Can Humans Really Have Superhuman Strength?

[Ivan Seeking]

Most of us have probably heard the anecdotal accounts. One common story involves a mother who lifts a car which has fallen off the jackstands and trapped her son. In my own family there is a story about a great great aunt who, at about 120 Lbs or less and back in the 1940's I think, allegedly carried, shoved, or pulled her new and most highly prized refrigerator out of a burning house.

I have never seen any good evidence for such claims. Has anyone else?

 

[LURCH]

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.

 

[inha]

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.

Big men do amazing stuff to object probably heavier than a small helicopter in the world's strongest man competitions.

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

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.

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...

 

[GOD__AM]

Many years ago, when I was child, we were involved in a very nasty car accident. We were hit broad side by a tractor trailer hauling limerock. He struck us on the drivers side door at nearly 70 mph after running the red light. There were four of us, myself, my mother, my mothers female friend, and her son. Her son was around my age at the time which was eight years old. My mother and myself were on the side that got struck, and we were both knocked out. My mother was the only one seriously injured in the accident, although she recovered fully. My friend, who was in the back seat beside me, was very scared thinking that the car would blow up as in the movies. Feeling he was trapped he preceeded to rip the seat belt from it's mount. He wasn't even wearing the belt at the time, and I remember the paramedics saying it must have been due to increased amounts of adrenaline.

 

[Mk]

Last year I think I read a news story about two men who rolled a car off a boy underneath to save his life. It was true.

But I have heard many times that a mysterious car falls from the sky and a friend (they are both male) protects his oblivious friend with his super-human adrenaline packed body or something like that.

Sure he could do it... if he were the Hulk.

 

[S196foot4]

Superhuman Strength

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

 

[arildno]

If a mother is able to lift a car, it just means that to lift a car is perfectly within HUMAN strength. There is nothing super-human about it.

 

[trajan22]

How can you come to that conclussion. Have you ever lifted a car? Because I haven't and I have only see one person ever do it.(not above their heads or anything just up off 2 wheels.) How is that sufficient evidence to say since one can do it then most should be able to?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I think by "superhuman" we mean feats of strength that go well beyond what our expectations would be under ordinary circumstances. It does get dicey because we have average people in extraodinary circumstances, as well as people who are specially trained, as in the martial arts. What is normal for a fifth degree black belt is likely superhuman for grandma.

 

[arildno]

Well, insofar as certain feats of strength requires a degree of cooperation&synchronicity of muscle contractions that only very rarely is achieved (for example, mostly under extreme mental duress), it means that for any person not within that mental state the given feat will be in practice impossible to perform, since there has not been developed a training programme to achieve that level of strength without the associated mental state.

 

[Moridin]

http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/

The carry, pull and drag some massive weights.

 

[Gokul43201]

This probably belongs in a thread by itself, but it seems to me like a display of unexpected strength. How does this work?

(note : the video includes advertisement to a personal website that is highly dubious)

 

[Moridin]

I can also bend a spoon, provided that the material is different or weakened.

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

I can also bend a spoon, provided that the material is different or weakened.

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.

 

[arildno]

Personally, I find the desperate mother stories among the most conceptually convincing, if not empirically adequately documented:

From a selfish gene perspective, that the parent organism ordinarily takes caution not to over-exert itself is not incompatible with a display of recklessness towards its own survival if the descedant organism's life is threatened. Without this recklessness (probably coupled to an effective insensitivity to pain), the act would not be ordinarily possible to perform.

 

[S196foot4]

Additional lifts of unnatural merit

I felt I should tell you all my physical attributes, incase it might help. I am somewhere in between 6'1'' and 6'4''(haven't been measured since freshman year), about 225lbs, and am 18 years old. Someone asked if I've lifted a car before. Yes, actually more times than I can count, my familys pick-up truck, I have lifted from the rear and front end(lifted both tires off ground), and found the front to be a little harder. The first time I tried because I heard a story similar to those mentioned earlier, one's of older women lifting cars and such. Since I have actually found it fun. It's a 1985 Ford, and if I had to guess I'd say it weighs around 2300lbs. I suppose I should tell you of my other excersizes I have found a little weird. There is a forearm free weight contraption at my high school's gym, on which you place weight near the end, and pull it towards you using your grip/forearm strength. One of the football players, a friend of mine, was doing two 45lb plates(90lbs), and was sweating pretty hard. I started where he left off, and proceeded to add all the weight I could fit(in 100lb plates). I could only fit on six, and did 10 repetitions. Also, my biceps seem to be unnaturally strong, I can, using both arms, curl 220lbs. The odd thing is though, that on excersizes like the bench press, I am well below average, only benching about 225lbs(one repetition). And on the squat rack, I can withstand(lift the weight of the bars without squatting, holding it) 1365lbs, I don't know whether or not that is good or not. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been lifting and the other kids or lifters look at me like I'm some sort of freak, or how many times I've been asked if I'm on steroids. For clarification, I'm not on any sort of steroid, protein shake, or anything. My source of protein is skim milk. I have talked to so many people with so many far-fetched theory's you can't imagine. I've talked to eccentric evolutionists who say I'm the next step in evolution, because I have blonde hair and green/yellow eyes, which supposedly is of "Aryan blood". I have talked to Greek mythology eccentrics who say since I'm greek that I'm proof of their theory. Then I've talked to scientists here at school who say its all genetic code. Again, I can only fairly leave your conclusion respected by not stating my belief as fact. Also, I watched a good film based on this subject, by a director M. Night Shymalan, called, 'Unbreakable'. Thanks again for reading and considering my opinion as I contemplate yours.

