Dana Linn Bailey, or as she’s known to most fans, the iconic DLB, is one of the most legendary female lifters to grace the bodybuilding circuit.
The first-ever woman to earn a physique pro card, and the inaugural Women’s Physique Olympia champion, Dana has undoubtedly etched her name into the weightlifting hall of fame.
From her workout routines to her supplement stack and natty status, here’s everything you need to know about Dana Linn Bailey.
Dana Linn Bailey Supplements
You could say Dana Linn Bailey is the Queen of supplements. She founded and built her own brand, RUN EVERYTHING, some nine years ago, targeting her products at women who wanted to rival their male counterparts on the bodybuilding circuit.
After a brief rebranding, Dana admitted she didn’t have time to give the brand the love it needed, and decided to sell to former business partner and close friend Aaron Singerman at REDCON1.
Dana still very much kept one foot in the door, however. As part of the agreement, Dana joined REDCON1 as a brand ambassador.
Speaking to Muscular Development just after the deal was finalised in 2023, Dana said: “We’ve known Aaron for 15 years. I wanted to see Run Everything in Target and Walmart, but I don’t have the bandwidth.
“Aaron has a huge staff and all those connections. He offered to buy Run Everything and make it grow. At the same time, he wants Redcon1 to grow, so he brought me in to help in that area. I love all their products.
“They have a much bigger line than Run Everything, and I’m excited to be part of such a big brand.”
As for her own supplement stack, Dana typically starts the day by knocking back half a scoop of fat burner before her morning coffee.
Incredibly, the Pennsylvania-born competitor says she doesn’t naturally sweat and relies on the fat burner to help her get the most out of her cardio.
Once Dana has punished her legs with a gruelling session on the bike, she finishes breakfast with an immunity formula, apple cider vinegar gummies, and a wellness blend.
Next up, the office. To dial in and help her smash through some workload, Dana loads up with Continue Onward’s flagship nootropic, SHARPSHOOTER.
The blend is designed to aid focus, memory, and mental sharpness, without overloading with caffeine.
When it’s time to train, there’s only one supplement on Dana’s agenda: Pre-workout. And no, before you ask, she doesn’t dry scoop it.
Around 30 minutes after she has slammed the weights, Dana locks in a protein shake to start that all-important recovery process.
Berries are added to spike the insulin levels and send that protein straight to Dana’s muscles, and a healthy scoop of peanut butter rounds off the shake with some healthy fats.
Sleep gummies finish Dana’s day, and that completes her full supplement stack.
Dana Linn Bailey Age
At 41 years old, Dana still boasts an incredible physique that most 20 years her junior would struggle to attain. Dana started training and competing in 2006 after she quit soccer at college, meaning she is approaching her 20-year anniversary in the bodybuilding game.
Dana Linn Bailey Height
Dana Linn Bailey is 1.63m tall, or 5’4″ for those who deal in imperial measurements.
Dana Linn Bailey Apparel Line
Four years into her lifting journey, Dana started her own apparel line, Flag Nor Fail, with her husband and business partner, Rob Bailey.
The pair started with a humble setup, printing t-shirts in their garage before rapidly expanding into multiple offices and warehouses.
2013 saw Flag Nor Fail grow to dizzying new heights. The year was highlighted by the legendary Flag Nor Fail airstream tour from New York to Florida, culminating in Dana’s Olympia win, and the launch of Flag Nor Fail’s first gym camp.
Fast forward to the present day, the brand has a stacked roster of athletes, a near-unrivalled product range, and even offers weekend fitness retreats in Montana.
Dana Linn Bailey’s Net Worth
Dana Linn Bailey’s net worth is estimated at around $4m. It’s hardly surprising considering she was one of the first professional lifters to harness the potential of social media, and has leveraged her fame and popularity to establish several businesses, products, and even her own bodybuilding shows since.
On top of all that, Dana has partnered with brands such as Redcon1 and Trifecta Meal Prep as a sponsored athlete, and for a while, even ran her own gym.
Olympia Career
What many people don’t know is that Dana was competing four or five times a year as an amateur before stepping onto the big stage.
Despite her early exploits, Dana is most famous for becoming the inaugural Women’s Physique Olympia champion in 2013, and the first woman to earn a physique pro card.
Her professional debut came a year prior at the 2012 Desert Muscle Classic, where she placed fourth.
Two second-place finishes followed at the Women’s Physique Olympia and Arnold Classic in 2014 and 2015 respectively, with Juliana Malacarne pipping her on the podium both times.
Dana competed in several professional contests in total, earning two victories, the other coming at the Dallas Europa Pro in 2013.
Steroid Controversies
The ‘natty or not’ debate is one that has followed Dana throughout her career, as it does with many top-level athletes. She has always unequivocally denied using any PEDs and says hard work and consistency have been the recipe for her success.
In an interview with Muscular Development, Dana said: “It makes people so angry, and I used to get really upset about it because I knew I wasn’t lying.
“People literally hated me because they thought I was. It bothered me until I thought, you know, I must be doing something right if I can look like I’m on steroids without being on them.”
“I don’t like when I hear that coaches tell women if you want to look like Dana Linn Bailey, here are the steroids you will need to use,” she added.
“False! How about working hard for 10 years? I’ve been an athlete since I was 5 years old. I played six sports, including soccer, in college.
“Then I got into lifting, and I’ve been training hard for over 17 years now. I trained a minimum of six days a week, often seven, and my diet was consistent. If I can change one girl’s decision to start using PEDs, then cool. I’ve done my part.”
Dana Linn Bailey Best Shoulder Workout
Dana Linn Bailey’s iconic boulder shoulders have become synonymous with her on-stage presence. She admits that training shoulders is by far her favourite workout, so it only feels right to bring you her full routine:
Exercise One – Reverse Cable Flies
Set One – 30 reps
Set Two – 15 reps, drop weight, 15 reps (30 total)
Set Three – 10 reps, drop weight, 10 reps, drop weight, 10 reps (30 total)
Set Four – 10 reps, drop weight, 10 reps, drop weight, 10 reps (30 total)
Exercise Two (drop set) – Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Set One – 15 reps at half ROM with a heavy-weight
Set Two – 10-12 reps at full ROM
Set Three – 20-30 pulse reps with a resistance band
*Repeat the circuit four times
Exercise Three (drop set) – EZ Bar Wide Grip Upright Rows
Set One – 15 reps
Set Two – 10-12 reps
Set Three – 10 reps
*Repeat the circuit four times
Exercise Four – Shoulder Press
Set One – 12 reps
Set Two – 10 reps
Set Three – 8 reps
Set Four – 6 reps
*Increase weight each time and superset with 10-12 plate raises between every round
Exercise Five – Plate Overhead Press
Finish with 10-12 reps or until failure.
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