Top 10 Most Physically Demanding Careers

Most of us have listened to many a songs talking about their seemingly boring time at work. A nine-to-five drag in a cubicle, that’s how it is mostly described by some. By some others, it is referred as a lesser boring affair. However, we have the image of us doing work on a superhuman-level efficiency. That’s not the case, though, as most of us have the comfort of an air conditioned office at our work. But, backbreaking labour, gut wrenching efforts and infinitely long working hours are an everyday affair for most of the people who are employed under the careers which are listed here. Word of caution: if you want to “sow your wild oat” and wish to undertake one of these professions, ensure you’re a good three week into solid, daily workouts. Just a piece of advice.

10. Construction Workers

Granted, even I thought this would make at least the top five of this list. However, the scope of the study is immense, and being listed is a feat in itself. But, frankly, this was easy to call. Construction workers toil away endlessly for days and nights (actually, day shifts and night shifts, though that does not take away anything from the workers) for meager amounts of money. Transporting building material, wearing protective gear under the scorching sun and braving heights fit the job profile of a construction worker. Furthermore, due to long hours, some construction workers are exhausted and most are milked completely. No wonder they’re built!

9. Cocoa Farmers

Yes, chocolates are delicious. So much so, most of us are borderline (or complete) addicts. But, here’s the sad truth. We may have to stash up on chocolates, or at least cocoa, since the condition the cocoa farmers are in flings the future of chocolates in jeopardy. The thought of no chocolates is blasphemous, at least to me. This is due to the fact that cocoa is extremely hard to produce, and the process is not exactly what one would call “cost effective”. This is partly due to the labour required, the preparation which goes into creating an ideal location to build a plantation and the various miscellaneous items which are required for setting up/upkeep. The planting, maintaining and weeding of the plants is enough to give you that rock hard, poster boy body; but for the price of comfort.

8. Farmers

Now, cocoa farmers had a separate post for the unique plagues it is haunted by. However, farmers in general have it tougher than most other people. The long work hours, intensively laborious work and immense loads of harvest can test the mettle of even the fittest person on the world. But, these farmers take it on themselves everyday. I know I could never have woken up day and night to plough, plant and reap. I’ve excluded irrigation and weeding and various other activities, because it tires me just imagining that. No wonder some people look so built in rural areas, they lift weights (almost) as heavy as Stallone himself! (Yes, I do mean as heavy as Stallone.)

7. Fishermen

Not only one of the most physically demanding, this can easily be featured on the most disgusting jobs as well. As a fisherman, one has to either wallow in shallow water, or venture into the deep. Unfortunately, both these alternatives are taxing. Each requires fishing nets to be set, and once full, pulled out of the water. This implies a large amount of physical work all around. Further, this work may be doubled if a lot of other “miscellaneous” stuff swimming in water bodies nowadays are caught instead of fish. And people thought water pollution was harmful only to aquatic animals. Maybe, since now we have a selfish motive, we’ll start taking this seriously. Maybe.

6. Miners

For all of you who are unable to stick to a diet and a workout schedule, you’re better off being a miner. Not only are their jobs immensely laborious (smacking away on hard rocks with a pick-axe qualifies as laborious), but there is always the constant fear of the land collapsing on you. If that, combined with the intensive efforts, does not get you sweating bullets, then you may as well stuff yourself with cakes: you won’t be losing any weight anyway!

5. Lumberjacks

We all remember Hugh Jackman from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, when he was smitten with his mind controlling partner. He was living in a cabin deep in the woods, and worked as a lumberjack. That was the explanation of his chiseled body. Yes, the canon actually conveys this message. So, the fact that lumberjacks are some of the fittest men and the profession itself is very demanding, is blindly apparent. Of course, not all are as appealing as Hugh Jackman. But, then again, not everyone is Wolverine, I guess.

4. Oil Rig Workers

This is a surprising entry in this list, and especially at its position. However, oil rig workers have the looming shadow of transporting heavy cargo, managing some of the most dangerous machine known to mankind and work from unimaginable heights. Furthermore, there are toxic AND flammable wastes which are waiting to devour flesh if anything goes wrong. This may be the only job where you can do everything right and still die, because you forgot to put on a yellow suit in the presence of a radioactive suit. That’s harsh. (Note: The yellow suit is completely subjective. There may be other colours of protective gear available.)

3. Firefighters

Yes, most dreamy scenarios of many women feature a brave firefighter busting through doors and walls alike, saving them and putting out the fire using a hose. However, upon further thought, one would realise why almost all firemen are “hunky”, so to speak. The fact that they have to literally tear through buildings using just an axe, while the heavy gear they wear bogs them down, and transport people to safety is just the beginning to understanding the limits of a firefighters physical strength. Also, the water which spurts from the hose is under high pressure. I for one am confident that I’d be thrown by the sheer recoil of the pipe. Therefore, I’ve vowed to never play with matchsticks. Precaution is better than cure, after all.

2. Soldiers

There’s no question to the hardships a person has to go through to join the armed forces of his/her country. The intense training, inhuman tasks and insane instructors are only a part of the package deal fabricated in Hell itself, which every aspiring soldier has to accept with a smile. Completing an obstacle course under severe conditions, trekking hundreds of kilometers in full gear and doing thousands of push ups are some of the “activities” of a soldier. Though, after military training, discipline becomes a second skin for people. And, obviously, all soldiers are at the peak of physical strength. At all times.

1. Astronauts

This entry is the embodiment of the scope of this article. It’s quite ironic that a career deemed as the most physically demanding on this planet is actually leaving it. However, each aspiring space traveler is required to undergo intense physical training, which includes movement in zero gravity and withstanding a huge amount of pressure, to ensure success of the operation as a whole. The danger in space is infinite, much like space itself, and so are the things trying to kill you. Since the universe is literally a huge bunch of nothing with some stars in it, there is no task more daunting than entering into the unknown. This places astronauts into a league of their own in terms of physical capabilities.

The sole thought of any one of these jobs makes me cringe and uncomfortable. Irrespective of what any person would claim, there is always at least one job which would be tougher and more demanding than the “rut”, I would say, he/she would be stuck in. Unless, of course, you’re an astronaut (recursion FTW!). All jokes aside, all of these careers are extremely difficult. The fact that there are people who complete their tasks day in and day out is commendable. If you’re a part of any one, you are awesome!

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