Hidden Power: How to Get Strong Without Getting Big 

Sorry about the sound issues on this one - broken mic! But it’s good news as I should have a sound upgrade in time for the next video :-)

My hidden strength is to get bigger without getting stronger.

also remember to always carry ALL the groceries in at once. ALL the groceries.

Summary: 1. Pushing or pulling things that you can't move over and over 2. Repeat the same movement (push-ups or other exercises) throughout the day 3. Doing complex movements like farmers 4. Explosive (fast) movement to use strength quickly

Farmer strength is as real as it gets, my grandfather used to be a farmer for a good portion of his life and now in his 80's he can lift more than my father could in his 30's.

"I don't want to get too big." "Don't worry, you wont."

1:59 Daughter: What is daddy doing? Mom: get away from the windows before daddy uses you as a resistance machine

Farmer strength is real. I was a recreational powerlifter for 2 decades, and I felt like I was fairly strong. But my Filipino father in law, who’s half my size, does stuff that blows my mind, and the only “lifting” he’s ever done is rice farming for 60 years…..

Dad strength is no joke, I used to call my kids my little kettlebells. They always wanted me to pick them up and swing them around ☺️ or going rucking with them in a hiking kid carrier. It's a nearly perfect progressive overload.

Farmer Strength: The ability to hold a heavy, awkward object over your head in an odd position with one hand for five minutes while trying to get a screw started in a hole on the other side of the object that you can't really see with the other hand.

I feel like he's secretly telling us he's training to be Batman...

Thank you for putting Pattinson's batman in here. I see people complaining about his physique and I keep trying to emphasize how strong and effective you can be without being a huge muscle man, especially as a fighter

3:00 Using our muscle to full extent satistics 4:40 How fighters are better then body builders when it comes to fighting 7:00 Father/farmer strength 8:45 Back to farmer/father strength 10:20 Explanation of growing without getting bigger 10:45 Explosive movements

I managed avoiding getting big; however, I also stayed weak.

As a boxer who is trying to stay the same weightclass while wanting to become stronger, this is really useful

Im 164Ibs 5'6" 33years . I've went into functionality and calisthenics and man I feel stronger than I was at 190Ibs when I was wanting size. Did a massive cut and total routine change. Getting into mountainbiking and a new routine in workouts was the best things I've ever done for my physical well being.

I think an important component a lot of people tend to forget is the individual biomechanics. Like some people have "longer" muscles in certain areas that - even with technically the same mass - will look "smaller" or less bulky. Or just relative lenghts of different body parts to each other which will just make certain movements easier. Then there's also some other specifics that aren't directly tied to muscular strenght but things like your lung capacity, your bloods capacity to carry oxygen etc.

Every girl thinks her father's a superhero. Your daughter, Adam, KNOWS IT.

I knew a guy never lifted a weight but grew up on a farm and when we took him to gym he lifted 350 lbs we were amazed

I'm an athlete that want to get stronger but don't want to lose my agility, speed and stamina so this was really helpful!

This actually explains a lot for me, thank you. I was sick at the beginning of the year and as a result I lost a lot of weight but also a lot of muscle mass yet I still find I'm stronger than people I know who are twice my size or absolutely shredded. I've had strong tendons and an iron grip for years and luckily the sickness didn't rob me of them. Currently I'm working on getting back in good shape so this information is really useful 👍

It's all about the core, in my opinion... a strong core can act as a crazy strength multiplyer for most body movements... a strong core adds that extra velocity to the movement and really maximizes your output...

Guy I went to school with grew up on the farm. He beat every other athletic person including myself at most squats, pushups, situps. He didn't even play any sport.

What's most impressive, is your 1. Leg strength, and body control. Your static strength is really truly great. I definitely learned much useful information. Thank you for creating this RU-vid video, it should help many people develop greater strength. This would help aspiring powerlifters as well, this could help them, when they reach a "sticking point", to move beyond such. Increasing strength isn't just increasing the size and strength of one's muscles, as you pointed out.

