"Why we lift" from the evolutionary perspective

[Tiburon]

My old man just read this book "Why we run" in which...

"ultramarathoner Bernd Heinrich explores a new perspective on human evolution by examining the phenomenon of ultraendurance and makes surprising discoveries about the physical, spiritual -- and primal -- drive to win. At once lyrical and scientific, Why We Run shows Heinrich's signature blend of biology, anthropology, psychology, and philosophy, infused with his passion to discover how and why we can achieve superhuman abilities."

Has anyone written from this angle about Why We Pick Up Heavy Stuff? I mean, obviously the strong person wrestles down the bigger mammoth and gets more cavechicks and makes more stronger babies....but there has to be more to the story. Are there any anthropology writings that have talked to you?

[Mark Rippetoe]

As far as I know, I was the first to address this, in the 1st edition SS. The definition of fitness by Kilgore and Rippetoe addressed the topic as well. I have not read anything else about it anywhere.

[Mark Rippetoe]

he insisted that tool use was only ineffective for hunting, unless someone was highly skilled.

He doesn't think skill can be acquired when it is necessary for survival?

[deeprooted]

Check out some paleo/primal sites. They usually recommend lifting heavy things using natural human movements like the squat, press, deadlift etc. (pretty much exactly what we do here) and have some interesting views of why it's important from an evolutionary perspective. It all kind of makes sense opposed to that ultraendurance stuff.

In addition to that I always wondered why lifting heavy things and sprinting (which all had a daily purpose in our ancestor's lives if you research a bit) makes you stronger (and thus sexier to the caveladies) while ultraendurance (which had no purpose at all and might have uselessly burnt up calories you might not have had left to spare and thus could've starved to death for doing something that stupid) is a catabolic process that makes you weak and ugly.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Has anyone written from this angle about Why We Pick Up Heavy Stuff? I mean, obviously the strong person wrestles down the bigger mammoth and gets more cavechicks and makes more stronger babies....but there has to be more to the story. Are there any anthropology writings that have talked to you?

It's a little further along the timeline and into the Bronze Age, but The Illiad and The Epic of Gilgamesh might talk to many here.

[stef]

he insisted that tool use was only ineffective for hunting, unless someone was highly skilled

Ah, someone with no experience catching and killing.

He also seems to have a narrow definition of "hunting." Hunting isn't limited to large, speedy, running-type herd animals for fuck's sake. And it doesn't mean baiting, traps, ambushes, or hounds are disallowed.

[Kyle Schuant]

The question, "why lift?" is answered by doing it seriously for 6 months or so. Strength is like education, you don't realise its importance until you have it, and people who are too lazy to get it will come up with all sorts of elaborate arguments about why it doesn't matter.

I know many people who ran for many years, and looking back said it was a waste of time. I know nobody was has lifted for many years and said it was a waste of time.

[Rob Israel]

He doesn't think skill can be acquired when it is necessary for survival?

I think if this was all I was doing and it was going to keep me alive I would get freaking great at it real quick. This need to be filed under the "people are morons" section.

As for the OP's question, I would imagine there have been writings about this by Anthropologists in scientific journals that only other social scientists read (or know about). That said, anthropologists are fairly intellectual types and may minimize the physical challenges/capabilities of early man since they tend to focus on the cultural aspects of society-making (which I too find fascinating) and not necessarily the physical challenges that we are referring too. For example, the invention of the tool is emphasized, not physical skills or prowess in using it.

Making it into pop-culture is another matter entirely (RE: the book) and not really a good way to measure anything except luck and copies sold. (Oh, I went a little cynical there, didn't I?)

[David Kirkham]

He doesn't think skill can be acquired when it is necessary for survival?

Isn't that the definition...

[wal]

Has anyone written from this angle about Why We Pick Up Heavy Stuff?

Who else will do it? Am I the only one around here that moves heavy junk? Pianos, fridges, furniture, wheel barrows full of concrete. But if thing is too heavy I get the forks out. Ha!

Mark Rippetoe has a good definition of the necessity of physical activity. "Over and above any considerations of performance for sports, exercise is the stimulus that returns our bodies to the conditions for which we were designed". (Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training, 2nd Edition). We owe that much at least to our Maker.

"Aging is an extreme sport" (Dr. J Sullivan)

Humans by the way do not evolve, we devolve, that is why we need to train.