Handling heavy stones was a common activity in rural environments, to the extent that it gave rise to a peculiar pastime for those who wished to prove their strength.

Stone lifting was used by the indigenous peoples of the Canary Islands to test their strength. There are two types of stone lifting: one involves lifting the stone above the head without toughing the body (pulseo), whilst the stone may come into contact with the body in the second type of event (levantamiento).