Weight Lifting

[Chops]

Just wonering how many people here do weight lifting to keep fit, build up, whatever. But I also have some queries about it too.
We had a bit of a discussion today at work.
OH&S, says a guy cannot lift any more than 25kg. At this point, I'm assuming that this is pretty much Aus wide, and includes all work/jobs. (could be wrong about that though)

So what I'm wondering about, is if at work, you cant lift more than 25kg, how is it, you can go down to the gym and start cracking 50+kgs with weight lifting ?? :confused:

I went down to the gym last year to keep the girls company whilst they did their thing,, and I noticed all these guys coming in, looking pretty dirty, straight from work I guess, and straight onto various weight lifting devices.
Did'nt take much notice at the time, but by gees, its got me baffled now. Especially as one of our guys at work stands taller and broader than me, yet moves less product than the girls that work there :(,, although, as it was pointed out to me this arvo,,, at least he wont have a stuffed back,,

I understand keeping fit, and weight lifting is all supposed to be done correctly,, warm ups,, posture, technique etc, but lets just say you did some damage, and I mean serious damage,,, who pays?

[MR LR]

You do realise that just because a piece of paper says a bloke can only lift 25kg doesn't mean that's his actual limit...

I judge there was a bit of tongue in cheek with the original post ;) and take mine that way too :D

[PhilipA]

I do weight training to try and keep the bone density up and reduce the body fat index. I have been doing weights for 50 years on and off with no lasting injuries. I have injuries from car accidents etc , but I am generally able to work around them, and i have actually been able to improve some injured joints.

There is a big difference between lifting weights correctly over a limited range and say lifting an awkwardly shaped 25Kg box off the ground,twisting, and putting it down above your head for example, and then doing it for 8 hours.

I don't know what you are getting at by asking who is laible if you hurt yourself at the gym. IMHO it's your responsibility to stay within your limits.

If something hurts you stop. If you are warm and doing say 15 reps , you are not going to hurt yourself anyway.

The personal trainers at Fitness First are ridiculously careful that you start slowly, and if you plan to start weights, I suggest you employ a trainer for a while to assess your fitness and show you the correct form for exercises.

I see people with bad form all the time eg locking knees on a squat machine, who just go at it and probably hurt themselves and then quit.

regards Philip A

[Andwoo]

I used to go to the gym, 3 nights a week.. Not anymore mind you!! But the one thing I learnt is that it wasn't so much the amount of weight that you lifted but how you did it..


Lifting 5kg very slowly, while you squeeze your muscles could give you better results than smashing out reps with 15kg weights....


The main reason I went to the gym was for my bad back... I used to laugh at Hero's who would stand in the mirror lifting heavy weights looking at themselves.. I think your right, you can hurt yourself lifting such weights if not done correctly.

[slug_burner]

As Philip said, what you do in the gym in a controlled exercise is different to lifting at work. What you lift at the gym is your business what you lift at work is also your bosses business specially if you get hurt.

25 kg at the extent of your reach is not going to be acceptable even if you are a male at work.

I have heard of some people who having got hurt in their own time have turned up to work to feign an injury for the work cover.

[Discomark]

Check out this 70 year old fork lift driver! I'd better get cracking :)
70-year-old bodybuilder Sam Bryant shows age is a state of mind | News.com.au (http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/yearold-bodybuilder-sam-bryant-shows-age-is-a-state-of-mind/story-fneuzle5-1226827853833)

[Homestar]

The limits at our work are 20kg for a male, and 15kg for a female. It's all to do with limiting injury through bad manual handling techniques and nothing to do with what people may be actually able to lift.

I know V-line have the same 20kg limit as Mum tried to check a bag in when travelling down from her home town by train to go to the airport. She could move it and lift it, but when they put it on the scales, it was 22kg and they refused it so she had to lug it onto the train on her own. They are happy to allow a 70 year old to do this and aren't allowed to help as it breaches policy....

