
Raising the American Weakling (2017) - dnetesn
http://nautil.us/issue/73/play/raising-the-american-weakling-rp
======
blunte
Lack of grip strength would certainly be an indication of corresponding lack
of overall body strength. While it is possible to develop strength in isolated
muscle groups with specific exercises, it is not easy to develop full system
strength without involving the hands in gripping form.

If overall physical strength has some relationship to health and longevity
(which I believe is generally accepted to be some indication of), then lack of
grip strength would be a simple measure of fitness.

I don't think it's a huge mystery why wealthier groups are physically weaker
(and less healthy, and more overweight). There is less need or requirement to
do manual labor compared to people in developing countries. Jobs tend to be
more white collar than blue collar. Kids tend to have more indoor
entertainment options (electronics, computers, toys).

Science fiction has often portrayed advanced civilizations as soft, physically
weak beings (gelatin creatures in glass tubes and such) that use their mental
gifts more than their physical ones.

However, humans will probably not reach a point of not needing their bodies in
order to maintain health and long life. So we really should all be regularly
active. Besides, there's ample evidence that good physical fitness also
benefits the mind as well as the mood.

~~~
nradov
In the US, low income people are more likely to be obese.

[https://www.stateofobesity.org/socioeconomics-
obesity/](https://www.stateofobesity.org/socioeconomics-obesity/)

~~~
blunte
I was more referring to developing countries - people farming and building
with non powered tools, walking and carrying stuff, playing soccer (and other
forms of entertainment that don’t require electricity).

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dade_
Upper body strength is in decline period and it is major indicator for life
expectancy and health. Fortunately rock / gym climbing is rapidly gaining in
popularity.

Sport climbing will be part of the 2020 olympics. I love it and look forward
to going with a buddy of mine each weekend. Also have grip exercisers in my
carry on because I travel so much.

~~~
TulliusCicero
Sports are great, but you're never gonna get most people exercising that way.
Most people will _consistently_ exercise, over the long term, only if it's a
necessity: like for their job, or for transportation.

It really has to be built into one's daily routine. The Netherlands is a great
example here, they have very high rates of active transportation
(walking/biking) for the developed world.

~~~
kd5bjo
Social clubs of various forms have been a part of society for a long time. You
could get a long way if sports clubs were a welcoming place to go hang out and
socialize instead of just rentable facilities where you have to book a time
and provide your own opponents.

~~~
nradov
Many gyms have open times when any member can show up and join a pick up game
of basketball / tennis / racquetball.

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enraged_camel
“A weak man is not as happy as that same man would be if he were strong. This
reality is offensive to some people who would like the intellectual or
spiritual to take precedence. It is instructive to see what happens to these
very people as their squat strength goes up.”

― Mark Rippetoe, Starting Strength

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thom
One could while away many hours - muscles atrophying the entire time -
analysing people’s need to pop up in the comments here with some variation on
“not MY grip strength”.

~~~
alexandercrohde
This type of comment has gotten so bad in some topics lately that I just skim
through topics to find ones that don't start with "I"

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acconrad
Deadlifts work 70% of the muscles in your body, including your forearms and
gripping muscles. Your best bang-for-the-buck to help your strength and get in
some exercise is to pick heavy stuff off of the ground a few times.

~~~
marble-drink
Deadlifts are great. But people need to know what "heavy" really means. For a
deadlift that means at least two times your bodyweight. Many people in the gym
just don't try hard enough.

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glangdale
"Heavy" means hard-for-the-person (i.e. 3-5 rep maxes). If you found 2x
bodyweight a good starting weight, then congrats, but that's not a realistic
standard to enforce almost everyone. I've pulled 235kg at 100kg raw (no straps
or belt), which is advanced-beginner or pissweak-intermediate, but training to
get there involved starting with about 140kg, not 200kg.

Heavy lifting and trying hard is important, like you say, but it's a relative
thing to experience, genetics, age, etc. I've seen grannies pull 1.1x
bodyweight and I'd say they were lifting "heavy".

