Strength training in regards to a physical job.

[SWH]

Just wanted to raise something thats come to my mind lately. I'm currently working as a carpenter which is a fairly physical job while strength training and training jiu jitsu. I had a question for anybody who was interested, what are your thoughts on powerlifting/strength training and its carryover to other general activities of our every day lives?

What i mean is, if i can deadlift 150kg does that mean i should be able to carry a 100kg steel beam down the job site with relative ease? When i first started working in my apprenticeship i was training fairly seriously and competing in powerlifting competitions, i thought for sure that when i started i'd have the heavy lifting aspect of the job down easily, and then once i started i struggled with absolutely everything while the other guys i worked with basically laughed to see a fairly solid looking guy struggling so much. Of course you could argue that when you add movement into it and grip, fitness etc its a different ball game as well as doing that kind of labor day in day out for so long would make you strong as it is but what i'm asking is, does anybody think that the strength used for powerlifting in a gym is limited to the gym and only makes minor differences towards other aspects of life, in my case, a physical job? Just looking for opinions here, Thanks

 

[White_Lie]

Job conditioning is very different to lifting heavy things in somewhat ideal conditions.

When I used to do exploration drilling, the big guys always thought it would be a cruisey job when they were new but they were always the first to fall and would get rings run around them by the more experienced little bloke.

You can build up some "functional strength" if you train more like a strongman style I guess but general powerlifting training doesn't carry through to help in many jobs IMO. You'll find everything gets easier with a new job the longer you do it, rather than trying to train for it.

 

[Fadi]

Just wanted to raise something thats come to my mind lately. I'm currently working as a carpenter which is a fairly physical job while strength training and training jiu jitsu. I had a question for anybody who was interested, what are your thoughts on powerlifting/strength training and its carryover to other general activities of our every day lives?

What i mean is, if i can deadlift 150kg does that mean i should be able to carry a 100kg steel beam down the job site with relative ease? When i first started working in my apprenticeship i was training fairly seriously and competing in powerlifting competitions, i thought for sure that when i started i'd have the heavy lifting aspect of the job down easily, and then once i started i struggled with absolutely everything while the other guys i worked with basically laughed to see a fairly solid looking guy struggling so much. Of course you could argue that when you add movement into it and grip, fitness etc its a different ball game as well as doing that kind of labor day in day out for so long would make you strong as it is but what i'm asking is, does anybody think that the strength used for powerlifting in a gym is limited to the gym and only makes minor differences towards other aspects of life, in my case, a physical job? Just looking for opinions here, Thanks

Hi,

It's not about being limited or not being carried over into your work no. It's about making a distinction between muscle strength and muscle endurance (which most strength athletes lack). And they don't lack it because they are lazy, but because of the way they train. You train to be strong in lifting your 150kg x1 or perhaps x5. But you don't train to lift your 150kg and walk with it for 20 or so meters.

It's all about relativity to the task at hand and whether you've trained (not just your muscles) for it or not. That's basically it in a nutshell.

 

[SWH]

Job conditioning is very different to lifting heavy things in somewhat ideal conditions.

When I used to do exploration drilling, the big guys always thought it would be a cruisey job when they were new but they were always the first to fall and would get rings run around them by the more experienced little bloke.

You can build up some "functional strength" if you train more like a strongman style I guess but general powerlifting training doesn't carry through to help in many jobs IMO. You'll find everything gets easier with a new job the longer you do it, rather than trying to train for it.

Yep i thought i would be fine then first day then probably 2 hours in my 65 year old boss was laughing at me calling me a pussy lol.
Going on 2 years in now things are better but just trying to sort out whether my strength training is really beneficial to me anymore, now that i'm running low on time and travelling all the time i was thinking of changing how i train which will allow me to stay fit and strong but wouldn't be so demanding as working long hours, strength training and training seriously for jiu jitsu. The main problem is time, and being able to eat enough to keep progressing especially in powerlifting

 

[SWH]

Hi,

It's not about being limited or not being carried over into your work no. It's about making a distinction between muscle strength and muscle endurance (which most strength athletes lack). And they don't lack it because they are lazy, but because of the way they train. You train to be strong in lifting your 150kg x1 or perhaps x5. But you don't train to lift your 150kg and walk with it for 20 or so meters.

