Old Forum Question for writing fiction

[Iworr]

Hello,

I am about to begin writing a novel in which the main character will use a strength training program similar to PTTP. She is a small female about 5' to 5' 2" and would weigh about 90 to 100 pounds.

Is it realistic for a woman that size to ever be able to get strong enough to lift and carry adult men who weigh between 180 to 220 pounds?

A writing mentor one time told me don't let the truth get in the way of a good story. Meaning that you can have reality or logic holes in a story, as long as the premise is plausible. Would people be able to suspend the disbelief on that?

The premise of the story is that she is the only known survivor of a serial killer, she is taken in and trained by a member of the Russian Mafia. She becomes a contract killer for them while killing rapists for free.

 

[jgruginski]

I'm intrigued. Do you mean lift from the floor and put over her shoulder? I think you need to define the movement she would do. And how far are you thinking she would carry them? I don't know that I am in any position to accurately answer you, but I would imagine answering the above questions would get someone a clearer vision of what you mean.

 

[Iworr]

probably lift from the floor and put over her shoulder or in a firefighter's carry. the distance she would carry them doesn't necessarily matter. Just a general question as to whether or not if someone reading the story would be able to suspend the disbelief as to the possibility of that happening.

 

[DaveM]

This isn't quite the ratio that you plan, but fwiw, Google "how to carry your husband out of a burning building" an read the article from the lady who made the YouTube. Considering the fabulous nature of what women to on TV and I movies, you are probably OK with poetic license anyway.

 

[Iworr]

thanks for the replies

 

[inarchetype]

My wife is 5'2" and 90lbs, and can pick me up and carry me for short distances. She is quite de-trained at the moment.  She has been working on sort of a ramp up/break in to S&S (a basic kettlebell program), but is still quite weak and has done no prior strength training and not significant regular physical activity since about middle school (we're working on it).

With sufficient strength training, based on her current capability, I fully expect that she would be able to fireman carry me for reasonable distances, although I doubt it will be easy.  Up or down stairs or steep hills would be a more distant goal, but I could absolutely believe it would be possible with sufficient training.

But I'm a smallish guy.

 

[Iworr]

thanks for all the replies. I checked the How To Carry Your Husband out of a burning building video. Everything's good now. I start writing today and/or tomorrow

 

[Slider6]

Hello Ian,

I think this brings up a very interesting topic in our society.  For some reason we tend underestimate how much strong women weigh.  I had a classmate in my fire academy who was 5'1" and could easily perform all the lifts and carries, but she was in extremely good shape and weighed 145 lbs.   I am 5'10" and people routinely underestimate my weight by 30 lbs.  I weigh 170-174 lbs.  I would say that with everything that was required of us in the academy a recruit would have to weigh at the very least 135 lbs.

So yes, I think a 5'-5'2" woman is more than capable of this, I just don't see why she has to be underweight for her size.  I have a friend who is quite thin at 5' and 100 lbs and who despite training on a regular basis (primarily cardio) states that she would have difficulty attempting this carry with a person of this size.  Muscle weighs more even if someone is not bulky.  I believe that this is something that should be addressed to encourage young women to have positive body images.

Another question I have for you is specifically what type  of carries would your character be performing - firefighter carries with the person over her shoulders,  or with her arms around the person's torso and their feet on the ground walking backwards or another type?  The different carries require slightly different strength sets.  The If she is in fact getting someone out of  a burning building we are usually on our hands and knees crawling dragging the person with us.  This is because of heat and smoke higher up in the room and relatively cooler cleaner air closer to the floor.

- Asha

 

[Iworr]

Hey Slider6,

The reason I would want her to be lightweight - about 90 to 100 lbs - is that I want the police characters investigating the killings to not believe that a woman that small could overpower a man. Enabling her to continue her career as long as possible.

she doesn't have to carry a person out of burning building. It would be to carry a victim to a remote location to commit the murder without being interrupted by witnesses or to dump a body.

the carry would be the firefighters carry or over a shoulder carry.