How much weight could you realistically carry?

[Deleted]

I work in a shop where we often have to pick up and carry (unaided) Generators, drop-saws, radiators, etc to customers.
A lot of those things are heavy as hell.
My shop record was a Van Vault (a safe for the back of a pickup) 45Kg. It's not the heaviest item I've lifted, that goes to our Industrial generator. But it was the hardest due to it's shape. Leverage is hard when you can barely fit your arms around the thing!

I'm just around 5'11", maybe 170lbs, really no idea, I've lost a shitload of fat and gained a shitload of muscle mass over the past 15 months in my new job and learned not to weigh myself.
We regularly (I regularly get told to) carry weights exceeding well over 100Kg's (50 either side) during delivery. 2 56Kg pales of paint for example.

Is that average? Maybe I'm just getting used as the workhorse. Or is that a pretty normal weight for the average guy to be assumed to carry?

[xskarma]

From your numerics you sound american, so this won't affect you, but in E.U. there's actually labor laws forbidding you to carry stuff that heavy. I remember from when they introduced that rule that they were supposedly going to have to change the weight and size of certain beer kegs cause they were going to weigh in too heavy. I only remember this whole thing cause it involved beer kegs btw

So yes I think they are treating you like a cheap labor work horse that gets to ruin his back on all the heavy lifting. You don't age well in jobs like that.

[Victoriaautmors]

I havent really carried anything more then about 20-30kg (luggage when traveling by plane) outside of a gym... It really depends on the individual i guess , seen photos of soldiers carrying 300kg artillery rounds on their backs but i doubt and average person can do it. Also i doubt that is healthy, damages joints, spine etc so i would find a less straining job ih i were you.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

I try to avoid carrying more than 30 kg at any one time when carrying stuff on my own. Can lift more, but not carry.

[Reg]

From what I remember while growing up and getting my first job, a requirement was being able to life 50lbs regularly... so roughly 22kg. This was as a 16 year old, so maybe that goes up a bit when you get older. I'd say anywhere from 25-30kg would be normal.

[Garnier Fructis]

Depends on the geometry and flexibility of the object in question. Bags of cement that weigh 60 lbs (~27 kg) are a bitch to carry because there are no handles and they tend to sag. Despite having trouble with bags of cement, I've been able to carry things up to 90 lbs (~41 kg). Well, I can't carry those things very far but I can get them off the ground and move them for a while.

[Deleted]

Probably 100kg if I strap it to my body lol. Nobody usually lifts more than 25kg here, and if they do they're in violation of labor laws, or they'll end up as semi-cripple at age 50.

If I were you i'd find a different job. Being a work horse is bad in the long run and it's not worth the extra buck.

[Mazaxist]

i had to carry a refrigerator with a friend. i think that thing was easyli maybe 100kg, fuck that shit. this is why construction jobs suck big time,

[Deleted]

Every weekend, having 3 kg in hands, and around 12 distributed over my body. Running around, jumping and shooting bbs for 6-8 hours

[Deleted]

From your numerics you sound american, so this won't affect you, but in E.U. there's actually labor laws forbidding you to carry stuff that heavy. I remember from when they introduced that rule that they were supposedly going to have to change the weight and size of certain beer kegs cause they were going to weigh in too heavy. I only remember this whole thing cause it involved beer kegs btw

So yes I think they are treating you like a cheap labor work horse that gets to ruin his back on all the heavy lifting. You don't age well in jobs like that.

Nope, totally British. I live in Scotland.
I should clarify. The weight's I'm asked to lift are in no way in my contract. I'm just good at lifting things
I don't feel like I'm being pushed into a corner by being asked to carry crazy weights, I see it as a challenge (hell, I'm being paid to work out!)

We get cement mixers occasionally. Those f**ers way about 80Kg. I'd never be asked to carry one.
By law, I shouldn't carry anything over 25Kg alone, but you have to weigh the law with efficiency.

I really do not mind carrying crap that tests me. If I'm working for 10 hours a day, I may as well get a workout!

I guess the question isn't "is it legal?" but, how much can you/or have you carried?
It's not about how legal it is. It's about how much you've actually been able to carry to a customer.

