Second Thots

So, my Dad calls me over to help him carry parts of his toolbox. He's a retired mechanic. If anybody is or knows a mechanic, then they know how big and heavy these things can be.

So, we start carrying the top portion that has handles on its sides. Not too bad. However, then we had to try to lift the thing to its rightful place on top. Oh oh! But not so fast. I quickly remembered that I actually do exercises that will help me with this task.

Namely,

• I do deadlifts, which help me with raising heavy objects off the ground. They also help me with my grip, which was definitely needed in dealing with the toolbox handles I mentioned. 
• I do squats, which help me lift things from a squatting position to a standing position. 
• And I do upright rows, which help me lift things from my waste to my shoulders. 

By the way, for those of you who do lift weights, and love to focus on the upper body — which would have been me when I was younger —  this story might serve as notice that exercises like squats, deadlifts, etc, although not nearly as "sexy", so to speak, as bench presses and curls, do serve their purpose in providing for total body strength and fitness. OK, lecture over.

So, I wasn't as nearly as frightened of lifting this toolbox thing with my Dad as I would have been before lifting weights in the gym. And, as it turned out, I was right. I had a much easier time with the task at hand then my Dad did. Although, to be fair, ten years ago he would have been schooling me easy.

So, there, in a nutshell, is a nice summary of how exercises in the gym can help a person actually do things in the real world. Neat, eh?