# Alternative ways to develop physical strength? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 22, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662 "2015-03-22T04:26:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptainAmerica_1987)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/1 "2015-03-22T04:26:22Z")
Forgetting about weights for a second what are alternative ways to develop physical strength? I’m open to all possibilities. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/2 "2015-03-22T04:36:25Z")
Bodyweight exercises. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/3 "2015-03-22T04:45:20Z")
I was wondering about rock-climbing. Rock climbers often look pretty toned. Maybe ditch digging/shovelling dirt. That’s a full body work-out. ---
**Author:** ![CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptainAmerica_1987)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/4 "2015-03-22T06:24:55Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > Maybe ditch digging/shovelling dirt. That’s a full body work-out. You’ve got my attention on that one. Could you suggest a routine for something like that? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/5 "2015-03-22T06:36:34Z")
> [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](#): > > You’ve got my attention on that one. Could you suggest a routine for something like that? I have a special ditch digging/shoveling dirt training facility in my yard. Feel free to come by and use it any time. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/6 "2015-03-22T06:41:26Z")
> [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](#): > > You’ve got my attention on that one. Could you suggest a routine for something like that? Dig a hole and fill it back in! Ever see From Here to Eternity? Dig for about half the time you want to work out then start filling it back in. Know anybody with a wood stove? You could offer to split wood. Sprints work fast twitch muscle fibers too. Take a look at Olympic sprinters bodies versus those endurance runners. Walk with a pack / weighted vest. There’s weight but it’s not traditional strength training. Add 25% or so of your body weight and your lower body and core needs to work to manage and move the extra mass. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/7 "2015-03-22T07:48:18Z")
Have children. Up to 5 years of incremental weight lifting (more if you have more than 1). ---
**Author:** ![CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptainAmerica_1987)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/8 "2015-03-22T08:19:28Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > Dig a hole and fill it back in! Ever see From Here to Eternity? Dig for about half the time you want to work out then start filling it back in. > > Know anybody with a wood stove? You could offer to split wood. > > Sprints work fast twitch muscle fibers too. Take a look at Olympic sprinters bodies versus those endurance runners. > > Walk with a pack / weighted vest. There’s weight but it’s not traditional strength training. Add 25% or so of your body weight and your lower body and core needs to work to manage and move the extra mass. I mean how often to do it? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/9 "2015-03-22T09:41:27Z")
Have Thor bring Dr. Erskine back to life, and insist that he mass-produce some more Super Serum. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/10 "2015-03-22T16:26:24Z")
> [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](#): > > I mean how often to do it? A standard ditch digging training program is alternating days off with ditch digging days. Every third exercise day alternates between a lighter raking/hoing and heavier tree chopping. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/11 "2015-03-22T16:40:40Z")
> [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](#): > > You’ve got my attention on that one. Could you suggest a routine for something like that? Routine no ------ but there are Fed-Ex, UPS and Amazon shipping centers all over the country and for the most part all are part-time jobs. Twenty hours and change a week. Some people pay to go to the gym; I get a better work-out and collect a check every week. My weight is down, strength and energy up, and health is improved. And I got another 10 grand to blow on amusement parks and travel. All in all not a bad deal. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/12 "2015-03-22T16:44:05Z")
My older brother quit management at 42 years old and had never done physical work or worked out in his life. He started building room additions and doing remodeling. Within a year his body had transformed itself into a very hard working mans body. He gained about 30# of muscle . Funny thing was that I had done physical work all my life and he developed similar to my build. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/13 "2015-03-22T16:44:21Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > A standard ditch digging training program is alternating days off with ditch digging days. Every third exercise day alternates between a lighter raking/hoing and heavier tree chopping. And sand the floor – side to side – and wax on, right hand; wax off, left hand. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/14 "2015-03-22T16:56:17Z")
Steroids increase muscle mass even without an physical exercise whatsoever. [See here](http://people.emich.edu/smcgregor/Ergogenic%20Aids%202k4/Steroids/Proof%20of%20the%20effect%20of%20testosterone%20on%20skeletal%20muscle.pdf) – for some exercises, steroids increase strength to a greater extent that working out without them does. Of course, I’m not condoning illegal activity; just maybe try to take part in research studies on steroids or something. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/15 "2015-03-22T17:43:15Z")
Steroids Gamma rays Bite from a radioactive spider Alcohol Cocktail of PCP, meth and crack cocaine Increase the gravitational constant of the Earth until your body acclimates Move to Mars (you won’t actually be stronger, but everything will seem lighter) ---
**Author:** ![CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptainAmerica_1987)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/16 "2015-03-22T18:05:53Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Steroids > Gamma rays > Bite from a radioactive spider > Alcohol > Cocktail of PCP, meth and crack cocaine > Increase the gravitational constant of the Earth until your body acclimates > Move to Mars (you won’t actually be stronger, but everything will seem lighter) If I could move to Mars I would in a Flash 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/17 "2015-03-22T18:52:08Z")
Move a lot of furniture. When I worked for our university’s housing dept during the summers, the whole crew of people who were picked to move furniture exclusively (rather than spend 3/4ths of the time painting rooms like the rest of us) were completely ripped by the end of the summer, including all of the girls. ---
**Author:** ![CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptainAmerica_1987)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-ways-to-develop-physical-strength/715662/18 "2015-03-22T19:45:35Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > including all of the girls. Now that’s a picture I would like to see lol