Real World Strength

Categories: Blog May 15, 2016

One of the greatest benefits of having your original strength is you are capable. Being capable, able to live life and move the way you want to without getting injured, is true wealth. There is no amount of money that can match being strong and healthy. It is a gift to be capable. It is also advantageous to remain capable by deliberately engaging in activities that will add to your overall strength and health.

Chances are, at some point in your life, or even in this day, you are going to have to pick something up and move it. It may be your child, your dog, your groceries or whatever. As humans, we move and manipulate things of weight. When we are tied together well, picking things up and carrying them around is a great way to add more strength to our bodies. It is also a great way to prepare us for life’s unexpected events.

I am a huge fan of carries. I think they should be in everyone’s “training toolbox.” They strengthen our bodies in our most used movement pattern - walking. And, in order to carry something, you have to pick it up. They are a great way to practice picking objects up. I use the word “objects” because practicing picking up random objects of weight is “real world” training. Rocks, kegs, dogs, wives - they are all different and all have their inherent challenges when it comes to grabbing them, hoisting them and carrying them.

Anyway, carrying objects of mass and weight for distance is a wonderful way to “train” or “play” when you want to add strength to your body. It makes you more resilient and more capable of conquering your day to day activities.

Try this simple routine out for a 2 months and expect to get stronger:

Get a 50 pound bag of sand from your local home improvement or garden store. Better yet, get an appropriate amount of sand for your body and ability - be honest with yourself. It doesn’t need to be light, but it doesn't need to crush you either. Use judgement….

Deadlift it from the ground, hoist it up and place it on your right shoulder and walk for 20 yards with it. Put it down, turn around, pick it up again and hoist it to your left shoulder. Walk back the 20 yards you came from. Repeat this over and over, from shoulder to shoulder for 10 minutes and only rest if you need to. If you do need to rest, stop the clock. When you start back, start the clock.

Do this twice a week for 2 months. It is easy to incorporate into your current movement schedule. It is only 20 minutes a week…. After 2 months, you should be stronger. But try it out and see if you really are! How are your other movements? Are they easier? If you lift weights, can you lift more? Hint: if you had to add more weight to your sandbag because it got too light, it didn’t change, you did.

Seriously, try adding this carry to your routine. It is simple enough to do and the results are well worth it. The more capable you become, the less limits you have.

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