I’ve been rock climbing for a year now just for fun, and I started in pretty good shape: 155 pounds. A year later I’m 140 and stronger than I was back then. The weird contortions you have to put yourself in to climb harder routes makes you really naturally good at calisthenics. My body has adjusted to its own weight, and I feel like I can move around more easily than most. One con to training like this: if all you do is climb your body will adjust to climbing, and you’ll need to train antagonist muscles. But even so, I’m skinnier than all my friends and pretty much as strong or stronger than them. (Also, working out is a lot easier when you actually have fun lol)

The more strength you can build in a smaller lighter package, the more you can do with your body.

1.strip down fat 2.tendon strength 3.overcoming isometrics 4.greasing the groove 5.animal movements 6.compound movements 7.grip strength 8.explosive movements(plyometrics) im rewatching all of adams videos this lockdown so i can fullfill my dream of becominga superhero lol love ya videos!

Thank you so much for the info on gaining strength, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for these past years. Blessings to you

A lot of good advice. I weigh 168 lbs. and I do a lot planks and isometrics and pull-ups to maintain strength with yoga mixed in to stay flexible.

Imagine a farmer who’s a dad They must some next super being

The farmer thing is real. Lived on a farm a few years, the farmers son spent his days lifting hay bales around. I got him into doing lifting, he was deadlifting 250kg for reps within a few months and that was in his late teens. He's gone into proffesssional shotputting now.

Hi Mate, I've slimmed down on purpose not to have bulk & I feel better, what you just taught me is the next step. Your knowledge is appreciated. Thank you

This video is gold. Now i understand why it's so important to use the full range of motion on an exercise, instead of rushing to get the number of reps in. Control is king.

Coming from a combat sports background, the desire to get big without a functional base was always foreign to me. To me, getting bigger means having to move up a weight class and fighting guys who would not only be the same weight, but also taller, longer and have less aerobic demands on their bodies. Getting strong, more explosive and having more endurance for your natural weight class has always made more sense to me haha. So I'm grateful channels like yours exist for this reason

My dad is a farmer and at 65 he is a lot stronger than guys who hit the gym. He is very fast and graceful with a machete and cuts grass, bamboo, bananas. Wish I had a lifestyle like him istead of a cushioned urban lifestyle.

Bonus tip: train Jiu Jitsu Folks who have been rolling a few years are usually way stronger than they appear physically.

This explains why I always felt like I got really strong (for my build) the summers I worked in a warehouse attached to a store despite not getting big. I would be lifting bulky and awkward hundred pound boxes as a 160 lb, slightly chubby, 5'8" nerd. By the end of summer it would be easy despite having gained maybe 5 pounds on the scale. I did these lifts all day, one at a time, a dozen or so minutes between each, with occasional bursts of lots of lifting (unloading a pallet on a shelf or receiving a truck shipment, etc.). Now I work an office job and work out way more consistently after work, but get zero during work. I actually miss the old job a little, until I remember the pay, the manager, and working at a fucking pool/outdoor furniture store.

Criminal: "Give me your wallet". Intended Victim: "I must warn you... I am a dad."

As someone who does kung fu, almost all our exercises are focused on toughening and strengthening our tendons, fast twitch muscles, our overall movement fluidity and flexibility and cardio. It ties in really well with weightlifting if you can balance both, so you find yourself getting bigger and stronger without losing speed or range of motion.

I'm 57 y/o and really liked this video. I've switched from weight training to calisthenics and am so much happier in doing so. I finally don't care about getting "bigger". For me I could never get as big as I'd like. Now I'm happy just getting stronger. 😊

Thanks. You're helping a lot of people over the years promoting a strong body. Flexibility exercises also help. The farmer strength is unique in a way due to the demands of unpredictable movements during the day also equivalent to a construction worker where balance, rotational motion, and resistance is against you at which any point if untrained can injure you instantly. Even without professional help, one learns balance and all sorts of contortions that a particular task may entail over time as it is mostly physical and repetitive while being at the mercy of mother nature most of the time, heat, cold, dust, smoke, wind, having to endure all these while performing the task as opposed to one doing all the reps in the world indoirs or in an air conditioned gym. Highest respect for people doing manual labor in these fields. Cheers. I just subscribed!

