If you want to impress your friends by using a throwback word from the 90’s to describe someone who’s got big muscles, go ahead and use yoked, but understand that all you’re doing is contributing to the further bastardization of the term.
If you’re willing to educate yourself a bit to find out the word’s actual meaning, then read on.
For years, yoked has been that catch-all term used to describe everything from someone who has big traps, ‘no-necks,’ as they used to say, all the way to someone who’s tall and also happens to have unusually large calves.
So, at the end of the day, alls yoked ends up meaning to your average Joe is ‘muscular’ but there are already way too many words that mean the same thing.
The problem is the vast majority aren’t nearly as specific enough in what they’re trying to describe when they use the word yoked.
As a result, no one knows what yoked really means, or how it’s any different than ‘jacked,’ ‘diesel,’ ‘swole,’ ‘beefy,’ or ‘brawny.’
Am I right?
That’s why I say, go to Urban Dictionary, or to dictionary.com or wherever, if you want just another superficial definition. Don’t bother me.
But if you want to know the true meaning of the word yoked and why aspiring to be yoked (as opposed to ‘jacked,’ ‘swole,’ ‘ripped’ etc.) is a worthwhile endeavor, then let’s get into the weeds.
What Does Yoked Mean To Most People?
As we stated earlier, yoked, as the word is currently used in the vernacular, means to be ‘well-built,’ having ‘big muscles,’ with a clear emphasis on ‘big,’ but to stop there would be shortchanging yourself because, like an onion, there are layers of hidden meaning lying beneath the surface.
To get to them, you just have to put your thinking cap on and start asking some good questions.
For example, what is the origin of the term? Does it come from the concept of being ‘equally yoked’ in the Bible, or something else? What is the correct usage of the word?
The Origin Of Yoked
It’s unclear who the first person to utter the word, yoked, was, but here’s what we do know.
Yoke is a unit of measurement from olden times i.e. yoke of oxen.
A yoke of oxen is simply a pair of oxen, as in two, but that’s because a yoke is also a device, typically a wooden beam, used to join two beasts of burden together.
A yoke of oxen is used to conduct farm labor, cultivating the land, or hauling loads of heavy materials.
Biblically, to be “equally yoked” means to be married to a fellow believer in Christ, presumably because both partners would be pulling the same wagon, so to speak, with equal amounts of effort, focus and determination.
The correct usage of the word, yoke, is the following: “The oxen that were yoked together this afternoon are in the barn resting,” or “Three yoke of oxen are needed to plough this two acres of land.”
So now you know where the word comes from, can infer its Biblical significance, and understand its correct usage, but what does any of this have to do with being strong, or having big muscles?
The Expression, “Strong As An Ox”
Certain expressions have stood the test of time.
My dad used to always say he “worked like a horse” when he was a waiter trying to earn enough money to pay his college tuition back in the late 60’s.
Nowadays, there’s no way you could possibly pay for college by working as a waiter (as a prostitute, yes), but putting that aside, “working like a horse” has a powerful connotation.
“Working like a horse” is like saying you’re working so hard that you almost feel exploited, like you’re merely considered a dumb animal who’s only purpose is to use your brute strength to lift things, conduct manual labor, or otherwise do the bidding of your boss like a slave all day.
It’s the same thing with the commonly used expression, “strong as an ox,” which also has a certain connotation, in this case, positive.
If I were to say, so and so is as, “strong as an ox,” what I’m really saying is:
1. This person has large muscles, just like an ox.
2. This person has defined muscles, just like a freaking ox!
3. This person is so strong they’re like an animal who’s job it is to lift, or pull things that weigh up to hundreds of pounds.
4. This person’s natural state of being is strong, making them similar to a damn ox!
5. This person has crazy endurance, in much the same way that an ox has extremely high levels of endurance to do the work it does.
6. This person is so percolating with testosterone that their hormonal profile is similar to that of an ox, or other (fill in the blank) farm animal.
