August13,2014

Fitness,Health&Sports

WhyEveryManShouldBeStrong

Eventhough“SemperVirilis:ARoadmaptoManhoodinthe21stCentury”turnedouttobeatrulyepicpost(morelikeashortebook,really),Iactuallyhadtogreatlyparedownmanyofthepassages,especiallyinthe“TrainingProgramandExercises”chapter.WhatIdecidedwasthatafterputtingSemperVirilisoutthere,fromtimetotimeI’dliftoutsomeofthosesections,andgivethemtheexpandedtreatmenttheyreallydeserve.TodayI’dliketobeginthateffortwith“BuildYourPhysicalStrength.”

WhenIfirststartedtheArtofManliness,Ididn’tputtoomuchstockinphysicalstrengthasanimportantcomponentofmanhood.Strengthofcharacter,sure,butphysicalstrengthwasmoreofasecondarypursuit.MaybeitwasbecauseIstartedAoMpartlytogetawayfromtheoverdonefetishizationofgettingrippedthatwas(andis)promotedbyothermen’smagazines.MaybeitwasbecauseIwasn’tinshapemyselfatthetime.(Weoftenconstruct

ourdefinitionofmanhoodinaccordancewiththatwhichdescribesourselvesbest,andI’mcertainlynotimmunetothistemptation!).Ihadplayedfootballinhighschool,butaftergoingtocollege,myworkoutsbecamehalfheartedandsporadic.Thiswasespeciallytrueinlawschool—betweentryingtokeepupmygradesandrunningafledglingblog,exercisejustwasn’tatoppriority.

Overthelastcoupleyears,however,workingout,andliftingweightsinparticular,hasbecomeafundamentalpartofmylife.Itstartedwithmy90-daytestosteroneexperiment;IstartedexercisingregularlytoseewhateffectitwouldhaveonmyTlevels.Whentheofficialexperimentended,thehabitstuck.Iwentfrombeingfairlyindifferenttoexercise,tolookingforwardtomyworkoutsasmyfavoritepartoftheday.AndIfoundthatbuildingmybodychangedthewayIfeltandcarriedmyselfasaman.

Atthesametime,myresearchintothecoreofmasculinitygavemeatheoreticalunderstandingoftheroleofstrengthintheancient,universalcodeofmanhood.Thisresearchconvincedmethatstrengthformsthenucleusofmanliness,asittrulymakesalltheothermanlyvirtuespossible.

Overtimethen,theimportanceofstrength-buildingtoaman’svirilitysunkintobothmymindandmybones.Strengthmaynotseemverynecessaryintoday’sworldwheremostmensitbehinddesksatworkallday.Butbeingstrongisneveradisadvantage,anditisfrequentlyquitebeneficialonavarietyoffronts.Mostimportantly,strengthformsthebackboneofthecodeofmanhood.TodayI’dliketotalkaboutwhy.

WhyEveryManShouldBeStrong

Physicalstrengthconstitutesoneofthefewandmostsignificantdifferencesbetweenmenandwomen.

IftheProtectorrolerepresentsthecoreofmasculinity,thenphysicalstrengthformsitsverynucleus.It’sthefundamentalfactorastowhetheramancanholdhisowninafight–whetherhecanpushbackwhenpushed.It’sthuscentraltohowhumansviscerallyjudgeaman’smanliness.Youcancallitstupidorsillyorarchaic,butitallgoesbacktothewayweevaluatemen—couldtheykeeptheperimeterinacrisis?Thoughwenowliveinacomfortabletimeofpeace,thathasn’tchangedthefactthatmenandwomenalike(eventhemostprogressiveofthem)findmenwhoappearphysicallystrongandfitmorerespectable,authoritative,attractive—andmanly—thanmenwhoaren’t.Additionally,liftingboostsyourtestosterone,whichisthelifebloodofmasculinity.Thus,ifyouwanttofeelmorelikeaman(andbetreatedlikeone),youshouldseektobuildyourbody.

Buildingstrengthboostsyourphysicalandmentalhealth.

Obesitykills.ExercisingandraisingyourT(whichliftingweightsdoes)keepsyourbodyhealthyandcombatsdepression.NeedIsaymore?

