Abstract: A lift box and system simulates the lifting of a crate or box having cutout handles disposed therein. The lift box includes the normal hand hole cutouts, a structural frame adapted to hold a variable amount of disc-type weights and an outer shell which covers the frame and creates an inside cavity which contains the weights. A top surface of each hand hole cutout (the handle) is formed from a separate piece which is isolated from the shell and coupled to the frame through load cells. That arrangement prevents the user from applying any lifting force to the side walls of the lift box, which would reduce the overall force recognized by the load cells.