Question on strength training!

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jcreighton48
jcreighton48 Posts: 18 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys, I'm 21 and I found a great amount of success by doing just cardio on my stationary bike for 40-45 minutes at least 5 times a week, as well as a calorie deficit in my diet.

I took a break for a while and am now getting back on my routine. I've seen a lot of talk on how important weight training is, and I'm wondering how well you think my job might be as a type of weight training. I work at a Target, where I help unload trucks, usually 1.5-2 hours. During this time I'm usually pulling heavy pallets out to the floor, and getting boxes down correct isles and sections so they can be worked faster. So I basically lift things for 5.5-8 hours a day, usually nothing extremely heavy, just big bags of dog food, boxes of laundry detergent etc..

I'm not looking to get ripped, but once I start losing more weight, I'd still like to be toned. Do you think the amount of lifting/pulling I do will be enough to still maintain a toned look? Or do you think I actually would need to hit the weights at the gym? I have my own stationary bike at home, so I never really go to an actual gym to have access to actual weight lifting equipment!

Replies

  • robhigareda
    robhigareda Posts: 47 Member
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    Moving of boxes and stuff can be a great workout. Just think about how you move stuff more, and make it a workout. Look at strength training exercises then apply them to the way you do things at work, and if you are lifting enough weight at work, you won't need a gym.

    I once read an article with Jason Statham that said he found a furniture mover that was so incredibly strong all over from just the box moving he did in his daily work that the guy could do a human flag easily without any other weight training. So you don't need a gym to get strong, and if you're at a healthy weight you'll get toned without needing a gym.
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
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    Your profile says male so I'm going to assume that. I have a question. Why would a 21 year old male not want to be "ripped" and only want to be "toned?" Not trying to sound b*thcy, I'm just curious. I also would like to know what your definition of "toned" and "ripped" are?

    If your goal is to be "toned" which I'm going to go ahead and assume means "tight without a lot of jiggle" then if you truly do that much lifting during the day that should help a lot. Continue with a calorie deficit along with cardio.

    But honestly, if you lift actual weights you might see faster results. Hard to say though when I know nothing about you.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    It's great for functional movements, but chances are you'll want more weight and less reps to maximize the amount of muscle you hold on to while you lose weight. You might gain a little strength too, but won't be adding any meaningful size, especially if you're on a deficit.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
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    Lifting light for 3 hours vs. lifting heavy for 30 minutes will give you different results. I know all bags of dog food aren't light but how many 100lb bags of dog food do you lift? My guess is the majority of what you lift isn't "heavy". The movement is great but it depends on what your goals are as to how much progress you want to make and how fast you want to make it.
  • Spartan_Maker
    Spartan_Maker Posts: 683 Member
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    In short, yes you can get plenty strong on the job. By way of just one example, many of the men in the neighborhood in which I grew up did masonry work. They were slinging cinder blocks all day that weigh between 30 to 50 lbs. Invariably, these guys were strong as bulls, and looked it.
  • jcreighton48
    jcreighton48 Posts: 18 Member
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    Well Wareagle I'm already built a bit bigger, broad shoulders, big chest, legs and arms, so I'm not going to be small even after I lose the weight I want to lose. I just want to make sure what I do is enough to still have a firm look.
  • markymarrkk
    markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
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    Fcck that, lift heavy 3 days a week. 5 x 5 program or some shtt. Eat more or adjust your intake to be able to drop body fat and build/sustain muscle mass. It's what I would do anyways. It all depends on your goals though.

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