You mentioned the natural strength you've seen growing up in a farm/ranch/oil community, & I was thinking of this myself today. I moved a 50 lb bag of molasses in the garage - same stuff that gets mixed into livestock feed. The movement & smell took me back to when I was as young as 11 or so, & I could lift, load, carry & dump 20-30 of those fifties on an average morning. I don't know how on earth to get back to a place of true & useful strength like that. I don't have the time to start ranching,
& I'd be bored out of my mind spending my rare & precious alone time in a weight room. Iella's idea of a punching bag might work with the right kind of music. Not sure where it would go though.
I'm not working out at all these days. My oldest tried to stand on my stomach yesterday, & it hurt! I've gone all soft & wimpy.
I should've hired out to load square bales onto trailers this summer.