Physical Strength Used to be Worshipped in Many Ancient Cultures – Today It’s a Forgotten Part of Manliness. Here’s Why it Matters…

By Adam Armstrong

Many Ancient Cultures – including the Spartans, who may well have been the TOUGHEST men to ever live – worshipped strength.

Today, Strength is not valued as it once was. Not in Western Cultures anyway.

This is partly understandable – because in today’s modern technological world more emphasis is based on Brain Power than Physical Power. 

Think about it…

Who earns more:

• A computer programmer or a bricklayer?
• A man who owns a Goldmine or the man he employs to dig for Gold?
• A Top Promoter (like Bob Arum or Dana White) or a Top Fighter?

I’m not saying what is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in terms of earning power – merely what IS. 

However…

Despite using my BRAIN to run my business, help men to become better men, and earn my living…

My days start with EXERCISE.

And that exercise is not walking, jogging, running, riding a bike, bodybuilding or playing sports.

It is STRENGTH Training.

Lifting heavy weights, and doing hard bodyweight exercises (like Wall Handstand Push Ups and Chin Ups) to increase the strength of my body and mind.

The question is:

Why do I devote time almost EVERY DAY to the pursuit of strength, and why am I suggesting you do the same?

Here are 11 good reasons (in no particular order)…

11 Reasons Why You Should Improve Your Physical Strength…

#1: Strength is The “Master Physical Quality” that Controls All Others…

Few people realize this, but it’s true. I don’t care what physical quality you name, it is controlled by STRENGTH.

This means that when you increase your Strength, you can increase any other physical quality you care to name.

Want more Muscle Mass? Get STRONGER. 

Want to be Faster? Get STRONGER.

Want to be more Powerful? Get STRONGER.

Heck, even if you want to run a faster Marathon – getting STRONGER can help.

It’s beyond the scope of one blog post to explain why all of this is true. But it is. Strength trumps all other physical qualities. Period. Full Stop. The End.

#2: All Other Things Being Equal – The Stronger Man Will Win…

All other things are rarely, if ever, equal – so I understand that this is a somewhat ‘idealistic,’ as opposed to ‘realistic,’ argument.

But, hear me out…

In a fight, if the 2 fighters are the same height, have the same reach, are the same bodyweight, and have the same skill level – but one fighter is TWICE as strong as the other… the STRONGER fighter is going to win. Possibly with ease.

In a game of American Football or Rugby, if one team is full of physically WEAK players and the other team is full of physically STRONG players… the weak team are getting HURT. No doubt about it. They’re going to lose, badly. They’re going to get smashed.

Think about it…

If you have 2 guys running into each other… and both weigh 250 pounds… but one guy can squat 700lbs and the other guy can barely squat off a toilet, who do you think is going to win that collision?

#3: Strength May Save Your Life…

By allowing you to overpower an attacker…

Hold onto something to prevent yourself falling to your death…

Pull yourself up over a ledge, as opposed to falling…

You get the idea.

Hopefully you never need to PROVE this reason to be true – but, in a ‘life or death’ situation, where you have to protect yourself (or your loved ones), being STRONG is a benefit.

#4: Strength Training Improves Bone Density…

As you age, bone density goes down, and diseases like Osteoporosis become more likely.

My Great Grandmother didn’t have Osteoporosis, but she did fall out of bed at 95, break her hip, and that was all she wrote. I’ve no doubt she’d have lived to 100 if she had survived that (very small) fall.

But, she didn’t. Because at 95, a small fall (even onto a soft carpeted floor) was all it took to break her hip.

When you do STRENGTH TRAINING – things like heavy squats and deadlifts, pull ups, barbell rows, presses and so on –  for sets of 5 reps or less, you build Bone Density.

Improved Bone Density matters…

Especially as you age. I hope my Great Grandma’s story proves that.

And “NO” – going for a jog won’t build bone density.

You have to force your body to overcome resistance. Of course, you could do it with something like Rock Climbing. But, nothing beats lifting barbells, your bodyweight, Dumbbells, Kettlebells and so on.

If you don’t love it, even doing it twice a week for 20 minutes is good. An exercise or two for the upper body. Ditto for the Lower Body.

Press Ups and Deadlifts one day.

Pull Ups and Squats the other.

Doesn’t have to be complicated.

But, you do need to use excellent technique – otherwise you are asking for INJURY.

#5: Strength Training Can Increase Your Muscle Mass…

Bodybuilders will often debate whether or not bodybuilders should focus on STRENGTH.

To me, it’s a no-brainer to focus on STRENGTH when Muscle Mass is the goal. Here’s why I say that:

• Most of the top bodybuilders are STRONG (Arnold, Franco Columbo, Ronnie Coleman, Dorian Yates. These were NOT weak men)
• If you can Bench Press 135lbs for 2 sets of 5 reps, and you increase that figure to 225lbs for 2 sets of 5, then 315lbs for 2 sets of 5 – do you think you’ll have more muscle mass? (of course you will, provided you eat enough calories)
• Gaining muscle without gaining strength is like having a Ferrari with a ‘dirty secret’ (the secret being – somebody removed the SCREAMING V8 or V12 engine, and replaced it with a little 4 cylinder, or, God Forbid: an electric engine!)

