Can Humans Really Have Superhuman Strength?

[the_awesome]

I agree with erok81 - a lot of the witness accounts fail to correctly observe the physics of a situation correctly. I child pinned by a car who is freed by a mother lifting the car quickly becomes "60Kg lady lifts 1600Kg to save child!" when in fact she didn't lift anything like that sort of weight. If the child was only trapped by the last couple of inchs of travel then most people can raise the body of a car on one side by that much.

You are making unproved assumptions.

 

[DanP]

You are making unproved assumptions.

Daveg360 is right.

 

[daveg360]

Versus anecdotal evidence and tabloid headlines? unless you're will to perform to lab experiments I'll continue to apply Occam's razor - people are performing feats beyond human capabilities or the observers are simply mistaken? I think it's important to put aside ones overwhelming need for comic books to be true when discussing this.

 

[the_awesome]

Versus anecdotal evidence and tabloid headlines? unless you're will to perform to lab experiments I'll continue to apply Occam's razor - people are performing feats beyond human capabilities or the observers are simply mistaken? I think it's important to put aside ones overwhelming need for comic books to be true when discussing this.

You can easily google or go on youtube to watch some videos of some examples. How bout a guy pulling a 10 tonne truck? Not to mention the friction of the tyres!

 

[DanP]

You can easily google or go on youtube to watch some videos of some examples. How bout a guy pulling a 10 tonne truck? Not to mention the friction of the tyres!

Sorry, "Strongest man competition like feats" are within the realm of a highly trained athlete. What *you* can't do, others can :P Let's get real. Besides , I am left wondering if you understand physically what happens in a probe like "truck pull" in a strongest man competition.
Which makes Daveg's point shine :P

 

[daveg360]

Wow if only empirical data was so easy to produce in real life!

a 10000Kg truck would need about 600N of force to pull it based on the following assumptions:
Rolling resistance of tyres: 0.0062
No resistance from the drivetrain.
10000 kg × 9.81 m/s2 × 0.0062 = 607.6 N

Even if we make allowances for a other sources of resistance such as the drivetrain - it's probably no more than 1000N So probably about the same as doing squats whilst giving a bigish guy a piggy-back. I couldn't do it but I know guys who could do that briefly. They don't wear capes or even tights (well maybe at the weekends). I can however, being an all-round 6ft, 12st buff beefcake lol, pull a 17 tonne canal boat along the canal with nothing but a rope.

 

[DanP]

So probably about the same as doing squats whilst giving a bigish guy a piggy-back. I couldn't do it but I know guys who could do that briefly. .

Squatting something similar to your bw for multiple reps should be the very minimum amount of strength of a man.

Here is what a trained athlete can do( elite level ):



Ive chose this example because Dimas competed in a relatively low weight class, and was extremely explosive. I find this much more impressive then pulling a truck.

 

[robocop]

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

that completely has to do with the limited range of motion, Ronnie Coleman undoubtedly has a greater ROM than you do. When I was competing in snowboarding my legs were steel, I could leg press 1000lbs when I was 5'1 120 pounds, until my friend told me to go lower and the thing came crashing down. Proper form, I could maybe have done 300-350 pounds. You're probably 300+ pounds if you can even hold that weight without your bones snapping and you are probably moving at most half a foot when you do the workout, that's not superhuman, that's just bad form.

 

[pafrya]

Hi, I'm fresh here and my nick is from the two first letter in parkour - freerunning - yamakasi = pafrya, not doing much of it but fun to watch and I come from Sweden (just did a google check now and seen some else have the nick on other places, not to mix me up, sorry).

What I would like to say about the topic of superhuman strength, I think there is two components in it. One be the physical with all that musclefibers, adrenaline, mental unlocking of protection and such. The other may in some cases be of different nature. Let's call it external qi, or power of God, or whatever you want, and that is a much bigger part for the biggest feats of superstrength. Perhaps a person get instant connection with this force and for a short time huge power arise on atomic level to bind together the physics material beyond it's normal destruction limit. The same thing as for people survived very high drops on hard ground (many times higher than the parkour guys do volontarily).

The best of the best will then get into a state where it seems relaxed but still hard as diamond and simply crush parts of the surrounding environment. Something like what a guy write earlier here when a car door gets deformed by his hand.

