Exercise relevance to daily life

My stepdaughter and I were having a discussion today on the way back from the gym. We were trying to figure out what major muscle groups are most relevant to one's daily life activities. In other words, to give one example, does one benefit more from strong, well-developed shoulders or biceps in one's ordinary activities? I would consider the major muscle groups to be chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, back, abs and legs. Lest there be any misunderstanding, I'm well aware that *all* muscle groups should be well-developed for optimal results. I'm also not making reference to any sport-specific activities, but to everyday life. My guess is that one's legs and back are the most important for daily activities, followed in order by biceps, shoulders, triceps and chest (not sure where abs figure into all this). Any other ideas?

It would greatly depend on what those daily activities are.

Parents would probably need strong backs to pick up kids and stuff.

Yes. If you are OJ Simpson for example, strong triceps will assist in downward stabbing movements, while strong lats and rhomboids will aid your throat slitting technique.

Train movements not muscles.

Good gold core stability, your midsection. If that isn't minimally developed, you have problems.

diaphragm & heart

abs balance the back so they are effectively one 'system' I guess..

I'd put abs at the same level as the back. Strong abs removes stress on your back, and we all know people with back pains, so I'd put that there. I agree legs at the top too.

Peter, there was a study some years ago to determine the best indicator of future independance in senior citizens (i.e.: who will live out their lives in their own homes, vs who will require assisted living or nursing homes.)

The best numerical indication was not blood pressure, or cholesterol or anything else. It was quad strength. If you have quad strength, you have mobility. If you have mobility, you have independance.

Yup. If any movement defines an activity of daily living, everywhere, throughout the world, it's picking up heavy stuff from the ground.

Ya know, I am not sure that I would agree with you David.

Yes, I agree, it is a universal movement. Like squatting to go to the bathroom. But how much of it is done anymore? It seems to me, in my experience, that a universal activity is _getting out_ of lifting something off the ground. (Or sitting on a toliet.)

After all, you could hurt your back!!

the only facilities you need are a barbell and weights.

you don't need bumpers, nor a platform.

i regularly do them at 24 hr fitness, with a basic bar (no eleiko) and steel plates.

it is a total myth, or total spoiled wussitude, to think that you need a platform or bumpers.

heck, bumpers weren't even invented for most of the time people were doing OL'ing.