#6: Strength Training Builds Self-Esteem and Confidence…

Bodybuilders have my RESPECT. What they do is tough – especially the dieting.

However, from what I’ve observed, bodybuilders end up LACKING self-esteem. They’re NEVER happy with how they look, even when they look amazing.

It’s odd how many guys I’ve met who look fantastic – muscular and ripped – who have LOW self-esteem and confidence.

In contrast, strength training encourages high self-esteem and confidence…

It’s easy to measure progress…

If you can lift more today than you could 3 months ago – you are stronger! Simple.

And, that progress…

Those continuous strength gains, build self-esteem and confidence.

#7: Strength Training Builds Character, Grit and Persistence…

Like anything worth pursuing in life, Strength Training is not EASY.

It can be SIMPLE. 

But it’s not easy.

When you first start, you get ‘newbie gains’… the gains come thick and fast. Especially if you start in your teens or 20’s…

You might increase your strength 50% or more, in just a few weeks!

However, after a while – usually several years of gains – progress will slow down. It’s inevitable. And it’s then that you have to dig in, push through plateaus, accept periods where you train HARD but don’t see results… and carry on regardless.

All of this builds character, grit and persistence. 

Traits every man should aspire to own.

Traits most men in today’s world know nothing about.

#8: Strength Training Makes You Way More Attractive to Women…

Women like strong, muscular men, who are lean and healthy.

Strength training will make you strong… 

It can improve your health…

If you eat a clean diet, and the right amount of calories – it can help to build muscle mass and keep your body-fat low.

Who do you think a woman would rather date, or go to bed with?

An example of one of today’s finest “Couch Potatoes” – sporting a big belly, “man boobs,” a penis that no longer functions, and an arse crack that’s on show every time he bends over to tie his shoes…

OR:

A man with broad shoulders, a slim waist, a well developed chest and back, athletic legs, and arms that fill out his shirt (plus… endless stamina in the bedroom).

I’ll let you answer that question for yourself.

#9: Strength Training Increases Your Testosterone Levels…

There is an epidemic of Low Testosterone in today’s modern western world.

Low Testosterone leads to:

• Low Sex-Drive
• Impotence
• Low Energy
• Low Self-Esteem
• Gains in Body-Fat
• Loss of Muscle Mass
• Loss of Drive, Determination and Ambition

And Science has proven, time and time again, that Strength Training BOOST Testosterone Levels.

Consider Strength Training one of the safe, natural ‘antidotes’ to today’s modern 21st Century Lifestyle that ROBS you of your most manly hormone in a myriad of different ways (including too much stress, bad diet and so on).

#10: Strength Training makes You a More Useful Human Being…

When you are strong, simple everyday tasks – like carrying the groceries from the car to the house, moving a sofa, or yard work – seem EASIER.

Therefore, strength makes you more USEFUL.

#11: Strength Training Forces You to Think Intelligently and Logically…

Like any physical pursuit, strength training can lead to aches, pains and injury if done incorrectly.

So, if you want to make pain-free, injury-free strength gains, you have to ‘engage your brain’ and consider the following:

• What training program will you follow?
• How will you ensure you’re doing the exercises correctly?
• How will you warm up before strength training (the correct answer is not: a 3 mile run and 100 Jumping Jacks)
• If you get sore and a joint doesn’t quite feel right, what will you do about that?

The questions go on and on.

Strength Training is a very PHYSICAL thing. It’s the closest thing to VIOLENCE without actually being violent.

Think about deadlifting 500lbs or more…

Pressing your bodyweight overhead…

Or doing Farmer’s Walks with 50% of your bodyweight in each hand.

These are tough, physical, man-making things to do.

Worthy things to aim for.

If you’d like to learn more about how to train for strength, in a way that won’t get you injured or ‘banged up’ – check out The Super 6 Strength Training Program I developed with my friend Aleks Salkin.

Aleks is a highly respected Strength Coach, Strongfirst Kettlbell Instructor and Original Strength Instructor. 

We’ve joined forces, and combined our knowledge to create a program that you can do at home, or at the gym, with minimal equipment.

Give it 6 weeks and you’ll be A LOT stronger… you’ll have boosted your Testosterone, increased your Bone Density, added some Muscle (provided you eat enough), and ramped up your confidence and self-esteem too…

>> Click here to check out The Kettlebell & Bodyweight Super 6 Strength Training Program

Talk soon,

Adam Armstrong

P.S. Aleks and I have recorded 2 podcasts recently, all about Strength Training, and some of the ideas behind the Super 6 program. You can listen to these podcasts HERE and HERE