Haley Shapley talks About the History of Women’s Strength in her book “Strong Like Her”

(Listen on Ap ple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.)

Haley Shapley, author of the book “Strong Like Her” is a walking history book of women’s foray into sports and strength.

That’s because she literally wrote the book on it (“Strong Like Her,” which is now available in paperback). After the author entered a bodybuilding competition, she had the eye-opening experience of hearing first-hand the outdated ideas about women’s strength. So, she started looking into the people she calls, “our Muscular Foremothers.”

“Don’t lift too heavy,” “No man will find you attractive,” and “you look like a man.” No matter how much we try to move past these ideas, we still encounter them them. In our conversation, Haley talks through the rule breakers in strength as well as the link between gender, strength, feminism and suffrage.

In this conversation, you’ll hear some really interesting stories of strength – some that may be new to you:

The story of Ada Anderson and the sport of Pedestrianism, who smashed attendance records for her feats of walking.
Cynisca and the loophole that allowed her to be the first woman to win in the Olympics in the four-horse chariot race
Pudgy Stockton, who was not only a weightlifter, but also a gymnast