If you are a CrossFitter or Olympic lifter, I am sure you have heard many negative comments from friends and family. Does any of this sound familiar? “You are just going to get injured.” “CrossFit leads to injuries.” “That is a waste of time and not useful.” I am not going to delve into all the injury comments that we here as that has been negated in many ways on other blogs. I am going to show you how CrossFit and Olympic lifts transfer into life activities.
| Life Activity | Lift |
| Putting salt in water softener | Deadlift and hang clean, or just a clean |
| Picking up large bag of dog food | Deadlift |
| Putting suitcase into overhead bin | Clean, possible shoulder to overhead depending on your height |
| Putting box on top shelf in closet | Clean and shoulder to overhead |
| Carrying groceries | Deadlift to Farmer’s carry |
| Carrying a ladder | Shoulder carry |
| Standing up from a chair or toilet | Squats |
| Picking up your child | Med ball or keg clean |
| Pushing heavy shopping cart | Sled push |
And the list can go on and on.
Now, here is the important part, so listen up! Many people get injured at home with these simple tasks because they don’t follow the same rules at home with menial tasks that they do with their heavy lifts at the gym. Whether you are kneeling/bending down to untie your child’s shoe or to pick up a 75 pound box, the mechanics of your movement should not change. It is important you continue to keep your back flat and weight on your heels, just like you would if you were at the gym and doing a deadlift or a clean. If you need to get onto your toes when kneeling down to do the task at hand, shift your weight back to your heels before standing up. You would never think of doing a squat with weight while standing on your toes, so why do it without weight? Think about it!
Email me or leave a comment on this post for any questions you may have about body mechanics with daily activities.