Physicalstrengthispracticalandpreparesyouforanyexigency.

Eveninoursafe,suburbansociety,strengthstillcomesinhandy.IwanttoknowthatI’mstrongenoughtocarrysomeoneoutofaburninghometosafety(aswellasbeingabletosavemyownlifeinanemergency);IwantthestrengthtoliftheavybagsofmulchwhenI’mworkingaroundmyhouse;Iwanttobeabletoputawould-beattackerontheground.

Inaway,strengthcanbeclassifiedasanantifragility-increasingredundancy:mostofthetimewecanrelyonourtechandtoolstogetthejobdoneforus,butyouneverknowwhenyou’regoingtoneedtogetdowninthedirt,andwhenyoudo,you’llbegladtobeabletocalluponyourbodilystrength.Wheneverythingelsegetsstrippedaway,whatyou’vegotleftisthemostbasicofstruggles—muscleversusnatureandmuscleversusmuscle.

Physicalstrengthfosterswell-roundedexcellenceandalifeoffullflourishing.

Toooftenwethinkofstrength-buildingassomethingforshallowcadsanddumbbros.Wesetupafalsedichotomybetweenvirtueandstrength,brainsandbrawn.

Yetmanygreatmeninhistory,includingphilosophers,statesman,andwriters,rejectedthisphonydivide,andemphasizedtheimportanceofdevelopingbody,mind,andsoul.Theyunderstoodthatwithoutastrongbody,amanwillneverbeabletodevelophisothervirtuestotheirhighestpotential.

YoumaybefamiliarwithTheodoreRoosevelt’sconvictionofthistruth—howhetransformedaweak,sicklyboyhoodintoastrongandvirilemanhoodafterhisfatherdeclaredtohim:“Theodore,youhavethemind,butyouhavenotthebody,andwithoutthehelpofthebody,themindcannotgoasfarasitshould.Youmustmakeyourbody.”TRanswered,“Iwillmakemybody!”andspenttherestofhislifedoingso,vigorouslyboxing,wrestling,hiking,swimming,andhuntinguntilhisdeath.

Whatyoumaynotknow,isthatanotherofhistory’smosteminentmen,WinstonChurchill,hadanalmostidenticalstory.Hisbiographer,WilliamManchester,detailshistransformation:

“Sickly,anuncoordinatedweaklingwiththepalefragilehandsofagirl,speakingwithalispandaslightstutter,hehadbeenatthemercyofbullies.Theybeathim,ridiculedhim,andpeltedhimwithcricketballs.Tremblingandhumiliated,hehidinanearbywoods.Thiswashardlythestuffofwhichgladiatorsaremade.Hisonlyweaponswereanunconquerablewillandanincipientsenseofimmortality…

Beginningattheageofseven,Churchilldeliberatelysetouttochangehisnature,toprovethatbiologyneednotbedestiny.AnthonyStorr,theEnglishpsychiatristandauthorofHumanAggression,concludesthathe‘was,toamarkedextent,forcinghimselftogoagainsthisowninnernature.’AsaVictorian,Churchillbelievedhecouldbemasterofhisfate,andthatfaithsustainedhim,buteverythingwehavelearnedabouthumanmotivationsincethenunderscorestheimmensityofhisundertaking.W.H.Sheldonhasdelineatedthreedominantphysiques,eachwithitsconcomitantpersonalitytraits.Ofthethree—ectomorphic(slight),mesomorphic(muscular),andendomorphic(fat)—Churchillclearlyfellinthethirdcategory.Hisheadwasponderous,hislimbssmall,hisbellytumescent,hischestpuny.Hisskinwassosensitivethathebrokeintoarashunlessheslept

nakedatnightbetweensilksheets.Bydayhecouldwearonlysilkunderwearagainsthisskin.Endomorphsarecharacteristicallylazy,calculating,easygoing,andpredictable.Churchillwasnoneofthese.Healteredhisemotionalconstitutiontothatofanathlete,projectingtheimageofavaliant,indomitablebulldog.

