In what can fairly be described as one of the more exciting finishes in recent MMA history , Strikeforce 135-pound champion Sarah Kaufman knocked out Roxanne Modafferi with a “power bomb” Friday night—that is to say, she lifted Modafferi high off the canvas and slammed her back down with such force that Modafferi was effectively knocked unconscious. The happy champion explains post-fight how she got the TKO: There is, moreover, an... 

Professional athletes will be in the Gulf Coast today as part of a press junket sponsored by the Sierra Club . There, they will survey the Oil Disaster and share their thoughts about the mess. The need for “clean” energy—is there such a thing? or is it “clean” only when not in your backyard ?—is another subject that will be discussed. Several female athletes will be in attendance, among them: Leilani Munter , Krista... 

I’ve always admired Jenny Thompson . It could probably go without saying that she is one of the greatest female athletes ever. But Thompson—a bright, independent-thinking woman—also helped cultivate a new archetype for the 21st-century athletic woman; for example, when she challenged male chauvinists and priggish faux feminists alike with a seminude Sports Illustrated photo. Her response to her critics merits repeating: “I think... 

After much bumbling, the IAAF has cleared Caster Semenya to compete again. I’m happy for Semenya, and slightly hopeful that the lesson has been learned so that no one else has to go through such tribulation.  Read More →

I never thought I’d be saying this, but apparently it is fashion week at the Athletic Women Blog (not by choice or plan, mind you). Today’s post is the result of DC Comics’ announcement this week that it is giving Wonder Woman a makeover (see right). Reaction to this news, much of it negative , isn’t hard to find, naturally. But the timing and the nature of the makeover have also led some to speculate about what might... 

Editor’s note: Even sans the note it should be obvious that today’s is a guest post. Thanks to Samantha Wheeler, our topic is one seldom covered on this blog: sports fashion. Enjoy!—Rob For most of its brief history, women’s golf clothing has been notoriously uncomfortable, not user-friendly and detrimental to the performance of women. Unlike men’s golf clothes which provided some performance enhancements, ladies of... 

Title IX , which prohibits sex discrimination in all federally-funded education programs, and athletics programs signally, was enacted 28 38 years ago today. Never without its naysayers , Title IX has despite them been an unmitigated success. Though not the final answer to gender equality in sports—something that can’t be won by mere edict—Title IX opened a path to opportunities previously denied to athletic girls. Nothing serves better... 

I harp on this, some might say, too much. But it is important— very important—that young athletic females start strength training early on (properly supervised, of course). Strength training builds not only stronger, more athletic bodies but bodies less susceptible to injury. These benefits can be reaped at any age, naturally, but they are amplified when young girls prepare their bodies early for the rigors of athletic competition. In so doing,... 

You could have knocked me over with a feather when I learned that local television news hardly covers women’s athletics. But of course I jest. This I already knew—sans 20-year study and all. I must confess, however, to being caught unawares by one conclusion : “The peak was in 1999,” said [Cheryl Cooky, assistant professor of health and kinesiology and women's studies at Purdue University]. “The local affiliates covered... 

The benefits women—female athletes in particular—reap from strength training are well-established. A new study shows, however, that drinking milk after lifting weights enhances and accelerates them. Thus, as if it needed confirmation, we see now that Dara Torres knew what she was talking about when she unveiled her first Milk Mustache ad:  Read More →

During high school and college, gymnastics, soccer, and diving were the outlets for her athleticism. Now, those have been replaced by stunt work and free running . See if you think Luci “Steel” Romberg is incredible (I bet you do):  Read More →

The NCAA basketball champion UConn Huskies were honored at the White House yesterday. Watching the ceremony, I knew they had earned every morsel of President Obama’s lofty praise:  Read More →

But this good news comes with a caveat, reports the San Francisco Chronicle . Girls are hitting the weight room more than ever before, and not surprisingly that has come with a price—more injuries occurring in the weight room. The price, however, is a small one compared to the injuries to be prevented by girls’ building stronger, more durable bodies. Not only that, it is one that can be avoided without too much difficulty. Despite the hyperbole... 

Aneta Florczyk owns the official title but one could make the case that Becca Swanson is the strongest woman in the world. Swanson holds every noteworthy world powerlifting record , including a 600-lb bench press that is daunting even to contemplate. Not long ago, Swanson visited Jakked Hardcore Gym to lift with some of the strongest men in the Chicago area. The T-shirt says it all: Somewhere there is a little girl warming up with your max  Read More →

As a whole, Xena had the strongest female cast of any action series, or film, ever. Xena , throughout its run, consistently staged a universe dominated by strong female characters always portrayed ably by athletic women. The writing may have ebbed at times, but the cast never did that I could tell. This goes for not only Lucy Lawless and Renée O’Connor but also the supporting cast (indeed, especially even): Tsianina Joelson , Hudson  Read More →