Farmer strenght is very real, my grandfather has been doing heavy manual work for all of his life. You wouldn't believe how big his arms are and how strong he is.

A friend of mine is a farmer, he isn't very fit and could stand to lose weight by his own admission; but I've never known him to lose an arm wrestling competition, and he puts it down to lugging barrels around all day

This channel deserves millions of subscribers, amazing content thank you!

I came to HS 6’ 175 and graduated 6’ 185. My bench went from 135-335 over the 4 years. The only thing I can chalk it up to up to present day (I still maintain similar shape with a bit of extra weight) is I lifted violently and purposefully. I wasn’t seeking aesthetics and time under tension, I pursued explosiveness and power. Now I mix this style in with lighter weight higher rep counts to focus a bit more on aesthetics.

His daughter is going to be more powerful than we can imagine

0:05 *The perfect rock to do goblet squats doesn't exi...*

i think this is one of the most important vids i watched in my life. Different approach, outside the box. Nice! Thanks.

I am interested in both, hypertrophy training and strength. Great video on this subject. Very informative about the different ways of working out and every strength that we use.

Witnessed farmer strength when my farmer uncle was still alive. I was 25 he was 25 years older. We had to lift the metal frame of some trailer thing, and where I was like struggling he just lifted it like it was nothing, while I had been training regularly for about 7 years and he hasn't touched a dumbbell in his life. Fun fact, since there was a scene in this video: He died this year without knowing who Batman is.

The secret is doing *multijoint* exercises. Most gym equipment is designed for isolating only one main muscle group, which means by doing them you increase their size, but you don't really connect muscle groups with each other. That's why for functional strength it is best to do exercises which engage whole body at once (pull ups, push ups, deadlifts, squats, hanging leg raises to the bar - basically most bodyweight exercises).

Strength over size. The number one prize. Jason altidor

Incredibly thorough, detailed, comprehensive, scientific and useful. I 'm really happy to have found you.

I've been farming most of my life...farmer strength is a thing! It's not just the small activities. Sure, we dig a hole for a post...but that's not the only post hole we dig, we have several miles needing a post every 16 feet...and it needed to be done yesterday. So, there we are at the end of a hard day, worn out and tired, with all our post holes dug and posts set....knowing tomorrow we get up bright and early to get all the animals fed, and other chores completed, before we can go back with a post driver and put the steel posts in between the posts we put in yesterday....all the while knowing we have several miles of wire to hang and stretch the next day, and cows that needed moving ages ago LOL It's not just the small activities...it's the daily routine, and the extra work done on top, and doing what needs to be done no matter how worn out or tired you are....so, we aren't just mysteriously strong, we're stubborn!

“Pushing tractors, wrestling pigs” I’m in tears!

Hi. I started watching your videos here and there a few years ago. Probably during the initial shelter-in-place of the COVID-19 reality. Anyway, watching this one was quite enjoyable as I have been of this mindset for years. I'm 63 and have both a physique and strength that I've never known before. It's interesting to be thinking about growing my body at this age of life. It is a gift that I thank my maker for constantly. Thanks for the validation and videos!

I did soccer, track and ran cross country when I was in school. The best shape I ever got in my life was actually when I went hiking into the woods behind my house and cleared a new path from the barn to the pump house so we could get to our well water easier. It was probably a 100ft elevation change over about 300 yards and my only tool was a machete.

Me: *Only cares about getting big* Also me: *Will absolutely watch this video until the end*

Don't you just HATE it when you wanna get stronger, but you just can't stop putting on size and end up looking really good when all u wanted was strentghtghthhg?

Working with a client from volleyball in the future so this was extremely helpful. Thank you for your insights.

A very fresh approach, absolutely amazing video bro

Basically military fitness. Ammo tin lift. Jerry can carry, jump burpees (aka bastards) squat thrusts , rope climb , cargo net climb, steeple chase ,(waist deep mud) log carry., all the horrible exercises no one does , but they get you seriously strong and fit. Brilliant video cheers

I visited Okinawa for Goju-Ryu training, and I was surprised to find out that some sensei’s were physically stronger than others, due to their actual jobs being farmers, construction workers, carpenters, etc. Hard labour doesn’t just keep a man honest, but also incredibly strong.

