# Becca Swanson

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**Rebecca 'Becca' Swanson** (born November 20, 1973) is an American [powerlifter](/source/Powerlifter), [strongwoman](/source/Strongwoman) and former [professional wrestler](/source/Professional_wrestler).[3][4][5][6] She broke multiple powerlifting [world records](/source/World_records), including the heaviest [squat](/source/Squat_(exercise)), [bench press](/source/Bench_press), [deadlift](/source/Deadlift) and total.[7][8][9] Due to her many accomplishments including unbeaten strength world records to-date, she is regarded as "the strongest woman to have ever lived".[10][11][12][13]

## Early life

Swanson was born November 20, 1973, in [Papillion, Nebraska](/source/Papillion,_Nebraska).[1] She graduated from the [University of Nebraska–Lincoln](/source/University_of_Nebraska%E2%80%93Lincoln) in 1998 with a [Bachelor of Science](/source/Bachelor_of_Science) in [Mechanical Engineering](/source/Mechanical_Engineering).[4]

## Bodybuilding, powerlifting, and strongwoman

Becca Swanson started out in 1996 with the desire to be a bodybuilder, but ended up powerlifting. According to her, the larger and more muscular women had fallen out of favor in bodybuilding after a few shows. She was told that she was just too big for bodybuilding, which motivated her to take up [powerlifting](/source/Powerlifting). At the same time, she was very close to some powerlifting world records and thought it best to focus her efforts there.[14] Her [squat](/source/Squat_(exercise)) is 601.9 pounds (273.0 kg) (equipped), [bench press](/source/Bench_press) is 523.6 pounds (237.5 kg) (equipped with [bench shirt](/source/Bench_shirt)), and she is the only woman to [deadlift](/source/Deadlift) 621 pounds (282 kg) (equipped). She is also the first woman ever known to be a member of the 2,000 pound club, as she is the first of two women ever to total over 2,000 pounds in a meet on the same day.[9] She has also competed in strongwoman contests, beginning in 2002. Swanson is also known for doing 35 kg dumbbell curls for 10 repetitions.

## Professional wrestling

### Harley Race's Wrestling Academy/World League Wrestling (2009–2010)

Swanson was a [professional wrestler](/source/Professional_wrestler) in [Harley Race](/source/Harley_Race)'s [World League Wrestling](/source/World_League_Wrestling) based in [Eldon, Missouri](/source/Eldon,_Missouri).

Swanson (as a [heel](/source/Heel_(professional_wrestling))) won the [WLW Ladies Championship](/source/WLW_Ladies_Championship) from Amy Hennig on October 3, 2009, at the WLW Tenth Anniversary Show.[15] On March 12, 2010, Swanson would lose the title to Lucy Mendez in a triple threat match which also included Hennig.[16] On March 13, Swanson was unsuccessful in capturing the WLW Women's Championship for a second time as Hennig would defeat both Swanson and Mendez in a triple threat match.[16]

## WPC/APF/WPO world records (equipped)

- 198+ Weight Class – 854.3 lb (387.5 kg) Squat[9]
- 198+ Weight Class – 600.8 lb (272.5 kg) Bench[9]
- 198+ Weight Class – 694.4 lb (315.0 kg) Deadlift[2]
- 198+ Weight Class – 2,050 lb (930 kg) Total (854.3/387.5, 600.8/272.5, 683.4/310.0) (best lifts in one meet)[9]
- 198 lb (90 kg) Weight Class – 804 lb (365 kg) Squat[9]
- 198 lb (90 kg) Weight Class – 480 lb (220 kg) Bench[9]
- 198 lb (90 kg) Weight Class – 600 lb (270 kg) Deadlift[9]
- 198 lb (90 kg) Weight Class – 1,884 lb (855 kg) Total[9]

## Championships and accomplishments

### Bodybuilding

- Ms. Midwest (1 time)[17]
- Ms. Nebraska (1 time)[17]
- Ms. Rocky Mountain (1 time)[17]

### Powerlifting

- **[World Powerlifting Congress](/source/World_Powerlifting_Congress)** - **90 kg Class** - 710.5 kg Total (June 14, 2002) - **90+ kg Class** - 377.5 kg [Squat](/source/Squat_(exercise)) (June 4, 2005) - 272.5 kg [Bench press](/source/Bench_press) (June 4, 2005) - 290.5 kg [Deadlift](/source/Deadlift) (June 4, 2005) - 873 kg Total (June 4, 2005)

### Professional wrestling

- **[World League Wrestling](/source/World_League_Wrestling)** - [WLW Ladies Championship](/source/WLW_Ladies_Championship) ([1 time](/source/WLW_Ladies_Championship#Title_history))[15]

## Physical statistics

- Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
- Weight: 110 kg (240 lb)[2]
- Quads: 27 in (69 cm)
- Calves: 17.5 in (44 cm)
- Shoulders: 54 in (140 cm)[citation needed]
- Biceps: 19 in (48 cm)[18]

## References

1. ["Becca Swanson's profile"](http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=8502&gimmick=Becca+Swanson) (in German). CageMatch.de. Retrieved 2010-04-03.