Maybe this is different between different persons, depening on their supernatural connections with the universe or previous incarnations as holy monks and such? What do you think? Yeah, I'm serious!

 

[pafrya]

To bring the discussion further, how to develop superhuman strength?

The martial artist Bruce Lee was very strong without massive amount of bodybuilder muscles. It seems to me he looks not even 50% more muscular sized than average fit men, but was at least three times stronger. His training focus on quality, not size. This was a great example of doing the physical and mental part of the way to superstrength, probably as good as many of the small superhuman feats of others, but still in lack of the very magic forces of outstanding superhuman power, sometimes delivered in shape of a ghost or similar entity.

There was a story of somebody in an accident who had to get away and later told he saw the arms of another besides his own and feel a deceased relative of him. This could be some psychologic but the superhuman task was done.

A different story of a man who had such superpower delivered without emergency situations, happen on Iceland some decades back in last century. He used to see the covered shape of a monk clothed appearance by his bed an know the force come from it. This man had the power in daily life at will and used it to switch wheel on his big truck car by lifting with one hand and work with the other. Perhaps this are a remain from the ancient nordic tradition of the berserk force from the vikings?

Some years ago there was a news story about some person in the region of Arabia or Africa (if I remember correct) that should be i jail but always smashed his way out, bare handed through concrete walls.

Another story of criminal superstrength was from a french police detective long back in last century, describing his hunt of a thief. Almost arrested, he escape by jumping down to a lower roof 6 meters (20 foot) below to catch a halfpipe rainwater metal only with his fingers and when the police look down he see the shape of fingers had wrecked in the halfpipe and nobody lay on the ground many floors below the halfpipe. Considering a 6 meters jump hard to land on feet, the fingers must had becomed extreme superhuman that time to not slip off or break after that jump without help of feet. Later the police catch him anyway to be executed.

An english suicide cliff jumper missed the full free fall and stop smashed a piece of rock a few hundred feet down, get rescued from it and survived.

An american window washer dropped when the equipment failed and survived some 500 feet to ground, get recovered.

In sweden some decades back in last century, somebody sitting and smoking on a open window, falling backwards 18 meters (60 feet) to smash a flat concrete roof, then bounce off to smash the street another 4 meters (13 feet), get up and wipping the dust off, not harmed.

Another swede lifted a tractor off his friend. The lifter was already fit trained but this lift resulting in his back bone disks compressed to permanent several centimeters (some inch) shorter. Probably a "normal" physical/mental superstrength (adrenaline and no holds back) because the magic force did'nt protect his spine.

Previously in this forum are a post about Mark Twain accounted a superhuman strongman i Europe. Will you please give more details of this?

About the real magic force of superhuman strength, maybe the same power that keep a few people alive for weeks without water in the haitian earthquake? In particular them who get resqued after two weeks and the woman almost four weeks.

I have a splendid idea! Some country with good scientists (perhaps USA, Russia, China or some in Europe) should try to get a bunch of such people together, both them from real magic level of superhuman feats of strength and them who survived long without water and see if some become couples and get kids. Then a new race of superhumans develope and the nowadays olympics and world records will become pretty much exstincted in the future... without drugs!

Now back to the initial quest, how to develop superhuman strength?

A technique I practise while open food in "impossible" glass cans with screwed on metal tops that resists my desperate brute force style, is to become tranquile and somehow feel as a warm flow surrounding the hands, also feel a unity between me and the object, then a mental movement sort of opening up forwards without thinking and no hesitate. Most often that do the trick. I suppose this is the same as meditation and similar to martial artists for breaking bricks and stuff, to get the optimum out of the normal physic, not real magic superhuman strength.

It would be very interesting if you in this forum give your own "secret" techniques.

 

[Proton Soup]

i seriously doubt Lee had triple the strength of most men, but he was strong. he also had excellent strength to weight ratio (very lean), and something that is more important than strength in martial arts: speed. as for his techniques, no secrets really. i think he published most everything he did. some things he did that most people don't do are grip strength training, and of course, the electrostim.

as for vikings, yes, their descendants are very big and strong. quite a few big deadlifters come from nordic stock. maybe related to selection process of rowing those viking ships?