Attimesalongthewayhedespaired.In1893hewrote,‘Iamcursedwithsofeebleabody,thatIcanhardlysupportthefatiguesoftheday.’Yethewasdeterminedtoprovejustashardyasanymesomorph.Inhisteenshenearlykilledhimselfwhileleapingfromabridgeduringagameoftag;hepitcheddownalmostthirtyfeetandlayunconsciousforthreedays.HefellagainsteeplechasingatAldershot,andyetagainwhendisembarkingatBombay,wherehepermanentlyinjuredashoulder;fortherestofhisactivelifeheplayedpolo,offandon,withhisarmboundtohisside.Asachildhecaughtpneumonia.Hesufferedfromchestailmentstherestofhislife.Hewasallergictoanestheticsandperiodicallyeruptedinboils.Nevertheless,herefusedtoyieldtohumanfrailty.Inhisinnerworldtherewasnoroomforconcessionstoweakness.Henevercomplainedoffatigue.InhisseventiethyearheflewtocouncilsofwaroverseassprawledacrossatickmattressonthefloorofanunheatedWorldWarIIbomber…Hewillberememberedasfreedom’schampioninitsdarkesthour,buthewillbecherishedasaman.”

ChurchillandTRunderstoodthatiftheywantedtodeveloptheirmindstotheirpeakexcellence,anddosomethingsignificantontheworldstage,theycouldnotspendtheirlivescurledupinbedreadingstacksofbooks.Instead,theywouldneedtheenergytotraveltheworldandexpandnotonlytheirmentalhorizons,buttheirphysicalonestoo—totesttheirmoralconvictionsandcognitivepowersinthereallifecrucibleofleadership.Astrongbodywouldtakethemwheretheyneededtobe,andhelpthemperformnoblyinthefield.Withoutphysicalstrength,theycouldneverhaveachieved,orbecome,allthattheydid.

Thus,ifyou’reinterestedindevelopingtoyourhighestpotential,youwoulddowelltofollowinthesegreatmen’sfootsteps,andseekwhattheancientsextolledasmenssanaincorporesano:asoundmindinasoundbody.

Buildingphysicalstrengthteacheslifelessons.

Inadditiontoofferingusliteralenergytotackleourpursuits,strength-buildingalsoimpartsmanymetaphoricallessonsaswell.Thepainanddedicationrequiredtoworkoutregularlyteachesyouaboutdiscipline,resilience,andhumility,amongotherthings.Inhismust-readessay,“TheIron,”musicianandartistHenryRollinssumsupthepowerthatliftingweightscanhaveinforgingaman’scharacter:

“IttookmeyearstofullyappreciatethevalueofthelessonsIhavelearnedfromtheIron.Iusedtothinkthatitwasmyadversary,thatIwastryingtoliftthatwhichdoesnotwanttobelifted.Iwaswrong.WhentheIrondoesn’twanttocomeoffthemat,it’sthekindestthingitcandoforyou.Ifitflewupandwentthroughtheceiling,itwouldn’tteachyouanything.That’sthewaytheIrontalkstoyou.Ittellsyouthatthematerialyouworkwithisthatwhichyouwillcometoresemble.Thatwhichyouworkagainstwillalwaysworkagainstyou.

Itwasn’tuntilmylatetwentiesthatIlearnedthatbyworkingoutIhadgivenmyselfagreatgift.Ilearnedthatnothinggoodcomeswithoutworkandacertainamountofpain.WhenIfinishasetthatleavesmeshaking,Iknowmoreabout

myself.Whensomethinggetsbad,Iknowitcan’tbeasbadasthatworkout.

Iusedtofightthepain,butrecentlythisbecamecleartome:painisnotmyenemy;itismycalltogreatness.ButwhendealingwiththeIron,onemustbecarefultointerpretthepaincorrectly.MostinjuriesinvolvingtheIroncomefromego.Ioncespentafewweeksliftingweightthatmybodywasn’treadyforandspentafewmonthsnotpickingupanythingheavierthanafork.Trytoliftwhatyou’renotpreparedtoandtheIronwillteachyoualittlelessoninrestraintandself-control.

