Gladys Portugues
by admin
Gladys Portugues is an actress and former professional female bodybuilder. She attended the High School of Art and Design in New York City and is the wife of Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Portugues has been involved in the health and fitness field for more than twenty years. As a bodybuilder, her most significant achievement was two top-ten placings in the Ms. Olympia.
She was quite a gal in those day and I’m sure she’s even more spectacular today. It was a true honor to compete with as her partner at the World Mixed Pairs Championships in Toronto
Gladys was every bodybuilder’s dream girl back in the day, especially if you were from the East Coast, where she made her first splash. With a flawless face and figure, women’s bodybuilding couldn’t have asked for a better representative.
Gladys Portugues!! WHAAAAT an inspiration! I still have your book!!! I was a Broadway dancer at the time of Better Bodies Gym and had dark curly hair as well! I am soooo out of shape now at 65yrs but seeing this site may encourage me to dust off your book and get back at it! I hoarded it all these years!! I LOVED THAT GYM! There was never any place else quite like it – a real cross section of people! Fond memories of workouts there and a time in my life when I had THE BEST body! Thanks for the memories 🙂