Can Humans Really Have Superhuman Strength?

[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...

 

[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.