A screenshot of Michael, Trevor, and Franklin looking at a phone in GTA 5
Image via Rockstar

Fastest way to increase Strength in GTA 5 Online

You don't even need to hit the Vespucci Beach gym.

GTA 5 Online has a variety of stats you can increase by completing activities across the open-world map. Strength is among the most important stats in your arsenal, doing far more than just increasing your melee damage.

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In GTA 5 Online you can explore Los Santos and the surrounding Blaine County freely, committing all manner of havoc you desire. Your custom character begins incredibly weak in almost every stat, with the only way to increase these stats being to complete specific activities related to your desired attribute.

The way to increase strength in GTA 5 may seem obvious, but it comes with massive benefits for your character. If you’re trying to rank up strength in GTA 5 Online fast, here’s what we recommend.

How to increase strength fast in GTA 5 Online

Walk of Fame in GTA 5 filled with NPCs
Even if you pay off the cops, you might want to avoid crowded areas. Image via Rockstar Games

It may appear overly simple, but the best and fastest way to increase your strength in GTA 5 is by punching and getting into fights. Although there are alternative methods, I highly recommend punching players or NPCs.

Before you get started on a punching frenzy, I recommend first following two steps: First, pay off any nearby cops. If you’re farming strength by yourself, this step is even more important. You can do this by approaching any nearby police officer and selecting the “Cops Turn Blind Eye” option. This only gives you about three minutes of mayhem, but you can rattle off punches fairly quickly.

If you have a friend to accompany you, I recommend you drive out of the city and into the rural areas to the north. Once you arrive at an isolated location, get out of the car while your friend remains inside the vehicle. Start punching the car with your companion still inside. Punching an occupied car registers as a regular punch onto another person, which helps build your strength. After about 20 punches, your strength skill will raise by one percent.

If you don’t want to risk cop involvement and don’t have somebody on hand to farm strength with, I recommend visiting the Grapeseed Farms. Strangely enough, no one will really care if you use the cows here as punching bags.

What does the Strength stat do in GTA 5 Online?

Strength in GTA 5 Online first and foremost increases your melee attack damage. Whether you’re holding a machete or just your fists, you’ll do more damage as your strength increases.

Melee damage isn’t the only purpose of the strength stat. Strength also increases damage reduction, improves your general skill at sports, and increases your climbing speed. There are five levels to strength, starting at Fragile and maxing out at Bodybuilder.


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Author
Blaine Polhamus
Staff Writer for Dot Esports. Avid gamer for two decades and gaming writer for three years. I'm a lover of anything Souls-like since 2011. I cover everything from single-player RPGs to MMOs.