Can Humans Really Have Superhuman Strength?

[Mallignamius]

I'm skeptical mostly because of the incidence of accidents where we all wish for that special boost that just doesn't happen.

 

[insaneal13n]

With a limited range of motion, I can leg press 2085lbs 100 repetitions, and could have still gone on. The most I could absolutely fit on the olympic machine with 100lb plates was 4205lbs(42 plates and the bar/platform by itself I count as 5lbs). I did 48 repetitions...
Mark Hammond

No, actually, you can't. Plain and simple right here: that's twice the world record, and no machine could hold that much. Why are you trying to be funny here?

 

[TheRealMez]

I've noticed that no-one has yet mentioned the muscle fibres and the 'fight-or-flight' response to emergency situations?

For those who aren't aware, we have three different types of muscle fibres; type 1, type 2a and type 2b. Type 1 are slow-twitch fibres for endurance, they generate low power output but for longer periods, most resistant to fatigue and injury. Type 2a are fast-twitch fibres, larger and stronger than type 1 muscle fibers. These fibers have a high capacity for glycolytic activity and can produce high force output for long periods of time. Type 2b muscle fibers are the survival fibers. The whole purpose for 2b muscle fibers is to allow enough power and strength to survive emergency situations, not used under ordinary circumstances but called upon when slow- and fast-twitch fibres are just not enough. Sixteen percent of an inactive persons body is 2b fibers.

We know that a panic triggers a fight-or-flight reaction, which activates the sympathetic nervous system that releasing adrenaline and noradrenaline besides other hormones, and getting the emergency fibres working.

My theory is simply that the so-called 'feats of superhuman strength' are just fight responses in panic/emergency situations.

http://people.howstuffworks.com/fear2.htm
http://ezinearticles.com/?Training-Muscle-Fiber-Types&id=255955

 

[bassplayer142]

There is some guy out there in the guiness book that balances 1000+ lb things on his head. I have seen a picture of him balancing a small car on his head!

 

[zoobyshoe]

My theory is simply that the so-called 'feats of superhuman strength' are just fight responses in panic/emergency situations.

This makes a great deal of sense but I think there's more going on here, which is that the amount of strength we manifest is inextricable linked to how strong we believe we are.

In this video Derren Brown subtly hypnotizes a non-believer in crystal power into thinking his strength is being interfered with by crystal vibrations. (It is extremely interesting that he can do this despite the man's conscious, executive mental functions not accepting the notion.)

Speculating forward from this premise, I think a 120 lb grandma can lift a car off a baby because she doesn't have time to remember that she's not strong enough. All she knows is that it has to be done.

People who specifically practice the discipline of acquiring physical strength may, in fact, be most influenced by the belief that, having put in the work, they "deserve" to be stronger, and have their own permission to demonstrate greater strength.

Our tendency to sandbag our real muscle power may be due to a sense that our bones can only take so much. I saw a video of an arm wrestler who lost, not because he didn't have the muscle strength, but because his bone gave out: the other guy broke his arm.

 

[GleefulNihilism]

I always thought that "super-human" strength is more along the lines of actual human strength. The human nervous system has saftely measures hard-wired into itself to protect the body. In most situations the nervous system will in effect purposely weaken the body to limit damage on muscle and bone from everyday wear and tear. In times of extreme emotional duress the nervous system then essentially takes the safeties off and allows the muscle to operate at full capacity.

 

[click]

They're high from adrenaline...

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I'm a big proponent for evidence and repeatable findings. I'd love to see Mark Hammond publicly demonstrate his abilities to a group of physicians, physical fitness experts and Guinness Book of World Records.

 

[seycyrus]

Besides all the claims from the strongman regarding his squatting and such. I find the tale of his bicep curl to be a bit incredulous. Unless we are talking about radical departures from strict form, that is. Even curling 135 with your back to a wall is very difficult.

It would seem to be an easy matter to throw down a video.

 

[jcs]

"Extraordinary circumstances can give one a boost in their strength but the stories along the line of "40kg old woman deadlifts a 10000kg tractor to save her kitten" are very very very probably just urban legends."

