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A strongwoman is a woman who performs feats of strength in a show or circus, or a woman who competes in strength athletics. Traditionally, strongwomen have had a special appeal, as women involved in demonstrated feats of strength were exceptions. Modern day strongwoman competitions test athletes physical strength and endurance through a variety of heavy lifts and events.
Traditionally, strongwomen were featured as performers in a circus, or in vaudeville, music halls, or other venues, and engaged in feats of strength such as barbell lifting and human juggling.
Some famous traditional strongwomen include:
In recent years, the term strongwoman has come to refer to the women who compete in events such as the annual World's Strongest Woman and Arnold Strongwoman Classic competitions. Strongwomen compete in the sport of Strongman and the sport has become popular with female strength athletes over the past decade that there are several state and nationally sanctioned competitions that prepare amateur female athletes for national competitions that allow for the opportunity to compete as professionals. In all these contests, the participants compete in similar types of events that can be found in a Strongman competition. Such events include, but are not limited to:
Some notable modern strongwomen:
Active Retired
| # | Name | Country | Active | Competitions | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olga Liashchuk |  Ukraine | 2016– | 20 | 7 | 35.0% |
| 2 | Aneta Florczyk |  Poland | 2003–2008 | 8 | 6 | 75.0% |
| 3 | Donna Moore |   UK / England | 2013– | 20 | 6 | 30.0% |
| 4 | Inez Carrasquillo |  Puerto Rico | 2021– | 12 | 5 | 41.7% |
| 5 | Victoria Long |  USA | 2019–2024 | 6 | 4 | 66.7% |
| 6 | Rebecca Roberts |  UK / Wales | 2017– | 16 | 3 | 18.7% |
| 7 | Jill Mills | USA | 2001–2005 | 3 | 2 | 66.7% |
| 8 | Anna Rosén |  Sweden | 2002–2012 | 8 | 2 | 25.0% |
| 8 | Jessica Fithen | USA | 2018–2021 | 8 | 2 | 25.0% |
| 10 | Kristin Rhodes | USA | 2008–2018 | 9 | 2 | 22.3% |
| 10 | Lucy Underdown | UK / England | 2020– | 9 | 2 | 22.3% |
Additionally, the following 18 strongwomen have won 1 international competition (open category) each:
Nina Geria, Michelle Sørensen, Edith Pongratz & Angéline Berva (1 from 1 each); Annina Saine & Shayna Wirihana (1 from 2 each); Annabelle Chapman & Liefia Ingalls (1 from 3 each); Erin Murray (1 from 4); Kati Luoto, Angelica Jardine & Hannah Linzay (1 from 6 each); Britteny Cornelius & Melissa Peacock (1 from 9 each); Anna Harjapää (1 from 10); Heini Koivuniemi & Brooke Sousa (1 from 11 each); Andrea Thompson (1 from 18)
- As of 1 March 2025
Women who compete in Strongman (strongwomen) must be well versed in the styles and techniques that are demonstrated in both powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting as the types of lifts that are performed in both sports are fundamental in strength sports and carry over into the techniques that have been developed for the events that make up a Strongman competition. In addition to developing the proper technique for the foundation lifts, strongwomen must also develop endurance through cardiovascular conditioning training. Being able to adapt to implements (straight barbells versus axle barbells, axle barbells versus logs, etc.) is important as the technique used for the different implements are nuanced and are not readily available at commercial gyms.
International Championships:
Continental Championships:
National Championships:
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