 

[pafrya]

That triple strength of Bruce Lee was calculated from a list of his feats, among there was 400 lbs bench press and barbell lifting straight out standing straight arms of 125 lbs, but these feats differ some between other websites. That compared to average men who not visits gym every day, well, the differencies may differ different of course.

Yes, those nordic guys in strongman contests, but that are more of normal strength. The Icelander I wrote about was a skinny guy with his power somehow supernatural reinforced in his material. Not the big pumping sweating style of the strongmens contestants.

And for my idea about a race of superhumans, of course all should be volontary free willing, not some prison camp lookalike.

 

[Proton Soup]

That triple strength of Bruce Lee was calculated from a list of his feats, among there was 400 lbs bench press and barbell lifting straight out standing straight arms of 125 lbs, but these feats differ some between other websites. That compared to average men who not visits gym every day, well, the differencies may differ different of course.

Yes, those nordic guys in strongman contests, but that are more of normal strength. The Icelander I wrote about was a skinny guy with his power somehow supernatural reinforced in his material. Not the big pumping sweating style of the strongmens contestants.

And for my idea about a race of superhumans, of course all should be volontary free willing, not some prison camp lookalike.

sorry, but I'm pretty skeptical of the 400lb bench press. his "heavy" working sets aren't at all indicative of that kind of strength.

http://www.bruceleedivinewind.com/feats.html

Ted Wong - "Bruce would do a lot of different types of sit ups and bench presses. He was also using a technique like the Weider Heavy/Light Principle, working up to 160lbs in the bench press for three sets of 10 on his heavy days and then repping out for 20-30 reps with 100lbs on his light days. Bruce experimented successfully with partial reps, movements performed in only the strongest motion. He liked the fact that they were very explosive, sometimes he would do the bench press, using just the last 3 inches of the range of motion. It was the same range in which he would do some of his isometric exercises".

note that lockouts are not a bench press. bench press is a full range of motion exercise.

assuming those three sets of ten were not true maxes, that would put his true, full-ROM bench at somewhere over 213. so, to be generous, let's go ahead and guesstimate his bench press at somewhere in the 230 to 240 lb range.

http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html

 

[DanP]

http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html

I want to point out that those calculators do not apply to many types of athletes. Mainly the categories which do special endurance training in alactic and lactic regions.

For example it's pretty much useless to try to infer the 1RM in squat for a 100m sprinter from his 10 RM squat, according to normal tables.

 

[Evo]

I just do not get why some people care about this stuff. I think most people just yawn at this stuff. But if you like it, more power to you.

I think it's silly in the overall scheme of things.

 

[DanP]

I just do not get why some people care about this stuff. I think most people just yawn at this stuff. But if you like it, more power to you.

I think it's silly in the overall scheme of things.

Too much TV and superheroes on Cartoon Network.

 

[Proton Soup]

I want to point out that those calculators do not apply to many types of athletes. Mainly the categories which do special endurance training in alactic and lactic regions.

For example it's pretty much useless to try to infer the 1RM in squat for a 100m sprinter from his 10 RM squat, according to normal tables.

ah, ok. any idea how much it might be off for special cases? (sprinting is not endurance, fwiw)

also, the quote above for Lee's 20~30 rep lift seems about right, too. normally, it's around the range of 25-rep max = 1/2 of 1-rep max. and 100/213 = 0.47, which is close enough for me to think it's in the ballpark.

all signs are pointing to this mythical 400lb benchpress being a 2~3" lockout.

and speaking of lockouts: http://www.spike.com/video/pat-robertsons-leg/2730623

 

[DanP]

ah, ok. a (sprinting is not endurance, fwiw)

Yes, sprinting is not what popularly is meant by "endurance". The term special endurance is used somewhat loosely by coaches and refers to the endurance of non-oxidative energy systems. The creatine phosphate pathway and anaerobic glycolytic systems.

Simplistically, think at it this way. You have an 200m speed event. You have 3 important phases. Acceleration to max-speed, period where you are able to maintaining max-speed, and final period when you start to decelerate.

Now first phase requires a lot of muscular strength for acceleration, and the ability to
develop this strength extremely rapid. Once you hit max speed , the question becomes:
for how long time can you maintain it ? This is a form of special endurance, many term it "speed endurance". It's the ability to maintain top speed for as long as possible. The 3rd part is self-explanatory.

