Work 12/11/19 ~300pm
We got it out with only me pushing.
The driver gunning it, me pulsing my upper body in mini “benches”, eventually with one shoulder against the forklift, feet dug in pressing as hard as possible into the slightly slick winter ground.
While pushing I saw that pushing it out was possible, everyone was surprised to see it back in the warehouse, even I’d thought we’d need a second man pushing, but gunning and pulsing it came out.
I’d head carried the half ramps thrice today, proving to myself once and for all my neck was not injured during the car accident.
(Head carries and headstands both are great for neck strength and health.)
Pulsing, I’m yelling “gun it” at my coworker behind the wheel repeatedly, when I knew it was close I let forth a primal groan, a second, then a Ric Flair “whoo” as it rolled clear. It had been a decent show of strength.
As he starts to drive back I yelled “hey, it’s time for my victory ride”, and rode back hanging off the side of the forklift, hamming it up, “interpretive dance” in front of the dumbfounded manager.
The manager was looking at me like I was insane, dumbfounded the forklift was there, a lightbulb overhead, as the realization that I’d pushed it out manually as tow straps and a pickup were went for dawned, wondering what was wrong with me as I was posing like a star half on, half off the forklift.
I step off into victory pose, making eye contact, saying “that’s right”. I’d seen the lightbulb of realization.
A while back coworkers were like “dude, you’re strong”, turning around in the company pickup a look of shock on their faces when I’d said I view myself as normal of strength and athleticism.
It was one of those super human performances, like when my uncle (not blood) ripped the atv stuck against the fence away from the fence as I sat on it.
Stories aside, and shout out to wildmantraining.com, things like a shoulder carry, or pushing heavy things are more natural than heavy regular usage of deep squatting. Squatting on the haunches is natural, but in a primal sense you’re not going to be doing reps, it’s just a way to stand with or without a load to carry.
Labor, grappling, and strongman style training are where day to day freakish strength is built.
I feel fluke gym/barbell strength with that freakish manhandling strength is more of an outlier.
I’ve had gym strength which didn’t carry over too far outside it, sprint speed in high school an exception.
You can’t do wrong pushing, dragging, shouldering, and carrying awkward loads.
I’d actually cut out the majority of gym leg training.
The only change between being unable to push out the stuck forklift in summer vs doing it in winter was the high horse stance holds…
Don’t underestimate simple and free exercises.
Persistence & Tenacity