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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– | 19 | 7 | 36.8% |
| 2 | Aneta Florczyk |  Poland | 2003–2008 | 8 | 6 | 75.0% |
| 3 | Donna Moore |   UK / England | 2013– | 20 | 6 | 30.0% |
| 4 | Victoria Long |  USA | 2019–2024 | 6 | 4 | 66.7% |
| 5 | Inez Carrasquillo |  Puerto Rico | 2021– | 11 | 4 | 36.4% |
| 6 | Rebecca Roberts |  UK / Wales | 2017– | 15 | 3 | 20.0% |
| 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% |
| 8 | Lucy Underdown | UK / England | 2020– | 8 | 2 | 25.0% |
| 11 | Kristin Rhodes | USA | 2008–2018 | 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 & Erin Murray (1 from 3 each); Angelica Jardine (1 from 5); Kati Luoto & Hannah Linzay (1 from 6 each); Melissa Peacock (1 from 8); Britteny Cornelius (1 from 9); Anna Harjapää (1 from 10); Heini Koivuniemi & Brooke Sousa (1 from 11 each); Andrea Thompson (1 from 17)
- As of 9 November 2024
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.
This is a list of Strongwoman Competitions. Some also include men. [3]
The World's Strongest Man is an international strongman competition held every year. Organized by American event management company IMG, a subsidiary of Endeavor, it is broadcast in the US during summers and in the UK around the end of December each year. Competitors qualify based on placing in the top three at the four to eight Giants Live events each year. The current event sponsor is SBD Apparel. Previous sponsors include Tachi Palace, Coregenx, Commerce Hotel and Casino, DAF Trucks, Tonka, MET-Rx, and PartyPoker.com.
Strength athletics is the collection of strength sports which measure physical strength, based on both: non-standard and historical implements as seen in Strongman and Highland games, and standardized and calibrated equipment as seen in Powerlifting and Weightlifting.
The deadlift is a weight training and strength training exercise in which a loaded barbell or bar is lifted off the ground to the level of the hips, torso perpendicular to the floor, before being placed back on the ground. It is one of the three powerlifting exercises, along with the squat and bench press, as well as a frequent lift in strongman. It is also occasionally used in armlifting.
Strongman is a competitive strength sport which tests athletes' physical strength and endurance through a variety of heavy lifts and events. Strongman competitions are known for their high intense and gruelling nature, pushing athletes to their physical and mental limits. The winners are selected based on a relative scoring system, where participants gather points for each individual event. An athlete who engages in the sport of strongman is also called a 'strongman'. They are often regarded as some of the strongest men of the world.
Glenn Ross known by his nickname "The Daddy", is a Northern Ireland former international strongman and powerlifter who has represented Northern Ireland and the UK in several World's Strongest Man competitions and various World Grand Prix and European Team competitions. Ross is the founder of the UK Strength Council and Scotland Strength Association and the creator of the UK's Strongest Man competition, as well as several regional and national qualifying events.
Derek Arturo Poundstone is an American police officer, former professional strongman and strength coach from Woodbridge, Connecticut. He was the runner-up at the 2008 World's Strongest Man, a two-time Arnold Strongman Classic champion, and a three-time winner of America's Strongest Man. Poundstone is also a high-ranking officer for the Naugatuck, Connecticut Police Department and is the former owner and landlord of an apartment complex and gym.
The Arnold Strongman Classic is an annual competition featuring strength athletes from all over the world, determining who is the Strongest Man in the World. Created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Lorimer and Terry Todd, it is an offshoot of the Arnold Sports Festival which takes place annually in Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Brian Shaw is an American retired professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all-time. He won the 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016 World's Strongest Man, making him one of only five men to win the World’s Strongest Man four times or more. In 2011, Shaw became the first man to win the Arnold Strongman Classic and the World's Strongest Man competitions in the same calendar year, a feat he replicated in 2015. With 27 international competition wins, he is the fourth most decorated strongman in history behind Lithuania's Žydrūnas Savickas, Poland's Mariusz Pudzianowski and Iceland's Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. Shaw has also set more than 25 world records in deadlifting, stonelifting, keg-tossing, grip related movements and more.
Mike Burke is an American strongman and a grip strength specialist from Aurora, Colorado. Before becoming a strength athlete, he worked as a construction worker.
Heini Koivumieni is a Finnish strongwoman competitor who has achieved numerous podium finishes at the World's Strongest Woman contest.
Kati Luoto is a Finnish strength athlete who is foremost known as the winner of the United Strongmen Women's World Championships held in 2013 and seven times Finland's Strongest Woman.
Martins Licis is an American professional strongman, notable for winning 2019 World's Strongest Man, 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic, and 2021 Rogue Invitational strongman championships.
World's Ultimate Strongman was an annual strongman competition which was held from 2018 to 2021 with the participation of top strongmen from all over the world, determining who is the strongest man in the world. The event was noted for its brute-strength-centricity and expanded the sport to a wider audience outside of Europe and USA. It also introduced the 'feats of strength' series in 2020, ensuring the continuous expansion of the sport during the Covid-19 pandemic. The competition has a number of rival and parallel competitions, including the World's Strongest Man, the Arnold Strongman Classic and the Giants Live Tour.
Oleksii Novikov is a Ukrainian professional strongman. He won the 2020 World's Strongest Man competition, becoming the second Ukrainian to win the title since Vasyl Virastyuk in 2004, and at 24 years, 278 days, he is also the second youngest winner in history, being only seven days elder than Jón Páll Sigmarsson in 1984. He is also a two time World's Ultimate Strongman, the 2022 Rogue Invitational champion, and the 2022 Europe’s Strongest Man.
The Rogue Invitational is an annual sporting event that includes a CrossFit competition and a Strongman competition. The event, organized by Rogue, started in 2019 as a CrossFit sanctioned competition, but has since become a major competition for CrossFit athletes. A contest for strongmen that featured the largest prize purse in strongman competition was added in 2021, and an additional one for strongwomen in 2024.
Olga Liashchuk is a Ukrainian pro Strongwoman from Donetsk. She is a 2 x time Arnold Strongwoman Classic champion and winner of World's Strongest Woman, Strongest Woman in the World, and Shaw Classic Open (Women) competitions.
The Arnold Strongwoman Classic is an annual competition featuring strongwomen athletes from around the world, meant for determining who is the strongest woman in the world. It was created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Lorimer and Terry Todd in 2002 initially for men, and extended by Jan Todd for women in 2017 as an offshoot of the Arnold Sports Festival. The competition takes place annually in Columbus, Ohio.
Odd Erling Haugen is a Norwegian-born American strongman and a grip strength specialist. He has also competed in bodybuilding, weightlifting and powerlifting.
The 2024 Rogue Invitational was a sporting event organized by Rogue Fitness that featured competitions in the sport of CrossFit, strongman, and strongwoman. It was held at P&J Live in Aberdeen, Scotland from 8 to 10 November 2024, the first time the event was held outside the United States. The winners of the CrossFit competitions were Jeffrey Adler for the men and Tia-Clair Toomey for the women, while Mitchell Hooper and Inez Carrasquillo were the respective winners of the strongman and strongwoman competitions.
Media related to Strongwomen at Wikimedia Commons