

• Know your plan before you get started
• Warm-up first
• Start with your core workout first
• The last rep of the last set should always be held for a few seconds for maximum results
• Finish what you started – no quitting once you walk into the gym!

Rachel McLish: Her Personal Life and Where She is Today

At the age of 24, Rachel married John P. McLish, who she would later divorce. She has been married to film producer Ron Samuels since 1990. 

They have spent the majority of their time together in California, most of it in Rancho Mirage. In 2008, Rachel’s personally interior designed home was purchased for $3 million by Boston Red Sox player Coco Crisp. 

It is estimated that Rachel McLish’s 2019 net worth is around $14 million. She and her husband still reside in Rancho Mirage.

Most recently, Rachel has teamed up with Ulf Bengtsson’s “No One Cries For You” project. Through the global campaign, the project aims to bring preventative health care and fitness to East Africa. 

Rachel is passionate about helping women who need the tools to embrace their health and beauty. She will help to train and educate women who will then work with the women of East Africa.

Final Thoughts

Rachel McLish was an icon of the Golden Era of bodybuilding. She was able to win the first-ever Ms. Olympia title with a slim figure and well-defined physique.

Rachel’s body was attainable for other women, making her a favorite and one to look up to.

When the female bodybuilding world changed just a few years after she started competing, she decided to retire. In the process, she was able to continue empowering women through fitness and functional weight training.

Her books, magazine spreads, and fitness knowledge were used by women all over the world as inspiration. Her roles in films showed off her physical attributes as a strong woman, something new for women to experience.

Rachel McLish’s defining life moments happened on the IFBB stage and helped propel her career. She continues today to promote good health, fitness, and nutrition to women across the globe.

Do you have anything to add about Rachel McLish and her impact on female bodybuilding and women’s fitness in general? Out of all the endeavors she took on in her life, what do you feel is the most inspirational? Let us know in the comments below.