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About
Iconic figure model and poignant lightning rod in the world of female bodybuilding whose countless accomplishments include her victory at the first-ever Women's World Pro Bodybuilding Championship in 1979. A self-described performance artist, she viewed her body as a "moving sculpture" and her timeless and artistic depiction in Robert Mapplethorpe's visual narrative, "Lady: Lisa Lyon," imparted an unprecedented view of the female form. Her physique came to become an enduring symbol of health and empowerment that defined a new era in which physical strength no longer equated to the compromise of femininity and grace.
Before Fame
While attending UCLA, she became an enthusiastic and skilled student of Japanese fencing, or "kendo." Realizing that her lack of upper body strength impeded her advancement in the sport, she decided to begin weight training. She made her professional bodybuilding debut at the AAU Junior Ms. America in 1979.
Trivia
She authored a weight training book for women in 1981, entitled "Lisa Lyon's Body Magic." In 2000, she was officially conscripted into the IFBB Hall of Fame for her media-relations activism on behalf of bodybuilding and for inspiring the integration of the sport with fine art.
Family Life
She was briefly married to French singer-songwriter and actor Bernard Lavilliers, from 1982 to 1983. While receiving hospice care for stomach cancer, she passed away at the age of 70 on September 8, 2023.
Associated With
Legendary graphic novel artist Frank Miller predicated the Marvel Comics assassin Elektra on her appearance. The character has been portrayed in films by Jennifer Garner and Elodie Yung.
