Iris Kyle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Iris Kyle

Iris Kyle doing an abdominals and thighs pose during the finals individual mandatory posing during the 2008 Ms. Olympia.

Personal info

Full name

Iris Floyd Kyle

Born

August 22, 1974 (age 50)
Benton Harbor, Michigan, U.S.

Height

5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)

Professional career

Pro-debut

International Federation of Bodybuilders Pro Division (IFBB) Ms. International, 1999

Medal record

Ms. Olympia

1st	2001 Ms. Olympia	Heavyweight (HW)
2nd	2002 Ms. Olympia	HW
2nd	2003 Ms. Olympia	HW
1st	2004 Ms. Olympia	Overall & HW
2nd	2005 Ms. Olympia	Open
1st	2006 Ms. Olympia	Open
1st	2007 Ms. Olympia	Open
1st	2008 Ms. Olympia	Open
1st	2009 Ms. Olympia	Open
1st	2010 Ms. Olympia	Open
1st	2011 Ms. Olympia	Open
1st	2012 Ms. Olympia	Open
1st	2013 Ms. Olympia	Open
1st	2014 Ms. Olympia	Open
Ms. International
3rd	2000 Ms. International	HW
Disqualified	2000 Ms. International	HW
2nd	2001 Ms. International	HW
2nd	2002 Ms. International	HW
1st	2004 Ms. International	Overall & HW
1st	2006 Ms. International	Open
1st	2007 Ms. International	Open
1st	2009 Ms. International	Open
1st	2010 Ms. International	Open
1st	2011 Ms. International	Open
1st	2013 Ms. International	Open
Other IFBB contests
2nd	1999 World Pro Championships	Open
2nd	2002 General Nutrition Centers Show of Strength	HW

Iris Floyd Kyle (born Mildred Carter; August 22, 1974) is an American professional female bodybuilder. She is known as the most successful professional bodybuilder, both female and male, in history. Iris has won twenty professional bodybuilding titles. These include ten overall and two heavyweight Ms. Olympia titles, and seven overall and one heavyweight Ms. International titles. She holds more Ms. Olympia and Ms. International titles than anyone else.

Early Life and Sports
Bodybuilding Journey
Other Interests and Activities
Personal Life
See also

Early Life and Sports

Iris Floyd Kyle was born on August 22, 1974, in Benton Harbor, Michigan. She was the fifth of six children in her family. When she was younger, Iris was very active in sports. She enjoyed cross country, basketball, softball, and volleyball. She was even named an All-American in basketball. This led to her receiving many offers for sports scholarships.

Iris went to Benton Harbor High School. She then continued her studies at Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi. There, she played basketball on a scholarship. She studied business administration and also learned about accounting.

Bodybuilding Journey

Starting as an Amateur

Iris became interested in bodybuilding after her family moved to Orange County, California. She saw many fit and healthy people around her. This inspired her to want a strong, sculpted body too. She joined Bally Total Fitness and later worked there teaching aerobics and as a sales manager. This is when she started lifting weights.

Iris felt excited by the gym's equipment. She knew she could build the body she wanted. She read many magazines like FLEX, Muscle and Fitness, and Iron Man. She was especially inspired by a photo of Lenda Murray, another famous bodybuilder. Iris put the picture on her refrigerator and aimed to develop a physique like hers.

A local promoter, Butch Dennis, saw Iris at her gym. He suggested she enter a competition called the Long Beach Muscle Classic. Iris trained for eight weeks, using Lenda Murray and Bev Francis as her role models. She won the contest in 1994. From 1994 until she became a professional, she was coached by Patrick Lynn.

Steve Wennerstrom, a historian for women's bodybuilding, wrote about Iris in 1996. He highlighted her win at the 1996 NPC California competition. He noted her amazing muscle definition and balanced physique. He said she was already at a national level.

In 1996, Iris placed second in the heavyweight category at the NPC USA Championships. In July 1998, at the same championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, she won the heavyweight and overall titles. She also earned her IFBB pro card at 23 years old.

Becoming a Professional

Early Professional Career (1999–2001)

When Iris started her professional career, she became very focused. She felt that being isolated helped her make progress. At her first professional competition, the 1999 Ms. International, she placed 15th. She told Steve Wennerstrom backstage that this would never happen again.

