eli5: Why is it harder to lift a weight than to just hold it?

Question

Like, if I pick up something fairly heavy using my legs to pick it up but need it to be at a higher elevation it’s so hard for me to bend my arms up further but I could carry that weight around for a long while even if I’d started with my arms at that higher elevation.

I hope that made sense.

Edit: I have gotten two good answers that make me feel stupid.

In: 1

Answer 1

Isaac Newton – Physics 101

To pick up a weight you have to apply a force to it. That force has to be enough to accelerate the weight (to motion) and counter the force of gravity.

While holding a weight just requires enough force to counter gravity.

So it requires more energy to move something, than to hold it stationary.