It's all about relativity to the task at hand and whether you've trained (not just your muscles) for it or not. That's basically it in a nutshell.

My main concern for asking this was because i'm having trouble with progressing my lifts and even making it to training as i am staying away from home usually 3 days a week. This makes things really hard with eating enough to fuel myself through 12+ hours of physical work + progressing in powerlifting and getting in a good training session at jiu jitsu which is usually what i do for 3 days a week and try to make jiu jitsu 4x a week.

I've been thinking about focusing more on bodyweight training from now on as i feel it might have more benefit, keeping in mind that i'm not training for work, these days i'm more so training to look good and feel good about myself and stay strong, as well as supplement my jiu jitsu training and stay strong for that.

Not just that, leaving the gym and starting up a little home set up is going to save money and most likely some time for me too

 

[Fadi]

My main concern for asking this was because i'm having trouble with progressing my lifts and even making it to training as i am staying away from home usually 3 days a week. This makes things really hard with eating enough to fuel myself through 12+ hours of physical work + progressing in powerlifting and getting in a good training session at jiu jitsu which is usually what i do for 3 days a week and try to make jiu jitsu 4x a week.

I've been thinking about focusing more on bodyweight training from now on as i feel it might have more benefit, keeping in mind that i'm not training for work, these days i'm more so training to look good and feel good about myself and stay strong, as well as supplement my jiu jitsu training and stay strong for that.

Not just that, leaving the gym and starting up a little home set up is going to save money and most likely some time for me too

Fair enough brother. I give you this to check out when you have some time: Building the ultimate muscle machine: move your body I realise the reps in that program are between 4-7. However you can also include reps between 25-50 using the rest-pause principle....with fewer overall sets of course.

Do what you can with the time you have, or overwhelm your psyche with a feeling of guilt, by trying to fill a cup that is already full. In plain English, choose your priorities, give them the time they deserve (based on the time that you have and not on time you don't have), and go all out to achieving your goal by maintaining focus. If you fall off the wagon at times, do not beat yourself senseless. Just realise that you are human; get back on, and continue on your journey.

 

[steveP]

Like Fadi said, it's about functional strength and muscular endurance. Most people don't train for either. I think in the case for a physical job, kettle bell workouts and body weight exercises would translate better than powerlifting.

 

[MickiD84]

Like Fadi said, it's about functional strength and muscular endurance. Most people don't train for either. I think in the case for a physical job, kettle bell workouts and body weight exercises would translate better than powerlifting.

What do you do for work steveP?

 

[steveP]

I work in an office sitting down all day. I'm basically veal lol.

 

[SWH]

Fair enough brother. I give you this to check out when you have some time: Building the ultimate muscle machine: move your body I realise the reps in that program are between 4-7. However you can also include reps between 25-50 using the rest-pause principle....with fewer overall sets of course.

Do what you can with the time you have, or overwhelm your psyche with a feeling of guilt, by trying to fill a cup that is already full. In plain English, choose your priorities, give them the time they deserve (based on the time that you have and not on time you don't have), and go all out to achieving your goal by maintaining focus. If you fall off the wagon at times, do not beat yourself senseless. Just realise that you are human; get back on, and continue on your journey.

Thanks for the help. I remember reading that article a long time ago when i first signed up here but it was good to refresh myself and read over it again and it all makes good sense. I'll be focusing on that from now on with my schedule, powerlifting did me a lot of good but i don't have the time or energy to be putting my focus into it, it was more of a supplement to my jiu jitsu and i realized that once you start to progress eventually theres a limit if your not eating enough and putting enough time and effort into it. I think a bodyweight training regime is going to be more beneficial.

Time to build some pull up bars

 

[Jungnaut]

I reckon crossfitters would have the best carryover fitness and endurance for physically demanding jobs.. that and their competitive nature means they'll work fast too, for time.

 

[Goosey]

I reckon crossfitters would have the best carryover fitness and endurance for physically demanding jobs.. that and their competitive nature means they'll work fast too, for time.

crossfit were originally a variation on the HIT theme, a really good way to get fit, strong and healthy.