I’ve really been interested in this topic for a while and I’ve found doing full body strength training every day but never going to failure has worked best.

I think this approach to fitness is exactly what we need! Fitness principles instead of “exact science”. Also seeing the variety of movements you preform while speaking on the movement/subject is useful to inspire creative thinking to find movements that suit our bodies. Great content brother! Thank You🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Dad strength is real, I’ve felt it. My dad...

Dynamic and Irregular movements. As the lazy parasite of the house I have realized that doing the dishes trains your feet and core a bit, mopping/sweeping the floor helps your grip strength and arms, doing the laundry strengthen's your biceps and core. No wonder my mom's beatings hurt. (Don't worry I'm not abused, I'm Asian.) I guess it's time to train like a mother and be strong while actually being helpful.

Hey Bioneer, been watching you for a few months- you're a real inspiration and seem to be one of the realest fitness RU-vidrs and one that really knows what he's talking about. I had a video request and I think a lot of people would really appreciate it too. I'm 19 years old and at the moment I look like I don't really go to the gym. Not so much that I'm fat or anything but I look more like the skinny fat physique. I bring this up because I feel as if this video talks more about if you already had some muscle on you and I know that in order to have that farmer strength be really effective (to the point where you're as powerful as the biggest bodybuilders) you need a decent amount of muscle already- like the point where people can tell that you go to the gym but at the same time you're not happy with your level of strength. What I'm saying is that I think the video is more for people that already have that muscle but just want to improve their control over what they have. Would you mind making a video on this same topic, the hidden power "farmer strength" but if one had to start from zero essentially? I would really appreciate it, as I would love to become an MMA fighter without being slowed down by my size. Thanks Bioneer.

Very helpful video especially for combat sports athletes, many of them overlook this type of training and just end up fighting in higher weight class

Farmer strength in no myth. I've known too many of them.

I'm the farmer guy and when the body builders work with me , well, many lack endurance.

As always, The Bioneer: Delivers!! Well-Done!! Haven't been able, to get to view your videos, due to familial-obligations, that require my immediate attentions; although, I hope to be on your Patreon-list, by November! I look forward, to buying your ebook as well. My son, is very concerned, with not losing his thinness, for fear of becoming ''slow'', so I'm going to try to get him, to listen to (and try) your very sound counsel, concerning this program's advice. Excellent, by the way, as I've been strong (beyond my 'boney', under-nourished soul when young), I know, only because, of the types of movements you speak of here that I practiced when young, 'religiously', having no clue whatsoever -with zero guidance or reference!- that's how I can prove to myself conclusively, that YOU, Sir, KNOW exactly what you're talking about!! SALUTE!! (I was going by feelings/instinct/the seat of my pants!) I gradually, got bigger as I matured, and the 'look' I'm aming for, when I resume training, will be a kind of 'cross', betwixt an 'old-school'-bodybuilder (think, Chuck Sipes, or John Grimek) and that of a 'stocky'-gymnast (wish me luck! Better than luck, for I have in my 'arsenal', amongst other advanced 'weaponry', The Bioneer!) Much Success to You friend! P.S.: As a Dad, with a daughter of his own, I can attest to this with the 'authority' of experience; namely, your baby-girl, is adorable! And, just as mine used to, her constantly trying to get to see what Daddy is doing, makes her more so, and I know, brings you the kind of JOY, that those who(m) are not so blessed, cannot truly understand! Blessings friend, to You, Your Lady, Your precious little one. Take Care!

Glad I found your channel. This aligns to where I want to be, moving away from only traditional weight lifting.

video in summary: It's not about how you much muscle you have, it's about how you use the muscles

I have been living in a farm for a month and their strength has to do with working outdoors, they get better air, water, food and sunlight. Go Adam, go bioneer!

Love your channel! It’s the type of build and functionally I strive for.

An important difference between strength gained from the gym and strength from occupation is the motivation to keep going. If you decide not to workout out for a while you'll lose strength but if you stop working you'll lose everything.