Mark Hammond

 

[K.J.Healey]

Maybe its from the steroids in the cow's milk. Animal rights groups usually point that out to me, saying that the world's children are getting huge due to the fact that farmers inject their animals, mainly cows, with steroids to beef up their milk production. (pun intended).
There is organic hormone-free milk widely available.
But once again, I am not saying this is the reason for your size but rather a possibility.

As for the feats of human strength, has anyone ever done a study that monitored a humans physical capacity and hormone levels to see what percentage on average a person's strength increases due to adrenaline?

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

Maybe its from the steroids in the cow's milk. Animal rights groups usually point that out to me, saying that the world's children are getting huge due to the fact that farmers inject their animals, mainly cows, with steroids to beef up their milk production. (pun intended).
There is organic hormone-free milk widely available.
But once again, I am not saying this is the reason for your size but rather a possibility.

As for the feats of human strength, has anyone ever done a study that monitored a humans physical capacity and hormone levels to see what percentage on average a person's strength increases due to adrenaline?

Actually that would be better nutrition and diet overall , that explains why average heights have been going up since the early half of the 20th century, at least in Europe. Steroids meant to increase muscle are not the same as those which increase height, in fact use of these steroids can in some limited cases reduce height.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone

Mark have you ever thought of competing in worlds strongest man, seems your doing most of the stuff they're doing already

Oh and you sound like a typical mesomorph, I wouldn't be surprised if you had a square face and you gain muscle very easily

 

[Gza]

I felt I should tell you all my physical attributes, incase it might help. I am somewhere in between 6'1'' and 6'4''(haven't been measured since freshman year), about 225lbs, and am 18 years old. Someone asked if I've lifted a car before. Yes, actually more times than I can count, my familys pick-up truck, I have lifted from the rear and front end(lifted both tires off ground), and found the front to be a little harder. The first time I tried because I heard a story similar to those mentioned earlier, one's of older women lifting cars and such. Since I have actually found it fun. It's a 1985 Ford, and if I had to guess I'd say it weighs around 2300lbs. I suppose I should tell you of my other excersizes I have found a little weird. There is a forearm free weight contraption at my high school's gym, on which you place weight near the end, and pull it towards you using your grip/forearm strength. One of the football players, a friend of mine, was doing two 45lb plates(90lbs), and was sweating pretty hard. I started where he left off, and proceeded to add all the weight I could fit(in 100lb plates). I could only fit on six, and did 10 repetitions. Also, my biceps seem to be unnaturally strong, I can, using both arms, curl 220lbs. The odd thing is though, that on excersizes like the bench press, I am well below average, only benching about 225lbs(one repetition). And on the squat rack, I can withstand(lift the weight of the bars without squatting, holding it) 1365lbs, I don't know whether or not that is good or not. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been lifting and the other kids or lifters look at me like I'm some sort of freak, or how many times I've been asked if I'm on steroids. For clarification, I'm not on any sort of steroid, protein shake, or anything. My source of protein is skim milk. I have talked to so many people with so many far-fetched theory's you can't imagine. I've talked to eccentric evolutionists who say I'm the next step in evolution, because I have blonde hair and green/yellow eyes, which supposedly is of "Aryan blood". I have talked to Greek mythology eccentrics who say since I'm greek that I'm proof of their theory. Then I've talked to scientists here at school who say its all genetic code. Again, I can only fairly leave your conclusion respected by not stating my belief as fact. Also, I watched a good film based on this subject, by a director M. Night Shymalan, called, 'Unbreakable'. Thanks again for reading and considering my opinion as I contemplate yours.

