"That looks heavy. Here, let me help."

If you're out shopping with a partner, family member, or friend and one of you is physically stronger than the other, you may have used this line before.

Most people appreciate it when someone they care about takes the initiative to help.

However, there are people out there who go above and beyond, and when anecdotes get shared online, they sometimes attract a lot of attention. Here's a good example from Japan!

Parenting with muscle!

Japanese entrepreneur 大橋茉莉花 Mirika Ohashi, CEO of apparel brand Alyo, who goes by the name 元鈴木さん Motosuzukisan [the former Ms. Suzuki] (@Motosuzukisan) on Twitter, posted an anecdote that happened when she went to a local supermarket with her husband 大橋智明 Tomoaki Ohashi, former linebacker for Japanese professional American football league Fujitsu Frontiers.

As she was filling her basket with milk, bananas, and other items, her husband took it away from her, saying:

"Don't take away a chance for me to show off my strength!"

He was holding his daughter, who weighed 13 kg (29 lbs), with his other arm.

One arm would normally be the limit, but Motosuzukisan's husband has muscles to spare, so he carried both the basket and his daughter without even breaking a sweat!

Reproduced with permission from 元鈴木さん Motosuzukisan (@Motosuzukisan)

The way he walks as if to say "I don't need a cart" shows just how confident he is in his strength.

Now relieved of the weight, Motosuzukisan admired her husband's muscular back as she shouted: "Yeah! Mr. Strongman! Best in Japan!", in imitation of the kind of cheers fans shout at Japanese bodybuilding competitions.

The post was widely shared and elicited various comments, such as:

  • "The way you took the basket is so cool!"
  • "His arm muscles aren't even bulging, so it's clear how easy it is for him"
  • "Your husband is so nice."
  • "That's a nice view, I must admit..."
  • "I'm jealous. I need to try that now."
  • "I can do the same thing holding a 16 kg (35 lbs) child."

Parenting often requires physical strength. Maybe there are quite a few families out there that could use a bit of muscle!


By - grape Japan editorial staff.