Yes, but where there is smoke there is fire. Has anyone actually found hard conclusive evidence that supports this "strength theory?" I have one but it's a wee far fetched ( And I'm n bit scared of being flamed)

 

[JJbrigham]

This is a topic I've spent many times podering, and I have found my own conclusion, but won't inflict my belief upon yours. With a limited range of motion, I can leg press 2085lbs 100 repetitions, and could have still gone on. The most I could absolutely fit on the olympic machine with 100lb plates was 4205lbs(42 plates and the bar/platform by itself I count as 5lbs). I did 48 repetitions, and the odd thing was when I replaced the bar holder to its place, I felt dead, but only a few seconds afterward I jumped up and helped remove the plates. Now, despite all the criticism the leg press excersize has drawn, I have heard from doctors and bodybuilders that in the smaller range leg press, the absolute most a man should be able to press is around 3500lbs, at most 5 reps. Ronnie Coleman, a worldly recognized bodybuilder was able to press 2250lbs within this limited range of motion. Is this supernatural, superhuman strength? Again, I have made my own conclusion. If there is any doubt among the reader, you are correct, there is no way I can prove this unless you saw with your own two eyes. All I can say, or ask rather, is why would I come onto this website and lie? I have absolutely nothing to gain, but by telling you of my lift, I hope I have brought some additional insight into your debate.

Mark Hammond

Weight lifting


This is a topic I've spent many times podering, and I have found my own conclusion, but won't inflict my belief upon yours.

With a limited range of motion, I can leg press 2085lbs 100 repetitions, and could have still gone on.

A limited range of motion. One inch, 5,4,3, etc:
At a certain point during the press you would experience lactic acid build up. Causing muscles to exhaust, a natural defense mechanism for the body; it prevents permanent damage during extreme exertion. At some point during the press oxygen becomes very limited. A glucose breakdown- occurs and thus energy production is allowed to continue. At this point your legs should be experiencing pain to the point of numbness. Getting of the machine screaming into a pillow helps.


The most I could absolutely fit on the olympic machine with 100lb plates was 4205lbs(42 plates and the bar/platform by itself I count as 5lbs). I did 48 repetitions,

This is a very impressive demonstration of strength. If not world class.
Repetition range
Did you perform the exercise using a full range of motion? When you lowered the weight the knees reached a point just beyond 90 degrees. Or a half, or partial range of motion..

If you completed the reps, all 48, using a full range of motion, I have a problem with your weight calculations. Is their a Kilograms to Pounds conversion calculation error. If there is not have you since attempted it. The enormous amount of weight would suggest a very experienced weightlifter with years of experience and expert training methods.

and the odd thing was when I replaced the bar holder to its place, I felt dead, but only a few seconds afterward I jumped up and helped remove the plates. Now, despite all the criticism the leg press excersize has drawn, I have heard from doctors and bodybuilders that in the smaller range leg press, the absolute most a man should be able to press is around 3500lbs, at most 5 reps. Ronnie Coleman, a worldly recognized bodybuilder was able to press 2250lbs within this limited range of motion. Is this supernatural, superhuman strength? Again,

I have made my own conclusion.

I would like to hear it. Please

If there is any doubt among the reader, you are correct, there is no way I can prove this unless you saw with your own two eyes.

Do it again, video tape it. Have several people verify it.
All I can say, or ask rather, is why would I come onto this website and lie? I have absolutely nothing to gain, but by telling you of my lift, I hope I have brought some additional insight into your debate.


Often, the amount of weight that is used for a 'leg press' may seem to be artificially high. For example, television host Pat Robertson claims to have leg pressed 2,000 pounds (around 900 kg) and a later statement also claimed that his doctor was capable of a 2,700 pound (1225 kg) leg press. An AskMen.com article states that it is not uncommon for men to leg press over 500 pounds, with some men going over 1000 pounds using a limited-range of motion. However, a true leg press requires the full range of motion. Typically a person cannot do much more than double the weight of their standard 1-repetition, full-range leg-press when attempting limited-range strength straining (i.e., if they can do 500 pounds full-range they could do no more than 1,000 pounds for limited range training http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leg_press

