1. Lenda Murray was born on 22 February 1962 and is an American professional female bodybuilding champion.
28 Facts About Lenda Murray
1. 2.
Lenda Murray began participating in organized sports at the age of 15.
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At Henry Ford High School, Lenda Murray was both a record-holding sprinter and varsity cheerleader.
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Lenda Murray went on to attend Western Michigan University, earning a degree in political science and intended to become a lawyer.
5.
In 1984, Lenda Murray joined a gym, the Powerhouse Gym, in Highland Park, Michigan.
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Lenda Murray's father did not show up for her first bodybuilding competition, but eventually did for others.
7.
Lenda Murray rose quickly through the ranks, soon winning contests at the state and regional levels.
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In 1989, Lenda Murray earned her professional status at the IFBB North American Championships.
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Lenda Murray soon became a regular presence in bodybuilding magazines and a favorite subject of photographer Bill Dobbins who focused extensively on her in his books The Women and Modern Amazons.
10.
Olympia, Lenda Murray succeeded six-time champion Cory Everson and defeated Bev Francis to become the Ms.
11.
Olympia champion, a title Lenda Murray would hold for six years from 1990 to 1995.
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Lenda Murray appeared in such mass-market publications as Sports Illustrated, Ebony, Mademoiselle, and Vanity Fair, as well as in Annie Leibovitz's photo essay Women.
13.
Olympia, Lenda Murray won the slimmest margin of victory for any Ms.
14.
Lenda Murray thought she could beat Juliette Bergman and thought it was sign when they choose Juliette over Iris Kyle in 2001.
15.
Lenda Murray's coach was Chad Nicholls, a former bodybuilder, drug and nutrition guru and coach for his wife, Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls, along with professional bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman.
16.
Lenda Murray finished second in the heavyweight class to Iris Kyle in 2004, and again retired from competition.
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Lenda Murray is the second most successful female bodybuilder ever, second only to Iris Kyle.
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Lenda Murray has previously done commentary for bodybuilding events on ESPN from 1993 to 1996.
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Lenda Murray was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2010 and the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
20.
Every year there is an NPC competition, held at Norfolk State University, called the Lenda Murray Bodybuilding, Figure and Bikini Championships, which she is a promoter and organizer for.
21.
Lenda Murray is spokesperson for Wings of Strength and she owns a nutritional products company Crystal Planet Nutrition.
22.
Lenda Murray is single and lives in Los Angeles, California with her cats, Martin and William.
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Lenda Murray is a grandmother of eleven and a stepmother of four.
24.
Lenda Murray has done many videos to help others in their pursuit of fitness, been a professional cheerleader, a physical fitness trainer, a private trainer to professional wrestlers, athletes and others, along with trying out to become a professional wrestler for the World Wrestling Federation in 1997.
25.
From 1999 to 2005, Lenda Murray owned a gym in Virginia Beach, Virginia called The Fitness Firm.
26.
Lenda Murray has appeared on daytime talk shows like Geraldo, The Montel Williams Show, and The Jerry Springer Show.
27.
Lenda Murray done an interview for the Killer Sally 3 part series, highlighting the rise of female bodybuilding in the 80s and 90s.
28.
In 2015, Lenda Murray appeared in Adam Sandler's The Ridiculous 6 where she played Chico's mother.