Any idea how much it might be off for special cases?

I think I had some data gathered by Charlie Francis on one of it athletes regarding this issue, but it wasn't tables. I am not sure, I have to look in my folders see what I have. But I guarantee you from personal experience that it's true that SE work affects it.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Hi, I'm fresh here and my nick is from the two first letter in parkour - freerunning - yamakasi = pafrya, not doing much of it but fun to watch and I come from Sweden (just did a google check now and seen some else have the nick on other places, not to mix me up, sorry).

What I would like to say about the topic of superhuman strength, I think there is two components in it. One be the physical with all that musclefibers, adrenaline, mental unlocking of protection and such. The other may in some cases be of different nature. Let's call it external qi, or power of God, or whatever you want, and that is a much bigger part for the biggest feats of superstrength. Perhaps a person get instant connection with this force and for a short time huge power arise on atomic level to bind together the physics material beyond it's normal destruction limit. The same thing as for people survived very high drops on hard ground (many times higher than the parkour guys do volontarily).

The best of the best will then get into a state where it seems relaxed but still hard as diamond and simply crush parts of the surrounding environment. Something like what a guy write earlier here when a car door gets deformed by his hand.

Maybe this is different between different persons, depening on their supernatural connections with the universe or previous incarnations as holy monks and such? What do you think? Yeah, I'm serious!

Welcome to PF, pafrya. Please note that we have a couple of problems. First, the only explanations for a claimed phenomena that can be offered are those consistent with mainstream science. So please refrain from positing personal theories. We don't discuss unpublished, personal, or pseudoscientific theories. Next, we will need references for all of the information listed in your next post. You should read the posting guidelines before making any more posts.
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=5929

 

[paulselhi]

I was 15 or 16 years old doing judo at school at someone had the instructor on the subject of Shaolin Monks and i forget how the converstion progressed but this is what he showed us. He knelt on the floor with his hands on his knees palm up and asked 8 of us to all press down at once with all of our weight four on each hand. Ok it was quite a scrum but we managed to get 4 on each side pushing down with all our force. Now i think we probably weighed around 8 - 9 stone each on average (112 - 126 ponnds) so that would be around 32 stone on each hand + pressure. He was no wimp but than again no goliath, around 5 foot 8 inches and i would say 13-14 stone 40 or so years old

He closed his eyes and did some deep breathing, he later said he was channeling chi or something. Then in one fast smooth movement he raised both hands of his knees and sent 8 guys flying across the gym. We must have all moved at least 12 feet away from him, and we moved with a lot of force, we rolled on the floor.

There seemed to be little strain on his face it was as if he was throwing a couple of pounds off each arm.

 

[Proton Soup]

I was 15 or 16 years old doing judo at school at someone had the instructor on the subject of Shaolin Monks and i forget how the converstion progressed but this is what he showed us. He knelt on the floor with his hands on his knees palm up and asked 8 of us to all press down at once with all of our weight four on each hand. Ok it was quite a scrum but we managed to get 4 on each side pushing down with all our force. Now i think we probably weighed around 8 - 9 stone each on average (112 - 126 ponnds) so that would be around 32 stone on each hand + pressure. He was no wimp but than again no goliath, around 5 foot 8 inches and i would say 13-14 stone 40 or so years old

He closed his eyes and did some deep breathing, he later said he was channeling chi or something. Then in one fast smooth movement he raised both hands of his knees and sent 8 guys flying across the gym. We must have all moved at least 12 feet away from him, and we moved with a lot of force, we rolled on the floor.

There seemed to be little strain on his face it was as if he was throwing a couple of pounds off each arm.

chi demonstrations do have a certain beauty, a bit like interpretive dance




too bad it only works on those with a weak mind. chi masters can't fight at all.

 

[paulselhi]

Possibly a Darren Brown effect.. but to say we were all "weak minded" ?? If you think it was some form of suggestion / hypnosis do you think everyone who can be hypnotized is "weak minded" ?

edit..watched those youtubes and there does seem to be a lot of Charlatans about. However in my case there was no second rate first year modern dance prancing involved

We were all on our knees pushing down with all our force on his palms ( we overlayed hands on his). I for one felt the force of being thrown back as if he was pushing, nothing exceptional there except that the was doing it for several people on each arm , quite some feat of strength or some wicked autosuggestion

 

[Proton Soup]

well, gullible if you prefer. i think it requires a certain suspension of disbelief.

