There was a time in this country when people were grateful to have a job. Going to the office for work was something that was commonly referred to as “normal,” and folks under 30 were emotionally more well-equipped to handle hearing opinions that they might disagree with. But could it be proven that people from previous generations were “stronger?”
Sorry millennials and Gen Z, this news might upset you, but a Men’s Health story says that the proof is in.
Several years ago, Winston-Salem State researchers looked at the grip strength of millennials aged 20-34 and compared the findings with that of same-aged people in the 1980s. They found that grip strength had dropped by 22% in men. Why did they look at grip strength? Because it is a good overall indicator of strength, proving that millennials are weaker than their parents.
As for Gen Z, well, it’s even worse for you, according to the study.
The question is, why such a sharp decline?
For one thing, modern life is less physically demanding for many people. The story references PE class in school. It’s no longer the norm, and physical fitness is one of the last things on the mind of many of the new wave of woke administrators overseeing schools.
Workers in previous generations had to do harder jobs. Manufacturing and agriculture weren’t as automated as it is now. More laborers and people worked in construction. There are 23 percent fewer people working these tough manual labor jobs currently.
On the flip side, the percentage of people working in low-activity jobs rose from 23 percent to 41 percent.
And, of course, there’s also data about workouts. The report showed that people born between 1980 and 1999 account for 35 percent of gym memberships, but the workouts millennials and Gen Zers do is not as strenuous. They prefer sampling multiple workouts instead of sticking with a structured program which evidence shows is the most effective way of building strength.
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