Since then, Iris has almost always placed in the top six in professional competitions. The only exceptions were the 1999 and 2008 Ms. Internationals. Steve Wennerstrom praised her strong physique in 1999. He said she combined qualities of Yolanda Hughes and Lenda Murray. He also noted her excellent calves.

Iris won her first professional contest at the 2001 Ms. Olympia. She won the heavyweight title but lost the overall title to Juliette Bergmann. Iris believed her physique was better and that she should have won the overall title.

Olympia Success and Challenges (2002–2005)

In 2002, Lenda Murray returned to bodybuilding. She won the Ms. Olympia title in 2002 and 2003. Iris placed second behind her idol both times. In 2004, Iris won both the overall and heavyweight titles at the Ms. International. She then went on to beat Murray and win the overall and heavyweight titles at the 2004 Ms. Olympia.

In 2005, Iris skipped the Ms. International to focus on defending her Olympia title. However, the IFBB changed the rules that year. They removed the weight class system for Ms. Olympia. This allowed Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia to win the 2005 Ms. International. Yaxeni also defeated Iris at the 2005 Ms. Olympia.

Dominating the Stage (2006–2014)

In 2006, Iris came back strong. She won both her Ms. International and Ms. Olympia titles again. She continued her winning streak in 2007, winning both titles once more.

The 2008 Ms. International had some controversy. Iris was placed in a tie for 7th place, which was her lowest placing since her professional debut. However, she bounced back at the 2008 Ms. Olympia, winning the show.

Iris continued to dominate, winning both the 2009 Ms. International and 2009 Ms. Olympia titles. In 2010, she won her fifth Ms. International title. This made her the most successful Ms. International champion ever. She also won the 2010 Ms. Olympia. She continued to win both titles in 2011.

In 2012, Iris could not attend the Ms. International due to a leg injury. However, she still won the 2012 Ms. Olympia. She regained her Ms. International title in 2013. In 2013, she won her ninth overall Ms. Olympia title. This made her the most successful female professional bodybuilder of all time. In 2014, she won her tenth overall Ms. Olympia title, breaking her own record. After this historic win, Iris announced her retirement from bodybuilding.

After Retirement (2015–2022)

On September 25, 2015, Iris announced she would return to compete at the 2016 Wings of Strength Rising Phoenix World Championships. She was later granted a special invitation to the event. However, she decided not to compete. Instead, she focused on training her boyfriend, Hidetada Yamagishi, and working on their business.

In 2019, Iris appeared as a guest poser at the Hidetada Yamagishi, Iris Kyle Japan Classic. In July 2020, Iris announced she would compete at the 2020 Ms. Olympia. Patrick Tuor coached her for this competition. She also co-promotes two shows in Japan with her ex-boyfriend, Hidetada Yamagishi. As of 2020, she was ranked as the best female bodybuilder in the IFBB Pro Women's Bodybuilding Ranking List. On July 29, 2022, Iris announced her retirement from professional bodybuilding for the second time.

Iris Kyle's Legacy

Iris Kyle is considered the most successful professional bodybuilder ever, for both women and men. She has won a total of twenty professional bodybuilding titles. This includes ten overall and two heavyweight Ms. Olympia titles. She also has seven overall and one heavyweight Ms. International titles.

In September 2018, an editor for Flex magazine suggested that Iris should be inducted into the IFBB Professional League Hall of Fame. She has also expressed a desire for a different way to judge bodybuilding contests, where the audience could help decide the winners.

Iris has trained with John J. Sherman and, since 2012, with Hidetada Yamagishi. She and Hidetada co-promote bodybuilding shows in Japan. In 2024, she coached Alcione Barreto, another professional bodybuilder, at her gym in Las Vegas.

