Dana Linn Bailey is without question the most fascinating female in the IFBB Pro League. She’s gone from missing the top five in an amateur Figure competition (6th place in 2006, her first show) to making history by winning the inaugural Women’s Physique Olympia in 2013. She also notched her name in history by becoming the first ever Women’s Physique Pro at the 2011 NPC JR USA.
She’s had success competing but it’s her hustle away from stage that is making waves in the industry. Dana Linn has built a fan base that’s unlike any you’ve seen. She boasts over 1.4 million fans on Facebook and over 743,000 followers on instagram. At any given event you’ll see fans wait hours to meet and take a selfie with her. You have to admire the hustle it took to get that level of stardom in the bodybuilding world. It’s something few have ever achieved, especially as a female with muscle.
Dana (DLB as she’s known by her thousands of fans) is making history once again by gracing the cover of Muscular Development magazine. The magazine is known for being the “hardcore bodybuilding” publication. The magazine typically features a professional male bodybuilder that looks larger than life on the cover. Occasionally there will be a female featured on the cover but she’s typically in a swimsuit and paired with some bro cheese’n from ear to ear.
For the June 2015 issue the publishers of MD rolled the dice on putting DLB, a woman with muscle on the cover. They didn’t put her in a bikini, photoshop off her muscle or outer her next to an oiled up dude. It’s something that hasn’t been seen since the 90s when women’s bodybuilding was in its heyday. They were smart for featuring her on the cover and the only thing smarter would have been doing it before last year’s Olympia or before this year’s Arnold. Had they done that you can bet your high-priced food cooler that every person in her line would have a copy of the mag. No doubt DLB fans will still have a copy in their hands for her to sign. Will the cover sell? No question about it, at least in my opinion.
Dana is currently preparing for an appearance on American Ninja Warrior documenting it on her Youtube Channel.