Go figure.

[PhilipA]

I very strongly suspect there are some steroids and testosterone supplements involved there.

I am 64 and lift quite a bit of weight but find it hard to increase muscle size .

No normal 70 year old could get that size without help, and IMHO very few 40 year olds could either.LOL.

I was talking to a 58 year old in the gym a couple of days ago and he agreed it is hard to increase muscle mass. He had a testosterone count recently and he said his count was 20 and a 20 year old is supposedly 30. This bloke goes every day so must not have a wife or family commitments.
Funny thing is I see heaps of young guys in the gym with bulging muscles everywhere but they are relatively weak. My son who can leg press 600Kg reckons they are the steroid junkies.
Regards Philip A

[Discomark]

I very strongly suspect there are some steroids and testosterone supplements involved there
I'm not so sure. Genes play a big part too. I started at the gym at age 15 along with my mate Pete. By age 17 he was entering comps and had at least twice as much muscle as I did, we ate and trained almost identically but he just naturally increased muscle mass and I didn't.

Here is an article on Sam Bryant that suggest the only supplement he has ever taken is protein powder. Age doesn't define 70-year-old bodybuilder | The Augusta Chronicle (http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2013-08-10/age-doesnt-define-70-year-old-bodybuilder)

"He married a third time in the late 1990s, feeling pressure to settle down but never loving her like a wife, he said. As they drifted apart and divorced in 2005, Bryant’s relationship with his body only grew.
He has stayed dedicated to getting ripped naturally and steered away from the competitive circuits that accept substance use. In his early years, he competed alongside steroid-injected athletes but realized it is more rewarding to achieve physical stature the honest way"

[rangieman]

Just wonering how many people here do weight lifting to keep fit, build up, whatever. But I also have some queries about it too.
We had a bit of a discussion today at work.
OH&S, says a guy cannot lift any more than 25kg. At this point, I'm assuming that this is pretty much Aus wide, and includes all work/jobs. (could be wrong about that though)

So what I'm wondering about, is if at work, you cant lift more than 25kg, how is it, you can go down to the gym and start cracking 50+kgs with weight lifting ?? :confused:

I went down to the gym last year to keep the girls company whilst they did their thing,, and I noticed all these guys coming in, looking pretty dirty, straight from work I guess, and straight onto various weight lifting devices.
Did'nt take much notice at the time, but by gees, its got me baffled now. Especially as one of our guys at work stands taller and broader than me, yet moves less product than the girls that work there :(,, although, as it was pointed out to me this arvo,,, at least he wont have a stuffed back,,

I understand keeping fit, and weight lifting is all supposed to be done correctly,, warm ups,, posture, technique etc, but lets just say you did some damage, and I mean serious damage,,, who pays?

Yeah well it would not hurt you to do some exercise of some sort:banana::whistling::tease:
And lifting the smoke packet or lifting a drink is not classed as exercise Norm:Rolling:

[Mick_Marsh]

You do realise that just because a piece of paper says a bloke can only lift 25kg doesn't mean that's his actual limit...

I judge there was a bit of tongue in cheek with the original post ;) and take mine that way too :D
No such thing as tongue in cheek for that one. You are quite correct.
It has been determined that the poorest specimen of less than average fitness should be able to lift 25kg without injury. The benchmark has been set. If you lift over that and injure yourself, your fault mate. If you lift under that and injure yourself, that is a very very rare thing.
It's all about risk management.

[AnD3rew]

Both at work and in the gym technique is everything, but the gym is a much more controlled environment. I do weights at the gym, muscle mass makes a big difference in weight control. You are much more likely to get better weight loss and VO2 max results from 10 minutes of high intensity interval training followed by 20 minutes of weights 3-4 times per week, than an hour of moderate intensity excercise on the treadmill 5 days per week.

If you are just starting in the gym, I would recommend getting a trainer for a few sessions to show you how to use the weights properly.