~~~
runamok
You are way off on your self-eval. You actually fall into advanced if I am
understanding you lifted almost 2.5x your bodyweight...
[https://strengthlevel.com/strength-
standards/deadlift/kg](https://strengthlevel.com/strength-
standards/deadlift/kg)

~~~
marble-drink
Yeah, it's at least intermediate. I pulled 220kg at 80kg BW and that took more
than a year of consistent training. I know it's a lot because I was lifting
with people who lifted for competitions.

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TomMckenny
I'm not sure it's a factor but the was a fad in the '80s or so for using what
are now called Hand Grippers.

I don't know how wide spread that fad was but if that was when the norms were
established, it might bare considering.

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RyJones
As I’ve grown older, I’ve lost a ton of grip strength. I blame arthritis;
perhaps it’s decay of society, instead?

~~~
greesil
There's a high correlation between age and the proclamations of the decay of
society, so maybe you're on to something here.

~~~
RyJones
I would rather blame my failings on others; sure. As long as it keeps
introspection at bay, I’m for it.

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malkia
I have a dynanometer, and I get it to show Error with my right hand. Left hand
is about 85kg. I can squeeze (on good day) #3 Iron Mind (right hand), and #2.5
(left hand). Been gripping (but mostly that) for the last 3-4 years, though
lots lots of muscle while diagnosed with diabetes II, almost year+half ago,
and started low-carbo/keto diet (now I'm from 11 -> 5.6 without medication).

Don't feel super-strong, can do few pull ups, few dips, dozen of push ups and
I'm more than 40. Also hate running, hate it since the army...

Point is, I'm skeptical of grip training ~ health. Or maybe if you've over-
trained for that aspect, it may be lying...

~~~
dean177
Grip strength is an indicator for overall fitness since it will improve from a
range of activities, weightlifting being an obvious one but even something
like cycling will have an improved grip compared to someone who doesn’t do
anything. Improving your grip strength specifically won’t really improve your
performance or overall fitness though (unless you are into rock climbing!)

~~~
malkia
I'm seriously thinking of starting with deadlifting, but need to find someone
to do it, show me proper. Right next to a 24th fitness, where I work, just
need to set my mind for it.

~~~
nradov
Most gyms have certified personal trainers available to hire. Pay an expert to
give you a few lessons on proper form. That will help you avoid injury.

Deadlifts are great, but mix in some other types of resistance training to
maintain balance.

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h2odragon
I wonder how hard it would be to track the phrase "easy open packaging" and
similar through advertising.

I wonder how many people alive today have never swung a hammer to real
purpose, and if the same could have been said of their parents.

~~~
blunte
"Clamshell" plastic packaging is evil and deadly, even when my physical
fitness is high. I shudder to think how I will open that stuff when I'm old
and decrepit.

~~~
Something1234
The Leatherman wingman had the perfect tool to get the clamshell packaging
open. It was almost like a can opener exacto knife hybrid. Cut through it like
a hot knife through butter.

~~~
XorNot
I need a new Leatherman and didn't realize I need this exact feature till now
- thank you!

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joe_the_user
I would recommend the writings of FM Alexander[1] for an analysis of the
degeneration of human muscle utilization with the advance of civilization.
"Lack of exercise" is insufficient as an explanation. A slightly better way to
put it is that rational processes have substituted for instinctive balance
processes. But overall, the whole process must be, uh, grasped.

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Matthias_Alexander](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Matthias_Alexander)

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alexandercrohde
How as nobody here connected the possibility that this is caused-by our
reduced average testosterone levels [1]?

If nobody else is gonna suggest its possibly environmental chemicals then I
guess I get to be that guy.

[1]
[https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/92/1/196/2598434](https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/92/1/196/2598434)

~~~
ken
Would that explain why women are suffering decreased grip strength, too?

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rks404
not just weaker, maybe a bit slower than our ancestors as well
[https://mindhacks.com/2018/04/03/did-the-victorians-have-
fas...](https://mindhacks.com/2018/04/03/did-the-victorians-have-faster-
reactions/)

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User23
Proximate cause, but probably not the ultimate one:
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17895324](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17895324)

