Welcome to Wellesey College Recreation’s Women’s History Month Project!
Every day this month, we’ll be highlighting a different woman from history, women who achieved milestones in sport, access or physical capacity; women who changed our perceptions of the possible. Once a week we’re including an active athlete who is clearly making history in our own time.
What’s more, you can join them—each day in the fitness center and once a week online, we’ll be posting workouts those women might have done. Follow along for the month—you might not be ready to win an Olympic medal at the end, but you’ll be fitter, healthier and happier.
March 1 Gertrude Ederle Swimming 1926
1st Women to Swim the English Channel
Swim 25y x5 Rest 1:00, Repeat x3
March 2 Ernestine Bayer Rowing 1928
Rightly known as the "Mother of Women's Rowing," Ernestine Bayer advocated for the development of women's rowing both in the US and on the world stage. She served on the first women’s rowing Olympic committee at the 1976 summer games in Montreal. Truly a pioneer in the sport, Bayer was the first female inductee to the National Rowing Foundation's Hall of Fame and the first female recipient of the U.S. Rowing Medal.
1. Row 2k 2. Plank :30 3. Side Plank :15ea Repeat x2
March 3 Babe Didrikson Zaharias Golf and Track and Field 1932
Didrikson was a multi-talented athlete who won medals in the hurdles, javelin and high jump at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles before becoming the first woman to qualify for and play in a men's PGA Tour event in 1938
1. Overhead Squat x10 2. Reverse Lunge x10ea 3. Push-up x10 4. Split Squat x10ea 5. Russian Twist x15ea 6. Side Plank x:15ea
March 4 Miriam Underhill Rock climbing & alpinism 1926-'60s
Read more on Miriam Underhill from The National Geographic Magazine August, 1934 "Manless Alpine Climbing The First Woman to Scale the Grepon, the Matterhorn, and Other Famous Peaks Without Masculine Support Relates Her Adventures"
1. Stairs 5 minutes 2. Assisted Pull-up x10 3. Stairs 5 minutes 4. Assisted Pull-up x10 5. Mountain Climbers x10ea
March 5 Wilma Rudolph Track and Field 50s & early 60s
Rudolph was a civil rights, women's rights, and track and field icon. At the 1960 Summer Olympics she won three goal medals (in the 100 m dash, 200 m dash, and 4 X100 m relay), making her the first American woman to win 3 goal medals at a single Olympic games. Consequently, she became one of the first international sports superstars.
1. Squat Jumps x10 2. Lateral Skaters x5 ea 3. Split Squat x10ea 4. Hip Lift x10 5. V-Ups x10 6. Side Crunch x10ea Repeat x2
March 6 Althea Gibson Tennis 50s
1. Squat Jumps x10 2. Lateral Skaters x5 ea 3. Split Squat x10ea 4. Hip Lift x10 5. V-Ups x10 6. Side Crunch x10ea Repeat x2
March 7 Katie Ledecky Swimming Active
A current student at Stanford, Ledecky is the most decorated female swimmer in history (5 Olympic gold medals; 15 world championship gold medals). She is the current women's world record holder in the 400-, 800-, and 1500-meter freestyle events and in the 500-, 1000-, and 1650-yard freestyle events. Ledecky has revieved numerous awards, including being named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 2017. 1. Swim 25y x5 Rest 1:00, Repeat x5
March 8 Larisa Latynina Gymnast 50s and '60s
A gymnast from the former Soviet Union, Latynina holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals every won by a gymnist (male or female) with a total of 9. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1998 and remains an revered gymnatic icon around the world
1. Single Leg Squat x5ea 2. Assisted Pull-up x5 3. Downward Dog Push-up x10 4. PB Hamstring Curl x5 5. Hanging Knee Tucks x10 6. Hanging Leg Raises x10 Repeat x2
March 9 Billie Jean King Tennis 1966-1984
One of the top professional tennis players of her day, Billie Jean King has led the fight for gender equality in sports, founding the Womens' Tennis Association and Womens' Sports Association. In her career, she won 39 Grand Slam titles in total. She also famously defeated Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match in 1973. In 1987 she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and in 2009 she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
1. Lateral Lunges x12 ea 2. 1-Arm Dumbbell Row x12 ea 3. RDL x12 4. Push-up x12 5. Reverse Lunge w/ Twist x12 ea 6. Side Plank x:30 ea Repeat x3
March 10 Nadia Comăneci Gymnastics 1975-1984
At 14 during the 1976 Olympics, Comăneci (representing Romania) became the first gymast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 for her uneven bar routine. She went on to win a a total of 5 Olympic gold medals and earn 9 perfect sores during the 1976 and 1980 Olympic games
1. Single Leg Squat x8ea 2. Assisted Pull-up x8 3. Downward Dog Push-up x12 4. PB Hamstring Curl x8 5. Hanging Knee Tucks x12 6. Hanging Leg Raises x12 Repeat x3
March 11 Wanda Rutkiewicz Alpinism early '70s-1992
1. Stairs 6 minutes 2. Assisted Pull-up x12 3. Stairs 6 minutes 4. Assisted Pull-up x12 5. Mountain Climbers x20ea
March 12 Susan Butcher Dogsledding 1978-1994
1. Lateral Skaters x5ea 2. RDL x10 3. Bench Press x10 4. Split Squat x10 5. 1 Arm Row x10ea 6. Bicep Curl x10ea 7. Tricep Kickbacks x10ea Repeat x3
March 13 Lynne Jewell Sailor 80s
1. Row 2k 2. Plank :45 3. Side Plank :20ea Repeat x3