[richard4u2]

The limits at our work are 20kg for a male, and 15kg for a female. It's all to do with limiting injury through bad manual handling techniques and nothing to do with what people may be actually able to lift.

I know V-line have the same 20kg limit as Mum tried to check a bag in when travelling down from her home town by train to go to the airport. She could move it and lift it, but when they put it on the scales, it was 22kg and they refused it so she had to lug it onto the train on her own. They are happy to allow a 70 year old to do this and aren't allowed to help as it breaches policy....

Go figure.
in aus post they have some thing similar but on goes a sticker and 2 people can lift it

[Chops]

The limits at our work are 20kg for a male, and 15kg for a female. It's all to do with limiting injury through bad manual handling techniques and nothing to do with what people may be actually able to lift.

I know V-line have the same 20kg limit as Mum tried to check a bag in when travelling down from her home town by train to go to the airport. She could move it and lift it, but when they put it on the scales, it was 22kg and they refused it so she had to lug it onto the train on her own. They are happy to allow a 70 year old to do this and aren't allowed to help as it breaches policy....

Go figure.

And the same blokes probably go to the gym after work,,,, :mad:


Yeah well it would not hurt you to do some exercise of some sort:banana::whistling::tease:
And lifting the smoke packet or lifting a drink is not classed as exercise Norm:Rolling:

Umm,,, what are you trying to say dude,, Am I fat ? ;)
hehe,,, I see you've discovered my other nick name too :D


No such thing as tongue in cheek for that one. You are quite correct.
It has been determined that the poorest specimen of less than average fitness should be able to lift 25kg without injury. The benchmark has been set. If you lift over that and injure yourself, your fault mate. If you lift under that and injure yourself, that is a very very rare thing.
It's all about risk management.

I understand all the work/management stuff,, but I still get ****ed off when I see big strong blokes take full advantage of the work situation. :mad: In my eyes, and I'm sorry if I offend anyone,, but thats just plain gutless.
The only consolation I get at work is when I see he has to transfer 40 x 25kg bags of powder from one pallet to another ;)

[PhilipA]

This sort of discussion always make sme think of when I visted flour mills in India.
These little blokes who would be lucky to be 50Kg wet, would lift 150Lb bags of flour onto their shoulders and back and walk up a 10x2 onto the back of a truck and do it all day.
I wonder how long they lived and how much food they had to eat to keep it up.

Regards Philip A

[Bigbjorn]

This sort of discussion always make sme think of when I visted flour mills in India.
These little blokes who would be lucky to be 50Kg wet, would lift 150Lb bags of flour onto their shoulders and back and walk up a 10x2 onto the back of a truck and do it all day.
I wonder how long they lived and how much food they had to eat to keep it up.

Regards Philip A

In the days before bulk handling of raw sugar, wharfies in the North Qld. sugar ports used to carry 140 lb bags of sugar from the sheds to the sling. Often the bags weighed more than the wharfie. Cairns was known as "the long carry" because of the long jetty required to moor the ships in deep enough water. Pre WW2 the bags were 224 lbs and were definitely heavier than almost all of the blokes expected to carry them. The kindly stevedoring companies worked out that smaller bags meant one man less on a gang as two men were no longer required to lift a bag onto the back and shoulder of the carrier. An old Cairns wharfie told me that few of his colleagues enjoyed a long or a healthy retirement, usually broken in health or dead before retiring age.