Ihavenevermetatrulystrongpersonwhodidn’thaveself-respect.Ithinkalotofinwardlyandoutwardlydirectedcontemptpassesitselfoffasself-respect:theideaofraisingyourselfbysteppingonsomeone’sshouldersinsteadofdoingityourself.WhenIseeguysworkingoutforcosmeticreasons,Iseevanityexposingthemintheworstway,ascartooncharacters,billboardsforimbalanceandinsecurity.Strengthrevealsitselfthroughcharacter.”

Strengthactsasthebackbonetoourvirtue.

Notonlydoesstrength-buildingdevelopone’scharacterandvirtue,itprovidesthenecessarybackbone–theproperframework–onwhichtobuildourmoralvalues.Thecloakofvirtuehangsveryawkwardlyonamanwithoutfireandfight;itdroopsandsagswhendrapedacrossastructurethatlacksstrengthandfirmness.Weallknowamiablemenwhoaresicklythinorgrosslyoverweight,wholooklikethey’dburstintotearsifabullybroketheirwalkingstickandwouldgetwindedmountingaflightofstairs.Thesemealymenprofesstobeniceguys,perfectgentlemen,butwedon’trespectthemasmen,orgentlemeneither.They’regoodmen,butnotgoodatbeingmen.

Strengthsecuresourvirtueontous.

Thereasonwemaylikeanicebutfeebleman,butnotthinkofhimasmanly,isbecausehisclaimtovirtueisweakifhedoesn’thavethevirilefortitudeandstrengthtobackitupwhenchallenged.Whatgoodareintellectualachievementsandmoralprinciples,ifthosewhoholdandcultivatethemaresubduedbythosewhocarenothingforthesehighervalues?It’simportanttohaveprinciples,butareyoupreparedtofightforyourprinciples?Likewise,canyoutrulysayyou’rea“goodfamilyman”ifyoucouldeasilybeoutmuscledbyabadguytryingtogetatyourwifeandkids?

AsTRputit:

“Iliketohavethemanwhoasacitizenfeels,whenawrongisdonetothecommunitybyanyone,whenthereisanexhibitionofcorruptionorbetrayaloftrust,ordemagogyorviolence,orbrutality,notthatheisshockedandhorrifiedandwouldliketogohome;butIwanttohavehimfeelthedeterminationtoputthewrong-doerdown,tomakethemanwhodoeswrongawarethatthedecentmanisnotonlyhissuperiorindecency,buthissuperiorinstrength.”

Strength-buildinghonorsyourancestors.

Beforemodernity,amanhadtobephysicallystronginordertosurviveandreproduce.Whetherbattlingtheelementsorothermen,ourancestorshadtorelyonlyontheircunningandphysicalstrengthtocomeoffastheconqueror.Themenwhotriedtoprovethemselvesinbattlesorhunts,daredtodogreatthings,andhadthephysicalstrengthtosurmountanyobstacleweretheoneswhowereabletofatherchildrenandpassontheirgenes.Theoneswhodidnottakethegamble,ordidnothavethestrengthandprowessoftheirpeers,diedchildless,andtheirhaplessgenesdiedwiththem.

Whatthismeansisthatwearealldescendedfromthestrongest,fastest,smartest,bravest

menofthepast—theworld’salphamales.Itisnostretchtoconclude(asDr.RoyBaumeisterdoesinIsThereAnythingGoodAboutMen?)thatthebloodofgreatnessrunsthroughourveins.

So,whatareyoudoingwiththatgeneticinheritance?

Playingvideogames?

Sittingalldaywhilestuffingyourfacewithtaquitos?

In“TrainforHonor,”anessayincludedinthebookSkyWithoutEagles,writerJackDonovanarguesthatweshameourmanlyforebearersbysquanderingthelegacyofphysicalstrengththey’veleftinourgenes.“Imaginethedisgustandcontemptourancestorswouldhaveforusalliftheylinedupmodernmenonthestreet,”writesDonovan.

Whenwetraintobephysicallystrong,weshowreverenceandhonorforthemenwhocamebeforeusthathadtobephysicallystrongsothatwemightexistandenjoythecomfortswehavetoday.Performingadeadliftislikelightingavotivecandleforourmanlyancestors.

