The original bodybuilders were little more than glorified strongmen, using their hard-earned muscle mass to dazzle crowds with insane feats of strength. They were showing what muscle was capable of doing, not just what it was capable of looking like. The evolution toward posing trunks and clear, plastic heels brought with it a generation more concerned with the aesthetic of muscle than PRs, ripped phonebooks and anvil tosses.
Happily, training for performance has begun making its way back into the culture of fitness, giving weightlifters, powerlifters and modern-day strongmen a greater and more relevant voice in the media of muscle. As a result, iron lovers everywhere have rekindled their love for getting as strong as they possibly can, a pursuit laden with countless peripheral benefits.
Here are three that you should consider as you plan your next cycle of training.