[bob10]

Just wonering how many people here do weight lifting to keep fit, build up, whatever. But I also have some queries about it too.
We had a bit of a discussion today at work.
OH&S, says a guy cannot lift any more than 25kg. At this point, I'm assuming that this is pretty much Aus wide, and includes all work/jobs. (could be wrong about that though)

So what I'm wondering about, is if at work, you cant lift more than 25kg, how is it, you can go down to the gym and start cracking 50+kgs with weight lifting ?? :confused:

I went down to the gym last year to keep the girls company whilst they did their thing,, and I noticed all these guys coming in, looking pretty dirty, straight from work I guess, and straight onto various weight lifting devices.
Did'nt take much notice at the time, but by gees, its got me baffled now. Especially as one of our guys at work stands taller and broader than me, yet moves less product than the girls that work there :(,, although, as it was pointed out to me this arvo,,, at least he wont have a stuffed back,,

I understand keeping fit, and weight lifting is all supposed to be done correctly,, warm ups,, posture, technique etc, but lets just say you did some damage, and I mean serious damage,,, who pays?


I am struggling to find your point. So, some one at work is not doing his share, because he has hurt himself in the gym. Or, are you jealous of the chap who makes you feel inferior, or you went to the gym, & noticed dirty workers coming in, to keep fit [ perhaps footballers in training? ] Are you saying that people should not go the gym, or are you saying those that do, are going to "rort the system " if they hurt themselves. I'm going with the jealously thing. Get over it. Bob

[Homestar]

I am struggling to find your point. So, some one at work is not doing his share, because he has hurt himself in the gym. Or, are you jealous of the chap who makes you feel inferior, or you went to the gym, & noticed dirty workers coming in, to keep fit [ perhaps footballers in training? ] Are you saying that people should not go the gym, or are you saying those that do, are going to "rort the system " if they hurt themselves. I'm going with the jealously thing. Get over it. Bob

How on earth did you take that from Chops's first post? Love to know what they're putting in the water up there...

[Chops]

I am struggling to find your point. So, some one at work is not doing his share, because he has hurt himself in the gym. Or, are you jealous of the chap who makes you feel inferior, or you went to the gym, & noticed dirty workers coming in, to keep fit [ perhaps footballers in training? ] Are you saying that people should not go the gym, or are you saying those that do, are going to "rort the system " if they hurt themselves. I'm going with the jealously thing. Get over it. Bob

Bob,,, do us both a favour mate,, re-read my original post, then read all the other posts thereafter, then speak.

And just so your aware, I'm 51, probably considered to be reasonably fit for age :),,, and jelous of no one. ;)

[bob10]

Bob,,, do us both a favour mate,, re-read my original post, then read all the other posts thereafter, then speak.

And just so your aware, I'm 51, probably considered to be reasonably fit for age :),,, and jelous of no one. ;)


Sorry mate but I read this


I went down to the gym last year to keep the girls company whilst they did their thing,, and I noticed all these guys coming in, looking pretty dirty, straight from work I guess, and straight onto various weight lifting devices.
Did'nt take much notice at the time, but by gees, its got me baffled now. Especially as one of our guys at work stands taller and broader than me, yet moves less product than the girls that work there :(,, although, as it was pointed out to me this arvo,,, at least he wont have a stuffed back,,

I understand keeping fit, and weight lifting is all supposed to be done correctly,, warm ups,, posture, technique etc, but lets just say you did some damage, and I mean serious damage,,, who pays?


And took it to say you were suggesting that some one who did some damage in that situation, would be asking for compensation, forgive me if I'm wrong, Bob [ Did not mean to upset you, and glad to hear you are jealous of no one, but have to tell you , as a good Queenslander., I am frightened of no one. ]

[Pedro_The_Swift]

It has been determined that the poorest specimen of less than average fitness should be able to lift 25kg without injury.

Hmm, not the way it was explained to me---

It's all about risk management.

That bits right.


The way I was told its about accessing the risk before the lift.
If YOU think you can lift ANY weight and you've done the risk assessment then go ahead,,
but the opposite is also true,,
If you've done the assessment and you DONT think you can lift the weight(whatever the weight is and for whatever reason)
no-one can make you lift it.

its the same reasoning behind working at heights-- ANY difference is a concern, from a street kerb, or chair, up to those silly idiots walking around on skyline cranes.

You do the accessment, examine the risks, and plan the work accordingly.