7. This person has the sexual endowment and stamina of a farm animal!
It all boils down to the positive connotation a phrase like, ‘strong as an ox’ has.
Note: Technically, an ox is a castrated bull, although not many people know that, but regardless, it still amazes me that an ox is as strong as it is, despite the fact that it’s had its balls amputated.
But the point is, wouldn’t you like to be associated with the seven characteristics I mentioned above?
If your answer is no, this isn’t the site for you and you should leave now.
No, seriously.
Yoked And The Power Of Word Association
So, getting back to the word, yoked, its power lies in the words and phrases associated with it.
Words and phrases like, ‘ox,’ ‘strong as an ox’ along with all the imagery and visuals these newly associated words conjure up.
You picture an enormous animal that’s built like a tank and weighing thousands of pounds pulling a tremendous load of weight effortlessly and its muscles rippling as it walks.
And then all those positive characteristics we mentioned earlier being conferred onto the subject of the sentence, by virtue of the modifier, ‘yoked.’
It’s powerful stuff.
Why ‘Jacked,’ ‘Swole,’ ‘Diesel’ And ‘Ripped’ Are Inferior States Of Being (In Comparison To Being Yoked)
That’s why the only other word in the same class as yoked when it comes to describing someone who’s muscular is ‘ripped,’ but even ‘ripped’ falls short.
At least ‘ripped’ has the connotation of someone who’s shirt is ripping, or ripped, due to the fabric of the shirt stretching as the subject’s muscles expand, like the Incredible Hulk, or like Hulk Hogan when he used to rip his tank top in half before climbing into the wresting ring.
But, then you have to contend with the negative connotation The Incredible Hulk has, which is that he has green skin, and the only reason he was strong was because he was exposed gamma radiation.
Hulk Hogan was a big guy, for sure, but he’s also admitted to taking steroids, something that we’re firmly against, here at FezGarcia.com
And that’s the problem with some of these other terms, like ‘jacked,’ ‘swole,’ and ‘diesel’ as well, which clearly suggest big muscles, but don’t give any indication as to whether a person may have used steroid drugs in order to get that way.
For all we know, someone considered to be ‘jacked’ might have used numerous steroid cycles in order to build that physique. The same goes for ‘swole’ and ‘diesel’ (with the connotation of ‘diesel’ being like a truck, machine-like, manmade, or unnatural, which nearly makes the steroid connection without explicitly saying it).
But here’s where yoked shines because it’s a word that not only has all of the positive connotations we already mentioned, but it also suggests that a person built a strong, muscular physique through all NATURAL means because of the associated word, ‘farm.’
Because what could be healthier than to be yoked, like an ox, as strong as an ox, and built that way from “working” (i.e. weight training) on a ‘farm’ (i.e. healthy eating and lifestyle) ‘living off the land’?
Heck, Superman grew up on a farm too, so now you can even add that into the mix.
I think you’ll agree that yoked just wins hands down if you take the time to analyze what the word actually means and compare that to pretty much every other word that’s currently being used to describe someone who has big muscles.
Do You Want To Get Yoked In Every Sense Of The Word?
I hope your interest has been piqued and that you’re open to learning more about how to achieve a truly yoked look and physique in every sense of the word.
What I mean by a yoked look, or physique is:
- A strong, muscular body built through all NATURAL means (no steroids or weird supplements needed).
- Optimized testosterone levels, so you look and feel like an aggressive animal in every facet of your life.
- Rehabilitated past injuries that were preventing you from working out properly and getting in shape.
- A healthy, youthful appearance.
- An air of masculinity and sexual potency wherever you go.
I don’t understand people who take steroids knowing that they’re putting their future sexual health at risk.
Hypogonadism does not sound like fun (read the study on anabolic steroid-induced hypogonadism by clicking on this link). It’s much better to build your body the all natural way.
Your humble trainer,
Read next: 10 Best Bodybuilding Podcasts (2020)