The functionality of strength
I have been strong since I can remember. I first began to really notice it in elementary school. I remember being able to beat my fellow students in arm wrestling with ease, and having to be careful roughhousing not to send someone flying. This despite being relatively sedentary and those in my school often active with sports. I thought at the time, this is something different and maybe good about myself, I should make the most of it. I started by lifting my fathers old weight set and at 12 signing up for the gym. My mother noticed my interest and bought me Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding. I studied every exercise I found in the book, and began to develop a program.
In middle school an Arm wrestling champion came to our school and set up a competition. I won, which resulted in my first ever trophy and even me being in the local paper. Things like this did not happen for me so strength became a bit of my identity. I still remember showing my parents and the feeling of achieving. It was something special or unique that I possessed and I was proud of it.
By high school I was bench pressing over 350lbs and I would overhear people in school talking about seeing what lifts I was doing at the local gym. In my 20s I tried my hand at a local strongman competition then a powerlifting bench press competition. I won the bench press competition getting another trophy and medal. Those awards and pictures still sit on my desk to this day and probably always will be. I still remember the sound of people coming out to watch and cheering for me.
I always felt I was good at somethings, but never exceptional, or at least how I viewed myself especially when I was young. I have always been hard on myself I guess and self conscious of my limitations. But this was something I was good at, very good, I had awards in my life to show it. It was something about myself I always I liked. I had to like it, cause there was evidence of it. In truth there are other things I do well, but this was something that from an early age, I could not find fault in about myself.
Being strong also has benefits in everyday life. I talk a lot about viewing your body as a machine. Having a machine that can move a lot of weight can be useful. Just as having a 4×4 in your driveway is not really necessary, it is awfully nice when you need it. I remember a neighbor having trouble with a large stone in her front yard. Asking if I could help, I reached down without thinking, lifted it onto my shoulder and carried it away for her. I do not remember so much lifting it but her reaction I sure do. It feels good to have that utility and ability to help.
Recently in my life however much of that utility has been for the most part wasted. For much of my life despite my extra weight my strength has enabled me to be still very functional. But in recent years I have found I rather devastating impact on my abilities. Although I am still very strong, and if you need something heavy lifted I was still your guy, but now it was only as long as it was once or twice. If I needed to do any heavy jobs that required stamina I was no longer anything elevated. I was in fact the slowest option needing frequent resting, and recovery.
The good new seems to be that this is reversing. As I approach the -40lb mark again I feel a large difference. My energy and stamina is up and I have been able to again tackle some physical projects. Recently that involved stacking some wood that had resulted from a tree taken down in my yard. I noticed the guys who removed it needed several of them to move a piece, that I was able to drag out and stack on my own. I also have been able to shovel snow again and be able to help others in that area. It feels good to be able to make a difference and again be a positive for people.
As I also come closer to my 40th year, I do often consider the wear and tear on my body with age. But the feeling of being able to lift heavy things again and push myself makes me feel younger. It is like going back in time. I also know of people who have done their largest lifts in their 60s and train hard in their 70s and even 80s. So I think I have a good runway still to enjoy strength again. For both tomorrow and now today.