Mark Hammond

lol tl;dr

 

[Kanse]

I felt I should tell you all my physical attributes, incase it might help. I am somewhere in between 6'1'' and 6'4''(haven't been measured since freshman year), about 225lbs, and am 18 years old. Someone asked if I've lifted a car before. Yes, actually more times than I can count, my familys pick-up truck, I have lifted from the rear and front end(lifted both tires off ground), and found the front to be a little harder. The first time I tried because I heard a story similar to those mentioned earlier, one's of older women lifting cars and such. Since I have actually found it fun. It's a 1985 Ford, and if I had to guess I'd say it weighs around 2300lbs. I suppose I should tell you of my other excersizes I have found a little weird. There is a forearm free weight contraption at my high school's gym, on which you place weight near the end, and pull it towards you using your grip/forearm strength. One of the football players, a friend of mine, was doing two 45lb plates(90lbs), and was sweating pretty hard. I started where he left off, and proceeded to add all the weight I could fit(in 100lb plates). I could only fit on six, and did 10 repetitions. Also, my biceps seem to be unnaturally strong, I can, using both arms, curl 220lbs. The odd thing is though, that on excersizes like the bench press, I am well below average, only benching about 225lbs(one repetition). And on the squat rack, I can withstand(lift the weight of the bars without squatting, holding it) 1365lbs, I don't know whether or not that is good or not. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been lifting and the other kids or lifters look at me like I'm some sort of freak, or how many times I've been asked if I'm on steroids. For clarification, I'm not on any sort of steroid, protein shake, or anything. My source of protein is skim milk. I have talked to so many people with so many far-fetched theory's you can't imagine. I've talked to eccentric evolutionists who say I'm the next step in evolution, because I have blonde hair and green/yellow eyes, which supposedly is of "Aryan blood". I have talked to Greek mythology eccentrics who say since I'm greek that I'm proof of their theory. Then I've talked to scientists here at school who say its all genetic code. Again, I can only fairly leave your conclusion respected by not stating my belief as fact. Also, I watched a good film based on this subject, by a director M. Night Shymalan, called, 'Unbreakable'. Thanks again for reading and considering my opinion as I contemplate yours.

Mark Hammond

1365 pounds? Idk... I have seen football players squat around 400 to 500 and I see that the bar bends surprisingly well. I can't see a bar withstanding around 1365. The human body can also withstand so much. When squatting, at least when I do it, you have to bend your back a little when you lift it intially I can't see a person bend there back and pick up a bar.

"I've talked to eccentric evolutionists who say I'm the next step in evolution, because I have blonde hair and green/yellow eyes, which supposedly is of "Aryan blood"."

I wouldn't call it evolution it is probably more like natural selection (survival of the fittest). I also wouldn't think that you are the "next step" unles science has been wrong about genetics. They say that blue eyes/ green eyes and blond hair are recessive. Which is why most people don't have those color eyes.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The last natural blondes will die out within 200 years, scientists believe.

A study by experts in Germany suggests people with blonde hair are an endangered species and will become extinct by 2202. [continued]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2284783.stm

It seems that the Aryan myth will soon die. So much for the next step in evolution.

 

[StuMyers]

Not so sure. Blonde hair and blue eyes may be recessive, but since they are also considered attractive and desirable (and in society, advantageous), it's not too hard to imagine designer babies of the near future sporting those genes. Maybe?

 

[Kanse]

Not so sure. Blonde hair and blue eyes may be recessive, but since they are also considered attractive and desirable (and in society, advantageous), it's not too hard to imagine designer babies of the near future sporting those genes. Maybe?

Idk...as long as one of the parents has a Dominant Gene, which is brown/black eyes, then the child is MOST likely going to be Brown/Black. It is not 100% unless both parents are BB BB.

 

[StuMyers]

Idk...as long as one of the parents has a Dominant Gene, which is brown/black eyes, then the child is MOST likely going to be Brown/Black. It is not 100% unless both parents are BB BB.

Yes, I get that. I'm writing about designer babies in the near future, or actually, even now in sperm-bank labs. "Viking" babies seem to be quite in demand.

 

[StuMyers]

Sperm Bank Markets Viking Babies as Cultural Ideal

While the Ashkenazi paper veers for some too close to eugenics, a company called Scandinavian Cryobank embraces and profits from its own connection, according to this Sunday profile from Newsday. "Congratulations, it's a Viking!" shout the sperm bank company's ads. And people are buying based on their perception of the ideal. Their tally: 10,000 babies worldwide, the company says.

Biomedical ethicist Jonathan Moreno of the University of Virginia refers to the movement toward designer babies as "consumer eugenics," which trades on cultural stereotypes that value blue eyes, light skin and height. "It would be a historic irony if we all ended up looking like that," he says.

