I'd first ignore the "in tech" part, and ask if a lot of men are lifting weights these days because of: - The massive shift in routine work & home activities,

I'd first ignore the "in tech" part, and ask if a lot of men are lifting weights these days because of: - The massive shift in routine work & home activities, over the past century-ish, away from often-strenuous physical stuff, to paper-pushing and button-pushing. Just as children instinctively engage in play, many adult males may crave physical exertion. - Modern "manhood", at least for the 99% in most western countries, seems seriously messed up these days. A whole lotta guys may be trying to compensate and/or assert their identity with weight lifting and similar "voluntary masculine" activities.