1. ["Becca Swanson (F)"](https://www.openpowerlifting.org/u/beccaswanson). openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 2008-03-08.

1. ["Becca Swanson, USA – Strongwoman & Powerlifter | Irish Strong Man"](https://irishstrongman.com/6183/)

1. ["An Interview with Becca Swanson: The World's Strongest Woman!"](https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/criticalbench18.htm). 27 June 2005.

1. ["An Interview with Becca Swanson: The World's Strongest Woman!"](http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/criticalbench18.htm). 27 June 2005.

1. Wennerstrom, Steve (May 2004). ["Flex 'N' Femme"](http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KFY/is_3_22/ai_n6108194). Flex magazine. Retrieved 2007-09-24.

1. ["Women's 198 Pound/90 Kg Weight Class Top 20"](https://archive.today/20120907080330/http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/records/198-women). Powerlifting Watch. Archived from [the original](http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/records/198-women) on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2007-09-24.

1. ["Is Becca Swanson's 672 lb Deadlift the Heaviest Ever by a Woman?"](https://barbend.com/becca-swansons-672-lb-deadlift-heaviest-ever-woman/). 15 April 2016.

1. ["All Time Historical Women's Powerlifting World Records In Pounds/Kilograms"](https://www.powerliftingwatch.com/files/PLWR-W-01-03-18.pdf). *Powerlifting Watch*. January 3, 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201112042541/https://www.powerliftingwatch.com/files/PLWR-W-01-03-18.pdf) November 12, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 24, 2023.

1. Tom Miller, CSCS (19 March 2020). ["The 10 Strongest Women To Ever Walk The Earth - Breaking Down The Strongest Women Of All Time"](https://fitnessvolt.com/strongest-women/). *www.fitnessvolt.com*. Retrieved 20 July 2023. "#1 Becca “Strongest Ever” Swanson is quite a physical specimen; her best lifts of 854lb squat, 600lb bench, 694lb deadlift, and 2050lb total makes her the only woman to ever lift over 2000lb".

1. Ana Smith (29 April 2020). ["Strongest woman in the world of all time"](https://garagegymbuilder.com/the-strongest-woman/). *www.garagegymbuilder.com*. Retrieved 20 July 2023. "Becca is considered by many to be the world's strongest woman who ever lived".

1. ["The 11 Strongest Women Ever"](https://www.muscleandfitness.com/muscle-fitness-hers/hers-athletes-celebrities/11-strongest-women-history-all-time-ever-walk-earth/). 20 November 2019.

1. ["Strongest Woman in the World Ever"](https://thebarbell.com/strongest-woman-in-the-world/). *The Barbell*. Retrieved 2023-11-15.

1. Swanson, Becca (2004-06-30). ["About Me"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070819033817/http://www.beccaswanson.com/about_me.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.beccaswanson.com/about_me.html) on 2007-08-19. Retrieved 2007-09-24.

1. ["Title History on Becca Swanson's profile"](http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=8502&view=erfolge#erfolge) (in German). CageMatch.de. Retrieved 2010-04-03.

1. ["World League Wrestling results from Spokane, MO on 3/12 and Summersville, MO on 3/13"](https://archive.today/20121209064845/http://community.livejournal.com/stlwrestling/2010/03/12/). St. Louis Wrestling Community. Archived from [the original](http://community.livejournal.com/stlwrestling/2010/03/12/) on 2012-12-09. Retrieved 2010-04-03.

1. ["Profile at AMG-Lite"](http://www.amg-lite.com/becca_swanson/). AMG-Lite. Retrieved 2010-02-19.

1. ["Becca Swanson - AMG Lite version 3.3"](http://www.amg-lite.net/becca_swanson/)

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.beccaswanson.com/)
- [Old Official Site](https://web.archive.org/web/20061205041039/http://beccaswanson.com/)
- [Bodybuilding.com Interview](http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/criticalbench18.htm)
- [Profile at AMG-Lite](http://www.amg-lite.com/becca_swanson/)
- [Becca Swanson's CageMatch.de Profile](http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=8502&gimmick=Becca+Swanson)
- [World Record list](https://www.powerliftingwatch.com/files/PLWR-W-01-03-18.pdf)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Becca Swanson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becca_Swanson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becca_Swanson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.