 

[JayR]

I am a Mental Health Nurse and for the safety of staff and patients, we may be required to perform a "take-down", sedate and then place patients in seclusion. This involves the formation of a five man team (usually five big men) and a sixth person who gives the IM sedation injection in a coordinated action. This procedure is dangerous and 99% of the time occurs without error, we must do this without injuring the patient - it would be easy if all I had to do was knock them out. The size of the patient, a massive Pacific Islander suffering from paranoid delusions or tiny old lady (or skinny little "speed freak") full of fear due to their own particular psychosis, gives no indication as to the occurrence of that 1%.

While an individuals strength may surprise me, it is "normal" human strength. There are no "superhuman" abilities in reality.

 

[Duncan]

I always thought that "super-human" strength is more along the lines of actual human strength. The human nervous system has saftely measures hard-wired into itself to protect the body. In most situations the nervous system will in effect purposely weaken the body to limit damage on muscle and bone from everyday wear and tear. In times of extreme emotional duress the nervous system then essentially takes the safeties off and allows the muscle to operate at full capacity.

GleefulNihilism has said what I was going to say. I could not find the original article I read but here is pretty much the same idea (Sorry about the messy url, stupid system won't let me link it normally, add www before the newscientist).

REMOVEMEnewscientist.comREMOVEME
/article/dn3929-brains-hardwired-to-underestimate-own-strength.html

It makes a lot of sense considering the vast amounts of anecdotal data where people who are drug crazed/ experiencing a fit/ extreme stress etc manage to have such strength.

 

[colloquium]

Chimpanzees and oragutans have unnatural strength. A chimp is as strong as 8 human males and weighs about 60kg. This is well documented.

Yes, I've been told that their increased "muscle tone" makes them, pound for pound, much stronger than humans.

I've noticed that no-one has yet mentioned the muscle fibres and the 'fight-or-flight' response to emergency situations?

This is I think the key thing. You have to realize that the strongest men in the world aren't the men with the most lean muscle mass. Powerlifters, for instance, display the most obvious levels of strength, pulling 0.5 ton from the ground (Andy Bolton) - yet they don't display the same level of mass as, for instance, the freakishly huge heavyweight bodybuilders who win comps like Mr Olympia (Ronnie Coleman). The reason the powerlifter is stronger (although with less muscle mass) is becasue they exclusively train the fast-twitch fibres. One of the main objectives when training this way is to train the central nervous system - because the central nervous system limits how much you exert yourself (strength-wise) to protect you from injury. That is why pro powerlifters tear muscles from the bone, herniate spinal discs, and generally see injury as a right of passage. They are consciously pushing their bodies past what they are designed to naturally do. However with the woman lifting the car, she is doing this sub-consciously - (the flght or flight as mentioned above) - when a human thinks it is about to die, or that something equally terrible is happening - it will attempt usually impossible things - maybe performing the required act, maybe becoming seriously injured in the process.

 

[kavikumra]

Adrenaline

Its a mighty powerful thing...

 

[thomasxc]

So can this guy, pretty impressive huh?

I've heard tales that under extraordinary conditions, usually life threatening some people have performed tasks that they would normally never be able to do, this is fairly well documented and probably can be explained through normal biological means, adrenaline boosts, etc. I've never seen anyone do anything superhuman though. Anyone got any stories of superhuman feats? I'd be more inclined to believe that some people can achieve this sort of adrenaline rush without outside stimulus and can use it to achieve quite extraordinary feats, such as in the Worlds Strongest Man.

i agree. the discovery channel had a miniseries called "the human body:pushing the limits"...and it explained this phenomenon well...

 

[WarPhalange]

That is why pro powerlifters tear muscles from the bone, herniate spinal discs, and generally see injury as a right of passage.

LOL WUT?

"HAY GUYZ I TORE MY LEG RIGHT OFF I'M SO STRONG! PRAISE ME!"

