The labors of Herakles - Slay the Nemean lion

Most of use are familiar with Herakles in Greek or Hercules in Roman mythology. Who has not heard of him, the man with incredible strength who succeeded in the most impossible tasks given to him.  What can we learn about this ancient hero and his legacy? Hold tight... in this series we will discuss the labors or Herakles/Hercules.

1. Slay the Nemean Lion

2.Slay the Lernean Hydra

3. Capture the Ceryneian Hind

4. Capture the Erymantian Boar

5. Clean the Augean stables in a single day

6. Slay the Stymphalean birds

7. Capture the Cretan bull

8. Steal the Mares of Diomedes

9. Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta

10. Obtain the cattle of the monster Geryon

11. Steal the Apples of Hesperides

12. Capture and bring back Cerberus

The ultimate workout: The labors of Herakles
It works like this. Each labor has a certain theme. Around this theme you will make a challenge for yourself. As example I will put my own challenges from my own personal labors.

Credit paramount pictures from the movie Hercules

1. Slay the Nemean lion

King Eurystheus decided Hercules' first task would be to bring him the skin of an invulnerable lion which terrorized the hills around Nemea. Setting out on such a seemingly impossible labor, Hercules came to a town called Cleonae, where he stayed at the house of a poor workman-for-hire, Molorchus. When his host offered to sacrifice an animal to pray for a safe lion hunt, Hercules asked him to wait 30 days. If the hero returned with the lion's skin, they would sacrifice to Zeus, king of the gods. If Hercules died trying to kill the lion, Molorchus agreed to sacrifice instead to Hercules, as a hero. 

Nemea: the ruins of the temple of Zeus
Photograph courtesy of the Department of Archaeology, Boston University, Saul S. Weinberg Collection

When Hercules got to Nemea and began tracking the terrible lion, he soon discovered his arrows were useless against the beast. Hercules picked up his club and went after the lion. Following it to a cave which had two entrances, Hercules blocked one of the doorways, then approached the fierce lion through the other. Grasping the lion in his mighty arms, and ignoring its powerful claws, he held it tightly until he'd choked it to death.

Hercules returned to Cleonae, carrying the dead lion, and found Molorchus on the 30th day after he'd left for the hunt. Instead of sacrificing to Hercules as a dead man, Molorchus and Hercules were able to sacrifice together, to Zeus.

When Hercules made it back to Mycenae, Eurystheus was amazed that the hero had managed such an impossible task. The king became afraid of Hercules, and forbade him from entering through the gates of the city. Furthermore, Eurystheus had a large bronze jar made and buried partway in the earth, where he could hide from Hercules if need be. After that, Eurystheus sent his commands to Hercules through a herald, refusing to see the powerful hero face to face

Hercules would need his enormous strength to strangle the lion to death. The theme in this labor would be strength.

My labour:

My personal goal was to squat 2 x times bodyweight and same for deadlift for 5 reps. Back then it was a deadlift and squat of 200kg. I planned this carefully with a progressive overload schedule. Read how to do it in: "Become as strong as Milo of Croton" and worked hard towards my goal and succeeded. The lion was slain. What will be your lion to slay?

Let me know in the comments below, always curious for hear. If you want more information on how to start your first labor or help in the process of doing so let me know by filling in the contact form below.