[Exorbitance]

I work in a shop where we often have to pick up and carry (unaided) Generators, drop-saws, radiators, etc to customers.
A lot of those things are heavy as hell.
My shop record was a Van Vault (a safe for the back of a pickup) 45Kg. It's not the heaviest item I've lifted, that goes to our Industrial generator. But it was the hardest due to it's shape. Leverage is hard when you can barely fit your arms around the thing!

I'm just around 5'11", maybe 170lbs, really no idea, I've lost a shitload of fat and gained a shitload of muscle mass over the past 15 months in my new job and learned not to weigh myself.
We regularly (I regularly get told to) carry weights exceeding well over 100Kg's (50 either side) during delivery. 2 56Kg pales of paint for example.

Is that average? Maybe I'm just getting used as the workhorse. Or is that a pretty normal weight for the average guy to be assumed to carry?

You're being used as a horsey for sure. It's dangerous to carry heavy stuff solo, because even a slightest "slip" while carrying, can fk up your back for life. I had my lower back screwed when I was working in furniture shop and we did some home deliveries. We 2-manned some bookcase that weighted nearly 150kg to 6th floor and while I had strenght in my arms and legs to carry it, my back just didn't like it. Later I quit that job and I have had occasional back pains ever since.

[Jackmoves]

When I did my military service we carried a full Berghaus ss2k rucksack+weapons, so around 55 kg, during forced march. The coms guy had to be able to carry a ra180(10kg with everything inc) as well, we did pass that around regularly though.

I don't know exactly how much I could carry as max though, more then that at least.

[Jaklina]

Ive had pretty crappy upper body strength my whole life. I can carry like 20lbs. Anything more than that and it screws up my back. (hurt my back in my old job)

[CJack14dt]

The US also has labor laws designating maximum amount of weight allowed to be lifted.

[Mascotte]

25kg without mechanical aid is the prescribed limit for the netherlands so that equals 50pounds or so.
Do i lift more?
Obviously.
Picking up 2 22kg boxes at the same time is alot faster then picking up 1 twice.
Sometimes i run into piles of heavy steel i have to pick up, i tend to aim around the 'limit' on those before getting mechanical aid but thats mainly due to them picking me from a stack wrecks havoc on my hands.

From your story i'd say your overpulling which will cause discomfort if you continue doing so, if it becomes a mainstream thing.
While limits in 'our' line of work are often frowned upon they are there for a reason.
Keep that in mind, jobs come and go, a body and its health is a one time gift.

[KingHorse]

You're being used as a horsey for sure. It's dangerous to carry heavy stuff solo, because even a slightest "slip" while carrying, can fk up your back for life. I had my lower back screwed when I was working in furniture shop and we did some home deliveries. We 2-manned some bookcase that weighted nearly 150kg to 6th floor and while I had strenght in my arms and legs to carry it, my back just didn't like it. Later I quit that job and I have had occasional back pains ever since.

^This right here.

I'm a pretty damn large guy and I used to work at a moving and storage company, so I was in just crazy shape. The heaviest thing I ever lifted was 360 lbs (163kg) when I weighed 210 lbs (95kg). It was a box of weights. Literally weights for a bench press. I carried it about 30 ft to the scale, put it down and leaned on it while waiting for the black spots to fade (I later found out this meant I was about to faint.) After several years doing that job (and a bit more stupidity like this) my knees are shit, my hip is pretty fucked up, my shoulder hurts and I have a tendon on the inside of my thigh that tightens up at least once a week keeping me from moving any better than a brisk walk. Don't be a horse for anyone: money gets spent and gone, your tendons stay fucked.

[Finn mac cool]

At my job I have to load 100lb+ packages on a fairly regular basis. I think the heaviest I've seen is 145lb.

[Deleted]

I've carried plenty of rucksacks that were so heavy it required help to be physically lifted onto my feet. I reckon some were upto and around 150lbs. the Bergen I carried during my Arctic training was a total fucking beast. Take a normal 100lb bergen packed for exercise then throw on extra batteries, supplementary rations, survival equipment, tents and strap on a pulk loaded with weapons and ammunition.

I swear I came back about an inch shorter.

[Flyingmoney]

It really depends on the individual i guess , seen photos of soldiers carrying 300kg artillery rounds on their backs

lawlolololololawl. Human beings don't just carry 300kg.

[Deleted]

lawlolololololawl. Human beings don't just carry 300kg.

haha, yeah. Takes years of training just to pick that much weight a few inches off the floor .