Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction -- The original warriors : ancient depictions of strength -- The outliers : Victorian-era women who walked on the wild side -- Sink or swim : strength as a means of survival -- The Sandwina effect : strongwomen, the circus, and suffrage -- Beach babes : Pudgy Stockton and the crowd-pleasing ladies of Muscle Beach -- Unladylike : when a babe is not considered a babe -- Breakinginto the boys' club : running toward opportunity -- A woman's place is in the weight room : the rise of strength sports in the '70s -- A built body : when muscles are required to shine -- Form follows function : how body expectations are born -- The power within : how outer strength breeds inner confidence -- Strong(h)er than yesterday : the modern athlete and the fight for equality -- Afterword -- Athlete biographies.

"An adult version of the hugely successful book Strong is the New Pretty, this is an inspiring tribute to female athletes-those who have paved the way throughout history and those who continue to push the boundaries of what it means to be strong. From being kept out of the sporting world by most Ancient Greeks to being told by The New York Times that the 800-meter race was "too great a call on feminine strength," women have long had to fight against the perception that to be strong is not feminine. Yet today, as women reclaim space in business and politics, we are also seeing an explosion in the number of women participating in strength sports like powerlifting, CrossFit, and even American Ninja Warrior. Those who got us here and defied convention to bring equality to the world of physical strength finally get their due in Strong Like Her-from the first female Olympian (who entered the chariot race through a loophole) to the "Queen of Muscle Beach" Pudgy Stockton, who dazzled crowds by holding her husband over her head. Accompanied by stunning celebrity photographs of some of today's most exciting athletes, Strong Like Her is a group biography and cultural history, paying tribute to women pioneers in athletics and celebrating the beauty of female strength and power"-- Provided by publisher.

In English