How to increase strength in GTA Online (or how to get the strength up in GTA Online) is a question that gets asked quite often within the player base. Strength is one of the attributes of players' characters in Grand Theft Auto 5's multiplayer, along with others like Stamina, Shooting, Driving, and more. As you may have guessed, building strength helps you with physical tasks, making it an area to focus on for those who want to improve their character.
It is worth noting that one of the ways to get up health in GTA Online is by playing the game. However, the problem with that approach is that it can take a lot of time. That said, focusing on a couple of activities can help in increasing strength a tad faster than usual. What's interesting is that even beginners can use most of these activities.
For those interested in doing so, here is a guide on how to increase strength in GTA Online in 2025.
Note: The article is subjective to the writer's opinion and analysis on how to get strength up in GTA Online.
How to increase strength in GTA Online: Everything that you need to know to get strength up in 2025

The first thing to know about how to get strength up in GTA Online is fist fighting with pedestrians helps in it. Los Santos is a densely populated city with plenty of NPCs to go one-on-one with, and winning these fights will increase this statistic over time.
However, this behavior will eventually put a wanted level on you, and interference from cops can be annoying, as well as disruptive.
That being said, there are a few ways to stop the police from disturbing you in your quest to gain strength via fistfights, and all of them can be done solo.
Let;'s quickly take a look at three useful methods for those who want to know how to increase strength in GTA Online as quickly as possible:
1) How to increase strength in GTA Online via Pier Pressure method
Pier Pressure is a mission that can be started after attaining Rank 6 in GTA Online. The objective of this quest is to steal meth from The Lost and Vagos gangsters and deliver the package to Gerald. But that's not what you need to do after starting the mission.
Instead of going for the objective, start fighting with Los Santos' pedestrians. There should be several of them at and around the beach, so that's an area where you can head over to.
No matter how many NPCs you attack and take down, you will never get a wanted level while the Pier Pressure mission is active. But do make sure to only use your fists, and not any type of weapons, otherwise you won't be able to increase the strength
For those wondering how to increase strength in GTA Online with Pier Pressure, here's how to start it in 2025:
- Step 1 - Go to the ONLINE tab in the pause menu
- Step 2 - Click on Jobs
- Step 3 - Click on Play Job
- Step 4 - Select Rockstar Created
- Step 5 - Scroll down to Missions
- Step 6 - Select Pier Pressure
Making considerable leaps in the strength department by melee-fighting NPCs will still take some time, at least a few hours. However, the process is a lot smoother without interference from cops, and since the Pier Pressure mission unlocks at Rank 6, even beginners should be able to utilize this GTA Online strength training solo method.
2) How to increase strength in GTA Online: Create a Survival
Another interesting method to fight NPCs without interference from cops is by play-testing a custom Survival job. Survivals are a kind of multiplayer match in GTA 5 Online, and while some have been added officially by Rockstar Games over the years, players can create their own as well using the Rockstar Creator tool.
The idea here is to create a Survival match in which you can melee-fight waves of NPC enemies. Here's how to access the Rockstar Creator tool:
- Step 1 - Open the pause menu in GTA Online
- Step 2 - Go to the ONLINE tab
- Step 3 - Click on Rockstar Creator
- Step 4 - Scroll down and select Create a Survival
- Step 5 - Select Survival
Set some mandatory Placement parameters such as Play Area Bounds, Player, and Enemy Spawn Points as per your wish.
Set the number of Waves to anywhere around 5 in Survival Configuration, and set the Intensity to High for each wave in Wave Configuration.
After that, go to Advanced Configuration (under Wave Configuration), click on Enemy Weapon Loadouts, set Category to Melee, and Type to Flashlight for each wave.
You can also set the Combat Ability to Poor to ease up the challenge a bit. This option is present in Wave Configuration > Advanced Configuration > Squad Configuration.
Once all of these things are done, go back out to the Survival Creator's main menu, select Preview & Test, and click on Preview the Survival. You shouldn't take any damage during the preview and can keep melee fighting the enemy waves to increase your strength stat in a few hours.
Both of these methods should be pretty handy for anyone wondering how to increase strength in GTA Online. However, if you wish to do something else in your quest on how to get strength up in GTA Online, then you will have to look towards a sport.
3) How to increase strength in GTA Online by playing golf

Golf is one of the sporting activities that gamers need to play to increase strength in GTA Online. There is a golf course in the city's Rockford Hills district, and besides having fun, you can increase your character's strength stat while playing this sport in the multiplayer.
Play multiple rounds of golf over a few hours and you should see a considerable increase in your character's strength.
You don't need too much information on all the rules of the sport, just keep hitting the balls accurately by following the game's instructions and that should help in increasing your strength.
Why is it important to know how to increase strength in GTA Online?

Knowing how to increase strength in GTA Online has notable benefits in certain physical activities. The more strength your character has, the more melee damage they deal to NPCs. It also reduces the damage taken to an extent.
Furthermore, it helps in climbing ladders faster, all of which can be beneficial in free roam, as well as missions. It won't have any effect on your character's physical appearance, which actually would have been quite interesting, but you should be able to feel the difference during gameplay.
So, for anyone wondering why to get one's strength up, instead of just how to get strength up in GTA Online, these should be good enough reasons.
Increasing strength will take some time, at least a couple of hours even by following these methods. That said, they should make the process faster than it would have been via general gameplay.
Those bored of grinding the same-old missions, heists, and businesses in GTA Online can take some time off to focus on this, and it may just turn out to be a refreshing experience.
Does strength increase health in GTA 5 Online?
Simply put, no, knowing how to increase strength in GTA Online doesn't directly increase health. However, having a higher strength stat makes your character more resistant to damage against gunfire, falls, and more.
How do I level up my strength in GTA Online?
Playing golf, a custom Survival match, and the Pier Pressure mission all help in leveling up strength in GTA Online.
What builds strength in GTA 5 Online?
Punching someone at least 20 times builds strength by 1%. However, there are other methods one should know about how to increase strength in GTA Online like playing golf, Pier Pressure mission, or a custom Survival match.