Strength-buildingsimplyfeelsawesome,andmanly…andawesomelymanly.

Finally,besidesthepracticalandcharacter-buildingbenefitsthataccruetothephysicallystrong,itjustfeelsawesomeknowingyoucanhoistalotofweightofftheground.ThefirsttimeIdeadlifted450lbsandsawthebarbendinginthemirror,Ifeltlikeabeast.Iletoutaprimalshoutofachievementandcarriedthatfeelingwithmetherestoftheweek.

Doingwhatyourbodyismeantfor,whatitevolvedfor,isanincrediblefeeling.Andtogoyourwholelifewithoutexperiencingthisfeeling,atitspeak,isagreatshame.ThisisatruththatevenSocratespreachedwaybackinancientGreece.Whenthephilosophersawayoungmaninpoorphysicalcondition,headmonishedhimbysaying:“Itisadisgracetogrowoldthroughsheercarelessnessbeforeseeingwhatmannerofmanyoumaybecomebydevelopingyourbodilystrengthandbeautytotheirhighestlimit.”

WhatDoesItMeantoBeStrong?

Noteverymanhasthephysiologicalmake-uptogethugeandripped.Buteverymancanbecomestrongerthanheisnow.Whateveryourotherinterests,nomatteryourbuild,ifyouwanttofeelyourmostvirile,youneedtogetacquaintedwiththeiron.

Nowtheidealofstrengthissomethinggreatlydebated,andhaschangedovertime.Withoutdeliberateworkoutsandasteadysourceofprotein,primitivetribesmenwereprettyslender.Spartanwarriorswereripped.Great-grandpaoftenhadthesinewybuildthatcomesfrommanuallabor.Thesedays,somemenconcentrateonsizeandseekabodybuildingphysique,whileothersdon’tcareasmuchaboutgettingbigandfocusinsteadon“functionalstrength.”

Personally,Idon’tthinkitmattersmuchexactlywhatyourgoalsare,aslongasyou’redoingsomething.Theimportantthingisfindingaworkoutpaththatyoulove,thatinspiresyoutogetmovingandbuildmuscle,andthatyou’regoingtostickwith.Evenifyourmainpassionissomethinglikerunning,ifyouwanttobeinitforthelonghaulyouwouldbewell-servedtomakestrength-buildingexercisesanessentialpartofyourroutine.

IwillsaythatIdon’tthinkyoushouldgetsohugethatyourmobilityandcardiovascularsystemiscrap,andthatyoucan’trunamileatagoodclip.Norshouldyouneglectthestrengthpartoffunctionalstrengthbydoingsomanyreps,sofast,thatyoudon’tincreaseyourmusclemass.Ifyoueverdoneedtosay,liftalogoffyou,it’sgoingtobeheavy,andit’sgoingtobesomethingyouonlydoonce.

Butbetweenthoseextremes,therearetonsofoptions.Ichangeupmyworkoutsallthetime.TherearetimeswhenIjustwanttoseehowbigIcanget.Itsoundsdumb,butit’sstrangelysatisfying.WhenI’mtrainingforsomethinglikeaGORUCK,someofmyworkoutswilljustbewalkingaroundmyneighborhoodwithabackpackfullof50lbsofbricksandstoppingeverynowandthenforsomepush-upsandsquats.Rightnow,I’vegottwo4-mileobstacleraces

comingup,soI’vebeenrunningmoreanddoingCrossFit-typeworkouts.Varyingmyworkoutskeepsitchallengingandkeepsmeinterested.

Conclusion

Strengthisadefiningattributeofmasculinity.It’stheliteralpowerthathasallowedgenerationsofmentoprotectandprovidefortheirfamilies.It’stheforcethatbuiltourskyscrapers,roads,andbridges.Whileourcurrentenvironmentdoesn’trequireustobestrong,developingourphysicalstrengthisstillaworthwhilepursuit,foritlaysafoundationfordevelopingtheCompleteMan.

Strivetodaytobecomestrongerthanyouwereyesterday.Ipromiseasyoudoso,you’llseeatransformationnotonlyinyourbody,butalsoyourmindandspirit.

Viresethonestas.Strengthandhonor.

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