I’ve written before about lifting heavy things as part of my everyday life. It feels really good to me to have my fitness be useful. It’s not just a gym thing. It’s not just about looking good or even just about lifting carefully calibrated weights in controlled circumstances. It’s also about doing things that make a difference in my life.
What sort of things? Well, moving furniture and getting ready for the holidays this past weekend. We also picked up furniture for the kid who is getting her own apartment. Hi Mallory!! Also there was holding ladders in place so that other people can climb them. Also there’s lifting those ladders. Why? Stringing Christmas lights. See above. Thanks Sarah.
And then there’s carrying boxes of Ikea shelves.
Sarah and I topped off the weekend by lugging these babies to Sarah’s car from her office. They’re pressure reducing valves, I’m told. They weigh about 50 lbs each, or more. And unlike heavy weights in the gym they don’t have smooth handles and no spikey bits sticking out. One has no handles and you have to carry it like ball. The other had handles but also sharp bits sticking out of it so you need to hold it away from your body for a bonus challenge.
I might be grimacing but it feels good to know that even with my busted knee I can still lift heavy things. That is, as long as I don’t have to carry them up and down stairs.
How are you putting your strength to use these days?
As silly as it may seem, I have an aversion to rolling luggage and have made it a personal policy to put my strength to work when I travel by always carrying my luggage. Sometimes, when I have long travel delays (last week I had a 13 hr delay in Chicago), I’ll wish I could just wheel everything around when I want move location for a change of airport scenery, but so far I’m sticking with lifting and shouldering or carrying on my back.
I’m the same. Or I was until knee injuries. Bought my first little rolling suitcase last year.