Competition History

1994 National Physique Committee (NPC) Long Beach Muscle Classic – 1st
1994 NPC Ironmaiden Championships – 2nd (Middleweight)
1996 NPC Orange County Muscle Classic – 1st (Heavyweight (HW) & Overall (OA))
1996 NPC California – 1st (HW & OA)
1996 NPC USA Championships – 2nd
1997 NPC USA Championships – 3rd (HW)
1997 NPC Nationals – 4th (HW)
1998 NPC USA Championships – 1st (HW & OA)
1999 International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Ms. International – 15th
1999 IFBB Pro World Championship – 2nd
1999 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 4th
2000 IFBB Ms. International – 3rd (HW; later disqualified)
2000 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 5th (HW)
2001 IFBB Ms. International – 2nd (HW)
2001 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st (HW)
2002 IFBB Ms. International – 2nd (HW)
2002 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 2nd (HW)
2002 IFBB General Nutrition Centers Show of Strength – 2nd (HW)
2003 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 2nd (HW)
2004 IFBB Ms. International – 1st (HW & OA)
2004 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st (HW & OA)
2005 IFBB Professional League (IFBB) Ms. Olympia – 2nd
2006 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
2006 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
2007 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
2007 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
2008 IFBB Ms. International – 7th
2008 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
2009 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
2009 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
2010 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
2010 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
2011 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
2011 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
2012 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
2013 IFBB Ms. International – 1st
2013 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st
2014 IFBB Ms. Olympia – 1st

Physical Statistics

Here are some of Iris Kyle's impressive physical measurements:

Bench press - 375 lb (170 kg)
Biceps - 17 inches (43 cm)
Calves - 18 inches (46 cm)
Chest - 36 inches (91 cm)
Height - 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Hips - 36 inches (91 cm)
On season weight - 130–170 lb (59–77 kg)
Quads - 29 inches (74 cm)
Thighs - 29 inches (74 cm)
Waist - 24 inches (61 cm)

Other Interests and Activities

Media Appearances

Iris Kyle has appeared in various media. On September 9, 2008, she was on an episode of the game show Wipeout. During the show, she had an accident on a water slide and broke several ribs. Her appearance was later featured as one of the show's top moments. She was invited back but declined due to the risk of injury and feeling disrespected by the hosts.

Iris was in the trailer for an unfinished film called A:B - We are Sisyphos. She was also in the 2013 bodybuilding documentary ASF25 – A Documentary. She and her ex-boyfriend, Hidetada Yamagishi, appeared as themselves in the 2017 bodybuilding documentary film Generation Iron 2. She also appeared in the 2017 music video for Katy Perry Feat. Nicki Minaj: Swish Swish.

Footage of Iris has been used in several TV episodes. These include "Bodybuilders" (from On the Inside), "Gender Benders" (from Taboo), and Episode 160 (from Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel). She also appeared in the documentaries Hooked: Muscle Women and Twisted Sisters.

Business Ventures

Since July 1998, Iris has worked as an advanced personal trainer. She runs her own online training and nutrition business called Healthier by Choice. She has been sponsored by Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning since 2007. Since September 2011, she has promoted the company Visalus.

In 2013, she became the co-owner of Bodi Cafe. This is a supplement, nutrition, and smoothie cafe in the City Athletic Club in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since 2021, she has been the co-owner of Powerhouse Gym Iris Kyle, Hidetada Yamagishi Las Vegas, Nevada. She is also sponsored by PNP Perfect Nutrition and Urban Ice Botanicals. She is a brand ambassador for Gaspari Nutrition. As of October 7, 2022, her net worth was estimated to be $9 million. This makes her one of the wealthiest female bodybuilders.

Real Estate

Iris Kyle is also a real estate agent and works with ERA Realty.

Personal Life

Iris Kyle has lived in several places, including Katy, Texas, Cypress, Texas, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Huntington Beach, California. In Huntington Beach, she co-owns the "No Mercy" Gym. She is a Baptist and often thanks God after winning competitions. She starts her day with prayer and reads from the Bible. Sundays are her rest days, and she attends church regularly.

Iris's current boyfriend is Marc Goldstein, who works as a finance executive. She was previously in a seven-year relationship with her training and business partner, Hidetada Yamagishi. She also dated bodybuilder John J. Sherman. Even though she describes her political views as liberal, she voted for fellow bodybuilding icon Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is a Republican who ran for Governor of California. Iris is fluent in both German and Spanish.