Rebecca Swanson (born November 20, 1973) is an American

powerlifter Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. As in the sport of Olympic weightlifting, it involves the athlete attempting a maximal weight single-lift effor ...

and

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

. Becca Swanson holds several

powerlifting Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. As in the sport of Olympic weightlifting, it involves the athlete attempting a maximal weight single-lift effor ...

world records A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

for women, including the heaviest squat, heaviest

deadlift The deadlift is a weight 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, ...

and the heaviest

bench press The bench press, or chest press, is a weight training exercise in which the trainee presses a weight upwards while lying on a weight training bench. Although the bench press is a full-body exercise, the muscles primarily used are the pectorali ...

. Due to her accomplishments in professional powerlifting competition and her multiple world records across many weightlifting disciplines she is called "the world‘s strongest woman" or referred to as "the strongest woman on the planet" or the "strongest woman of all time".

Early life

Swanson was born November 20, 1973, in

Papillion, Nebraska Papillion is a city in Sarpy County in the state of Nebraska, United States. Designated as the county seat, it developed as an 1870s railroad town and suburb of Omaha. The city is part of the larger five-county metro area of Omaha. Papillion's ...

. She graduated from

University of Nebraska-Lincoln A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in

Mechanical Engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and ...

Bodybuilding, powerlifting, and strongwoman

Becca Swanson started out in 1996 with the desire to be a bodybuilder, but ended up with powerlifting. After a few shows, according to her, the larger, more muscular women had fallen out of favor in bodybuilding. She was told that she was just too big for bodybuilding and that motivated her join

. At the same time, she was very close to some world powerlifting records and thought it best to focus there. Her squat is (equipped),

(equipped with bench shirt) and the only woman to

(equipped). She is also the first woman ever to be part of the 2000 pounds club which means she is the first of two women ever to total plus 2000 pounds in a meet on the same day. She has also competed in strongwoman contests, starting in 2002. She 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 is a

for

Harley Race Harley Leland Race (April 11, 1943 – August 1, 2019) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and trainer. Race wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the World Wrestling Federatio ...

World League Wrestling Harley Race's Wrestling Academy is a professional wrestling school located in Troy, Missouri. It was established in 1999 by former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Harley Race. Students of the school are incorporated into the professional wrestli ...

based in

Eldon, Missouri Eldon is a city in Miller County, Missouri, United States, located southwest of Jefferson City. The population was 4,567 at the 2010 census. History Eldon was platted in 1881, and according to tradition, named after a railroad official. A pos ...

. Swanson (as a

heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg. Structure To distribute the compressive for ...

) won the

WLW Ladies Championship The World League Wrestling (WLW) Ladies Championship, is the top title contested for women's professional wrestling wrestlers in the independent professional wrestling promotion World League Wrestling. Current champion The current champion is M ...

from Amy Hennig on October 3, 2009, at the WLW Tenth Anniversary Show. On March 12, 2010, Swanson would lose the title to Lucy Mendez in a triple threat match which also included Hennig. 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.

WPC/APF/WPO world records (equipped)

*198+ Weight Class - Squat *198+ Weight Class - Bench *198+ Weight Class - Deadlift *198+ Weight Class - Total (best lifts in one meet) * Weight Class - Squat * Weight Class - Bench * Weight Class - Deadlift * Weight Class - Total

Powerlifting profile

*Height: *Weight: *Calves: *Quads: *Shoulders: *Biceps:

Championships and accomplishments

Bodybuilding

*Ms. Midwest (1 time) *Ms. Nebraska (1 time) *Ms. Rocky Mountain (1 time)

Powerlifting

World Powerlifting Congress The World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) is a powerlifting federation hosting meets around the world. The federation hosts competitions which allow multi-ply equipment, but hosted a Raw world championship for the first time in 2009. The WPC was esta ...

**90 kg Class ***710.5 kg Total (June 14, 2002) **90+ kg Class ***377.5 kg Squat (June 4, 2005) ***272.5 kg

Bench press The bench press, or chest press, is a weight training exercise in which the trainee presses a weight upwards while lying on a weight training bench. Although the bench press is a full-body exercise, the muscles primarily used are the pectorali ...

(June 4, 2005) ***290.5 kg

Deadlift The deadlift is a weight 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, ...

(June 4, 2005) ***873 kg Total (June 4, 2005)

Professional wrestling

( 1 time)

References

External links

Official websiteOld Official SiteProfile at AMG-LiteBecca Swanson's CageMatch.de ProfileWorld Record list
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swanson, Becca Female powerlifters Strongwomen Living people American female bodybuilders American female professional wrestlers 1973 births People from Papillion, Nebraska 21st-century American women