Yeah, I've never seen that happen, pal. Powerlifters that don't train safely never make it to the big leagues. A serious injury can set you back weeks, months, or even a year. Only an idiot would be proud of getting injured. It's not like they are fighting bears, where injuries are unavoidable. They are lifting stuff. The only time you get hurt is if you make a mistake (going too hard, not enough warm up, etc.) or some freak accident. It's NOT a badge of courage.

Especially since n00bs are the ones who walk around injured because they haven't a clue what they are doing.

 

[Juarez]

you haven't met yet
i have done a lot of things involving strenght ( sorry but my inlgish is not good)
i veen in many accidents ones involving me and the rest , involving other people that i don't know.
but some how i wind up there pulling people out
i don't kno if its pure coincidence or something else
i have talk whit spicologist, doctors, prists about it
its some pretty shilling ****, the thing that ocure to me
and i don't still get it
and its not adrenalline
i got pretty extraordinary stories.
the priest and the psicologist sed to me that i had a gift
but i don't really bealive in those things
but kno I am wondering about it

 

[seycyrus]

you haven't met yet

I am sure I speak for the rest of PF, when I ask that you please tell us about your exploits!

 

[Juarez]

I am sure I speak for the rest of PF, when I ask that you please tell us about your exploits!

the first time that it hapend to me was in a car accident , i was driving and i had my seatbelt on so i tooked of to reach (there were 2 friends whit me) the one in the copilot door because he wasent wearing seat belt.
i began to see the crash seconds before it hapend , i wanted to move the world ( stear to another way, break,etc) but it was inebitable to do such thing
i hold on to the door of the copilot so he would won't slash by the crash ( the car had hit mine in my side) i went trhu front windows car smashing mi forehead in the rearview mirror i had only few scars, i went to jail that day ( i was 17 years) they loked me up beacuse y was whit tow pasengers and automatically charges are pressed.
the thing is pulled out my other friend from the back seat he's is very tall he got a nose ingury but he is well , the friend that was in the copilot was unharmed beacuse i grabed his door
my older brother was furios because y didnt was the responsable of the crash, and when they brought the car to the house they took some pictures, and the door where i grab was bend , my brother dismantel ther car and he didnt notice that , but i did and i didnt tell anybody,allso didnt know that i took the seat of the car when i pulled my friend of the back (idnt riped out, but the screws where all bent)
in the crash my friend told me ( the one that didnt had an ingury) that he was seeing me so calm , that i wasent shaking or somthing like that.
i remember that day because its the start of the others things that began to hapen to me

 

[Juarez]

sorry about the ortografic horrors but i don't know much inglish and I am at work rigth now
so I am writing fast

 

[leutious2]

I'm on the verge of of making history andso my examples will finally lay all your doughts to rest. "Super human strength", will be a thing of the past!

 

[Evo]

I'm on the verge of of making history andso my examples will finally lay all your doughts to rest. "Super human strength", will be a thing of the past!

I suggest that you read our guidelines on "overly speculative posts" before you post something that is in violation of our guidelines.

Overly Speculative Posts:
One of the main goals of PF is to help students learn the current status of physics as practiced by the scientific community; accordingly, Physicsforums.com strives to maintain high standards of academic integrity. There are many open questions in physics, and we welcome discussion on those subjects provided the discussion remains intellectually sound. It is against our Posting Guidelines to discuss, in most of the PF forums, new or non-mainstream theories or ideas that have not been published in professional peer-reviewed journals or are not part of current professional mainstream scientific discussion. Posts deleted under this rule will be accompanied by a private message from a Staff member, and, if appropriate, an invitation to resubmit the post in accordance with our Independent Research Guidelines. Poorly formulated personal theories, unfounded challenges of mainstream science, and overt crackpottery will not be tolerated anywhere on the site. Linking to obviously "crank" or "crackpot" sites is prohibited.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=5374

 

[streeters]

On the television show "Real TV", I watched a large man pic up a fallen helicopter with someone trapped inside it. Even as I saw it with my own eyes, it didn't look possible. Now mind you, it was just a small chopper (Bell 47G, if I remember correctly), and he didn't exactly lift it over his head, just rolled it enough for the trapped pilot to be pulled out. Still, this is looked like something that shouldn't be possible.

