Can Gorillas Become Hardcore Bodybuilders? Exploring the Potential Strength Gains

Gorillas' Natural Strength and Lifestyle

Gorillas are already incredibly strong from their natural lifestyle of lounging around and eating leaves all day. Their muscular physique is a result of their natural activities and diet. However, the idea of training gorillas to be hardcore bodybuilders with a proper regimen and protein shakes could be an interesting experiment.

While gorillas can potentially get stronger with proper training and increased protein intake, the extent of their strength gains may not be significant compared to their already impressive strength. The average weight of a silverback gorilla is around 160kg, with larger specimens weighing up to 195kg. Doubling their weight would not be feasible for significant strength gains.

The Impact of Diet and Exercise on Gorillas

The diet of western lowland gorillas consists of approximately 24.3% protein. Increasing their protein intake could disturb the balance of their macros and affect their digestion. Gorillas have a natural balance of macros in their diet, particularly short-chain fatty acids, which ferment the fiber they consume. Disturbing this balance by increasing protein intake could have negative effects on their digestion.

The exercise-muscle size relationship in animals, including gorillas, is different from humans. Animals need to be naturally strong to survive in the wild, while humans have the ability to allocate more metabolism towards muscle growth based on their needs. Gorillas are already at their peak strength due to their natural lifestyle and diet. Additional training and protein intake may not significantly increase their strength beyond their already impressive levels.

Practical Strength and Adaptation

Men with physically demanding jobs like roofing tend to have higher functional strength compared to bodybuilders and weightlifters. This suggests that strength gained through natural activities may be more practical and functional than that gained in the gym. Changing the diet and exercise of gorillas could potentially make them less adapted to their natural environment and hinder their ability to thrive.

The idea of training gorillas in a gym with a smith machine that rewards them with a steak sandwich when they hit personal bests could be an interesting way to motivate them. Adding 20 pounds to each rep for gorillas in the gym could further challenge their muscles and potentially lead to strength gains. However, it is important to consider the potential impact on their natural lifestyle and adaptation.

while training gorillas to become bodybuilders and providing them with protein shakes may not be inherently inhumane, it is unlikely to result in significant strength gains beyond their already impressive natural strength. Gorillas are already at their peak strength due to their natural lifestyle and diet, and altering their diet and exercise could have negative effects on their digestion and adaptation to their natural environment.