How strong can a human really get? From freak lifts and lab-enhanced performance to strength in bodies that defy the odds, The Limits of Human Strength explores the physical, ethical, and emotional frontiers of what it means to be powerful. This six-part series dives into evolution, muscle, machines, and mindset — not to define strength, but to test its edges.

Before a single rep is lifted, real strength begins with something deeper. It’s not the sweat, the sets, or even the soreness that defines it — it’s the why behind the work. In this opening article of the “Prerequisites for Strength” series, we dig beneath the surface to uncover what strength is truly built on: purpose, self-awareness, and the systems that make effort sustainable. Because without the right foundation, effort alone turns into exhaustion, not progress. 🧱💪