As a martial artist, I try to increase speed and strength together with staying flexible. I don't just train for competitions with rules though, getting mugged, street fights, bar fights, etc., these are things that can happen at any time no matter how careful you are. While being bigger and having more muscle adds intimidation and makes people think twice about messing with you, there's no guarantee someone stronger or tougher or armed won't try something. That's why I would rather have more strength, speed and endurance if I come across those situations, because size isn't always going to work, but overall physical ability won't let you down. Thanks for the great video!

This is exactly what I wanted. More functional strength. Less bulk.

I hope you dive more in this bioneer, I’m really interested in learning this man.

Been doing these, and all Bruce Lee's ISO for years; first time "I" have seen someone explain this (other than my podcasts) - Great Job!!

Every kid you have equals 1 dad strength, step kid equals 1/2 dad strength, and adoptive children give you a fluctuating strength modifier based on the bond and exactly is much of a “dad” you are

I think something like farmer strength is what went on at my highschool. My school had a TON of stairs. You couldn’t go through the school day without having to trek at least 4 flights of stairs. Because of this and the weight of our backpacks, we all had pretty strong legs without knowing it. I only realized it when I went to run stairs later.

Dumbell Farmers Squats, Pull Ups, Box Jumps + lots of running.

Man the most underrated thing is training and eating for bone strength People always foreget it idk why???

People really look at you differently when you are in shape too. Does anyone else ever feel like we inadvertently make others nervous or something

lmao people act as if its that easy to get big or bulky.."oh, I dont wanna look like the hulk"..Don't worry, you wouldn't even if you tried

Excellent video and information. My late father was a great advocate for isometric training, having daily functional strength. As I have gotten older I have also embraced this mentality and training style. At 52yr...YOUNG, I feel better than I did in my 30's.

Absolutely the only place I go for fitness. Amazing channel.

My mom says back in the old days ppl who lived on the mountains were extremely strong

On "Farmer's Power' That is true. My great-grandfather worked all his life, when he was 6 he was going with the ox (s) and pushing this long manual plow, then when he was 16 he was breaking rocks with a hammer and finally after the second world war he became a fisherman-pulling his own boat by himself (long wooden boat that was made for 15 people/fishermen) by that time he was 89 years old. People were looking at him holding the boat with his right hand (his left hand had a crutch because his legs were shot by a Gatling gun during the war) ...so like I said with one hand he was pulling the boat at 89 all the way into the water by himself and then he was putting it back on the beach after he caught some fish. This man helped us all, his strength was unbelievable....was he muscular? Nope, he just had power....I never could win in an arm-wrestling match with him....not even when he was 97 years old.

Absolutely terrific info !! Thanks for presenting it in such a direct and meaningful manner!!

Wow exactly the kind of information I was looking for! Thanks you earned another sub!

jokes aside, this man is an absolute machine.

3:00 it's all fun and games till you get so strong that you end up ripping the thing and punching your face

Im 6' 2" & about 250lbs at 35 & probably in the worse shape of my life but i agree 100% in practical strength training. Iv dont alot of different jobs & any time ive been working construction or farming the weight just falls off & the strength just builds. Finally getting back into fitness & health after a long injury recovery & videos like this help tremendously

Great video! Thank you for focusing on this important issue. I never understood the obsession with aesthetic hypertrophy. Every single add or video you see talks about "bulking up" and "packing on mass" and "getting big"..... If hypertrophy happens as a side-effect of training, well ok. Performance and ability have always felt more important.

At age 72, still watching "fitness" vids. however, the focus is preserving as much muscle mass as I can isometric holds, pause for reduction of "stretch" rebound /ricochet reps, with consistent diet keeps a lower BF than you might expect in a golden oldie and can be conducive to higher functioning immune system, handy during this covid thing about 100 g of protein/day and a slew of other supps, some common and depending on your knowledge and willingness for 'advanced" vitality and longevity, lots of interesting stuff out there but consistency / mind-muscle connction is key

Nobody: Adam: OVERCOMING ISOMETRICS Keep up the good work tho 🙏

You're a legend man, I really like how well u explain things, calmed but continuously giving valuable information. Really really good video, thanks for it man, blessings!