In Denmark, Scandinavian Cryobank can release to infertile couples only the height and weight of the sperm donor. But American couples, through the company's Manhattan office, get a lot more information. There's a separate section on personality and a detailed health history that includes genetic diseases. Also listed, according to Newsday: skin tone, hair texture, resting heart rate, shoe size, handedness, academic history, eating habits and even favorite color.

http://www.americanscientist.org/template/Newsletter?memberid=null&issueid=5921

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Check it out: It is a tongue-in-cheek look at the future of genetics.
http://www.nextgencode.com/index.html

Anyway, let's not get too far off topic - alleged feats of "superhuman" strength.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2284783.stm

It seems that the Aryan myth will soon die. So much for the next step in evolution.

Snopes.com claims that this is nothing but a myth...

http://www.snopes.com/science/stats/blondes.asp"

 

[ziad1985]

Few years ago, my +60 years old Grandma lifted my 220 pound uncle after he fell in the bathroom...
She still doesn't remember how she did it, she doesn't remembers between him screaming for her after he was on the ground, and before calling for help..
How did she carry him , not even he knows..

 

[TrineX]

I am able to lift a car a tad bit off of two wheels.. Its not super-human strength, I think people in drastic situations just are able to lift heavy objects that they normally wouldn't lift. But, the object the are trying to lift has to be in parameters of their weight.

 

[Milo Hobgoblin]

Uhh steroids injected into cattle and then eaten would not make the second pass through the liver without being rendered inactive.. unless they were of course methylated steroids.. and at best the amount hat would make it into the consumers bloodstream would be so minute as to have no effect.

Where do you all read this crap?

There have always been "big, strong" people.. but historically diets have not allowed many to grow to their full potential.

They will STILL pass on their genetic material.. and it will live on.. but until their offspring develop in an environment allowing them a significant number of calories will you see their full growth potential.

 

[Beeza]

I felt I should tell you all my physical attributes, incase it might help. I am somewhere in between 6'1'' and 6'4''(haven't been measured since freshman year), about 225lbs, and am 18 years old. Someone asked if I've lifted a car before. Yes, actually more times than I can count, my familys pick-up truck, I have lifted from the rear and front end(lifted both tires off ground), and found the front to be a little harder. The first time I tried because I heard a story similar to those mentioned earlier, one's of older women lifting cars and such. Since I have actually found it fun. It's a 1985 Ford, and if I had to guess I'd say it weighs around 2300lbs. I suppose I should tell you of my other excersizes I have found a little weird. There is a forearm free weight contraption at my high school's gym, on which you place weight near the end, and pull it towards you using your grip/forearm strength. One of the football players, a friend of mine, was doing two 45lb plates(90lbs), and was sweating pretty hard. I started where he left off, and proceeded to add all the weight I could fit(in 100lb plates). I could only fit on six, and did 10 repetitions. Also, my biceps seem to be unnaturally strong, I can, using both arms, curl 220lbs. The odd thing is though, that on excersizes like the bench press, I am well below average, only benching about 225lbs(one repetition). And on the squat rack, I can withstand(lift the weight of the bars without squatting, holding it) 1365lbs, I don't know whether or not that is good or not. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been lifting and the other kids or lifters look at me like I'm some sort of freak, or how many times I've been asked if I'm on steroids. For clarification, I'm not on any sort of steroid, protein shake, or anything. My source of protein is skim milk. I have talked to so many people with so many far-fetched theory's you can't imagine. I've talked to eccentric evolutionists who say I'm the next step in evolution, because I have blonde hair and green/yellow eyes, which supposedly is of "Aryan blood". I have talked to Greek mythology eccentrics who say since I'm greek that I'm proof of their theory. Then I've talked to scientists here at school who say its all genetic code. Again, I can only fairly leave your conclusion respected by not stating my belief as fact. Also, I watched a good film based on this subject, by a director M. Night Shymalan, called, 'Unbreakable'. Thanks again for reading and considering my opinion as I contemplate yours.

Mark Hammond

Absolute and complete bullcrap right there. There are national level powerlifters that cannot unrack and walkout 1365lbs. But yet you, relatively untrained, a self proclaimed genetic freak, can do this randomly, without a squat suit, briefs, knee wraps, and a belt?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It is fine to dispute claims but please refrain from personal attacks.

 

[newp175]

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

 

[Tosh]

I find this really strange.

To investigate this phenomena there would need to be more studies on muscle physiology and the actual extent (more than normal) to which a muscle can contract to produce this kind of strength.

Those who think it can't be true because they have never seen it; this is understandable, but there are too many things that are true that we haven't seen.

Long distance running, your mind gives up before your body. I think you can run faster to save your life than you ever could for a normal race.

Inconclusive, perhaps there are Angels involved. We can only say perhaps; I believe in them, but not necessarily their involvement in these particular situations.

 

[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...