Lift something weird. Most of the things we carry in everyday life aren’t the size of free weights. They’re odd-shaped things, like kids, suitcases, and shopping bags. So, to build strength that’s more than just for show, switch between sandbags, barbells and kettlebells. And lift yourself by doing pull-ups. In fact, pull-ups target more muscles than any other upper-body exercise. Those weighted exercises will build strength that helps you out in real life – like next time you have to carry a sleepy kid from the car to their bed.

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