Added note; I know from my own experience that I can dunk a basketball in the heat of a game, but not when I'm practicing.

I actually saw that show ages ago! What you didn't mention was that the helicopter was submerged in water, so would have been much easier to move.

 

[mathwonk]

not all cars are that heavy. as a grad student in my 20's i could roll my VW bug up a small hill, by pushing with my back against it. I was then a meat lugger and routinely unloaded 40-80 thousand pounds of beef per day on my job. now i have trouble lifting a calculus book.

 

[Proton Soup]

LOL WUT?

"HAY GUYZ I TORE MY LEG RIGHT OFF I'M SO STRONG! PRAISE ME!"

Yeah, I've never seen that happen, pal. Powerlifters that don't train safely never make it to the big leagues. A serious injury can set you back weeks, months, or even a year. Only an idiot would be proud of getting injured. It's not like they are fighting bears, where injuries are unavoidable. They are lifting stuff. The only time you get hurt is if you make a mistake (going too hard, not enough warm up, etc.) or some freak accident. It's NOT a badge of courage.

Especially since n00bs are the ones who walk around injured because they haven't a clue what they are doing.

so, how much you bench, WP? it's not as if guys try to get injured, that would just set back their training. but it happens all the time. maybe it's just a small tear in a muscle that shows up as a bruise, but it's common. actually pulling a tendon off a bone happens less frequently, but still more often than you might think.

now, you may not be getting injured, but i suspect you haven't made much progress, either, noob.

 

[Proton Soup]

Bell 47G-5
Weight (empty): 749 kg (1,650 lbs.)
Max weight: 1294 kg (2,850 lbs.)
http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/Exhibits/AirAndSpace/AirAndAircraft/Bell47G5/Bell47G5.php

Hard to say...

with the right leverages, rolling that a bit should be easy.

 

[Pythagorean]

a chalk it off to a combination of adrenaline, higher pain threshold, and faulty witness observation. If you didn't feel pain, you could probably lift a lot more than you can now (up until you tear your muscles)

 

[Proton Soup]

a chalk it off to a combination of adrenaline, higher pain threshold, and faulty witness observation. If you didn't feel pain, you could probably lift a lot more than you can now (up until you tear your muscles)

pain is certainly inhibitory. the less pain you feel, the more you can lift. when it becomes a life or death situation, tho, the CNS will throw caution to the wind and output 100%.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Off-topic discussion moved here.
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=275884

 

[Savant13]

I have seen discovery channel TV shows which support such claims. There is no reason that such acts violate the laws of physics.

 

[billyking]

on the topic of super human strengh
the body in commen situations protects itself as a saftey measure, stoping muscles from tearing by not using there full potentail, but in extreme circumstances this safe guard is removed

i witnessed this earlyer in 2008, when at rugby i was bundled by my entire team
this was a huge amount of weight with all of the team weighing at least 12 stone
due to this i could not breathe at all and i was starting to black out as i could not free myself dispite how hard i was pushing i was still being smoutherd

i was then able to push upwards enough to free myself and breathe but this resulted in my team mate reciving two broken ribs from the opposing forces eather side, this was also with the same amount of team mates on me with no change to the formation of the bundle

at almost the age of 17 with the height of 5 ft 5 weighing in at 15 stone mainly muscle

this required a huge amount of strengh , i also tore the muscle in my right bicep so badly i needed a sling :(

the human body can go to the extremes in dire survival situations

(im a biology geek by the way) :D

 

[Karl G.]

A little adrenaline can go a long way ...

 

[whatever man]

Do you think maybe, on the Idea of releasing adrenaline, that maybe a person could learn to release it without a stressful situation?

 

[tothfairysbac]

a few years ago i was playen pingpong with my friend he and i were both 8 and both weighing about 65 pounds at the time, after a bad hit the ping pong flew under a fridge in the room, and like it was nothing this friend of mine goes over and with one hand wedges the fridge against a wall and lifts it completely off the ground and with the other hand he just reaches under and snatches the ping pong while balancing the fridge, he then turned around and continued playen as if it was nothing, we latter found out the fridge tipped the scales at 283 pounds.