Who is Rachel McLish?
Through her remarkable career, Raquel Livia Elizondo (also known as Rachel McLish) rose to become one of the industry’s most well-known names.
In 1980, she won the inaugural Ms. Olympia title, making fitness history and securing her place in history.
Rachel McLish, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, encouraged generations of women to develop their bodies and brought female bodybuilding to public attention.
She also authored best-selling fitness books and appeared in several movies, so her accomplishments didn’t end there.
Here is her account:
Occasionally, it’s wonderful to be remembered for the hardships and the bigger picture rather than simply the flashy pictures.
Body Measurements of Rachel McLish
| Full Name: | Rachel McLish | ||
| HEIGHT: | 5’6″ (167.5cm) | ||
| WEIGHT: | 125 – 135lbs (56.7 – 61.2kg) | ||
| NATIONALITY: | N/A | ||
| PROFESSION: | Professional Bodybuilder, Actress, Author | ||
| ERA: | 1980 | ||
As many bodybuilding enthusiasts are aware, the inaugural women’s bodybuilding competition took place the same year as my first competition, which was held in 1980.
Accomplishments
- 1980 US Bodybuilding Championship – 1st
- 1980 Frank Zane Invitational – 2nd
- 1980 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
- 1981 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 2nd
- 1982 Pro World Championship – 1st
- 1982 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
- 1983 Caesars World Cup – 3rd
- 1984 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 2nd
“Working at a health club during my undergraduate studies and until I graduated was the single most significant and influential experience of my early life. It solidified my passion for lifting weights.
Biography (Early Life)
Young Years
Rachel McLish was blessed with excellent genetics; she was born in the Southern United States city of Harlingen (Texas). During high school, she immediately gained notoriety for her beauty and trim figure.
She twice received the title of Cardinal’s Football Sweetheart as a result. She received an invitation to join the high school cheerleading squad after becoming well-known for her appearance.
Here, Rachel started working out in the gym and developing an interest in fitness; she had started her fitness adventure.
Athletic Club
In 1973, Rachel decided to remain in Texas and enrolled in college. As she got older, she realized how important fitness was and became more and more pleased with her accomplishments.
When she was 18, she started working at her neighborhood health club after falling in love with fitness.
She decided to pursue a profession of her passion after earning a degree in Health and Nutrition in 1977. It didn’t take long for Rachel to launch her own sports club in her hometown thanks to her tenacity and drive.
When Rachel was 25 years old in 1980, fitness had taken over her life; her sports club had become a huge success, and she had started formulating plans to grow.
In the same year, Rachel also launched offices in Corpus Christi and Brownsville, both in Texas. She had grown to be a prominent figure in the field and had met many athletes as a result, including Lisa Lyon.
Competing
Even though Rachel McLish had been training since college, it wasn’t until 1980 that she gave competing serious thought. The future legend entered her first show after being driven to promote her new sports clubs by Lisa Lyon, several bodybuilding magazines, and other sources of inspiration.
At the 1980 US Bodybuilding Championship, Rachel entered the stage to promote her companies. However, her years of weightlifting and fitness training paid off.
She triumphed over all odds and took the trophy home after the competition. She had only just begun, though.
The Way To Success
Riding the high of her triumph, Rachel anticipated a career in female bodybuilding. She was now more motivated than ever to establish a reputation for herself.
Rachel McLish participated in the 1980 Frank Zane Invitational competition only a few months later. In the hotly contested competition, she came in second place to Stacey Bentley.
But in her subsequent tournament, she achieved her best success to date.
The First Ms. Olympia
Rachel participated in the first Ms. Olympia for women at the tail end of 1980. She dazzled the judges as she took the stage in great shape.
Although Rachel won the prestigious competition, she had accomplished much more than just winning a trophy. When she was 25 years old, she created history by becoming the first Ms. Olympia, paving the way for future generations.
Making Legends
Rachel became a fitness icon after winning Ms. Olympia and was featured in mainstream media all around the world. She participated in four more tournaments while traveling the world for the next three years and making TV appearances.
She experienced success during this time in 1982 at another Ms. Olympia competition. She never tried to bulk up or look like a male bodybuilder; instead, she always maintained a trim physique.
“I constantly had to point out that there is a difference between a manly-looking lady and a muscular-looking woman, such as a ballet dancer, ice skater, or athlete. Of course, steroid use was a problem back then as well.
Retirement
At the age of 29, Rachel had already solidified her place as an industry legend by 1984. She disagreed with the direction the sport was going, though.
At the 1984 Ms. Olympia competition, Rachel entered the stage for the final time because she refused to gain weight.
Even though her career didn’t have a happy conclusion, she came in second place. As a pioneer in female bodybuilding, Rachel retired from the sport.
“I was going to have to gain some size if I wanted to keep competing, and I thought, You know what? Nope. Because if I’m wrong, all of you are right, and the answer is no. This is what I stand for.
Author And Actress
Following her retirement, Rachel decided to write bestsellers aimed at inspiring women to live healthy lifestyles.
Rachel was a participant in the bodybuilding documentary “Pumping Iron II: The Women” at this time. This launched her acting career and focused on the 1983 Caeser’s World Cup.
Between 1984 and 1996, Rachel had another 3 movie appearances in roles as a physically fit lady.
“Weight training is the cornerstone, and it will always be there.”
Training (Workout)
At her peak, Rachel practiced ballet on the other days and exercised in the gym three days a week.
She engaged in power exercises, working every muscle in her body with weights while concentrating on her calves with ballet.
As the first female champion, I felt a strong obligation to spread this truth about the sport, which I knew would take off like wildfire.
Nutrition (Diet Plan)
Rachel consumed three big meals each day while competing, along with snacks, to keep her body fueled.
She meticulously tracked her caloric intake, working hard to maintain top physical shape.
Many things can be stated about stage presence, but I’ll also call attention to the elusive trait known as the X factor, also known as charisma.
Influences And Idols
Many factors contributed to Rachel’s rise to the position of a top female bodybuilder in the world. She lists her friends and family as some of her top motivators.
Rachel was motivated to start shaping her body and eventually compete with Lisa Lyon, a competitor.
“You must relish your performance experience. If you don’t like it, it will come across and be a terrible disservice to you.
What Rachel McLish Can Teach Us?
Because she surprisingly won the first competition she merely joined to promote her sports clubs, Rachel has taught us to always make the most of the circumstances.
However, she committed to the sport after understanding her success potential.
Rachel’s experience teaches us to always be true to ourselves, which is one lesson we can learn from it. She decided to quit early rather than go against her convictions since she refused to bulk up and fulfill the demands of the changes in the sport.