 

[paulselhi]

Eppur si muove

 

[paulselhi]

And now the true master at work
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/67471/derren_brown_kung_fu_mind_punch/

 

[Proton Soup]

Eppur si muove

try to move a dead cat, then

And now the true master at work
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/67471/derren_brown_kung_fu_mind_punch/

weak minds

i notice he didn't use the 1-inch punch guy

 

[paulselhi]

There you go again calling them all weak minded.. oh for a strong and robust mind such as yours that could never be manipulated.. are you also immune to anaesthetic ? Does you brain auto solve optical illusions ?

 

[Leptos]

Does you brain auto solve optical illusions ?

My brain auto-solves advanced sudoku puzzles. It just never tells me which box the numbers belong to.

 

[Proton Soup]

There you go again calling them all weak minded.. oh for a strong and robust mind such as yours that could never be manipulated.. are you also immune to anaesthetic ? Does you brain auto solve optical illusions ?

i was just teasing you, but at least we are now in agreement that chi is fake, yes?

as for the "illusion", i would sooner believe that the "weak mind" is a confederate.

 

[paulselhi]

Susceptibility to suggestion, suspension of disbelief, these amongst other signs of "weak mindedness" are crucial elements in the development of human society.

Early civilizations were more often than not temple based and thus required humans to accept the stories of the priests as truth. Without this central cohesive driving force it is doubtful if our civilizations would have progressed. And it can be taken back even further than the temple cults of say the sumerians, perhaps right back to the emergence of humankind.

If early humans had not been "weak minded" and had not had their culture "shaped" in this way it is doubtful if human societies would have had the cohesion to progress en masse.

 

[JerryClower]

Epinephrine/adrenaline increases my strength.

 

[mason's mom]

Question:

two days ago i was in a golf cart accident with my 18 month old son.

The golf cart was parked about 2 feet away from a chain link fence. My son was standing in front of the cart. The cart can go 25 mph full speed.

A small child was playing on the cart crawling around on the floor (the mother had it in park however forgot to turn it off and take the key out-big mistake). The child pressed on the gas pedal - full speed - for what was about 15-20 seconds.

My son was pushed down into a sitting position his head and back against the chain link fence and his forehead and face against the front bumper. Somehow when I saw the cart lunge forward I got between the fence and the cart bracing my left leg and body to try and relieve pressure from my son so he wouldn't be crushed. I am 115 pounds, with little chicken legs. I have no clue how I was able to stop the cart from crushing my son (and me for that matter). I remember feeling pain as the bumper continued to press against the inside of my shin. Somehow my leg and body didn't give out.

My son had huge red marks on his forehead and face, indentations of the chainlink fence on the back of his head, and some markings on his back. He never lost consciousness began to cry after the incident, ambulance came, he ended up having a CT scan which came back fine. I never realized my pain until we were in the ambulance 15 minutes later. My left shin has giant bruises and welts. My upper left thigh has the worst bruising and welts I've ever seen and bruising on my left arm.

My question to you is: how much force did the golf cart have and how much strength did I have to stop it? I am 5' 5" thin, relatively weak person. I never work out and have hardly any muscle. Miracle or superhuman strength... thank you God for keeping my baby safe!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Question:

two days ago i was in a golf cart accident with my 18 month old son.

The golf cart was parked about 2 feet away from a chain link fence. My son was standing in front of the cart. The cart can go 25 mph full speed.

A small child was playing on the cart crawling around on the floor (the mother had it in park however forgot to turn it off and take the key out-big mistake). The child pressed on the gas pedal - full speed - for what was about 15-20 seconds.

My son was pushed down into a sitting position his head and back against the chain link fence and his forehead and face against the front bumper. Somehow when I saw the cart lunge forward I got between the fence and the cart bracing my left leg and body to try and relieve pressure from my son so he wouldn't be crushed. I am 115 pounds, with little chicken legs. I have no clue how I was able to stop the cart from crushing my son (and me for that matter). I remember feeling pain as the bumper continued to press against the inside of my shin. Somehow my leg and body didn't give out.

My son had huge red marks on his forehead and face, indentations of the chainlink fence on the back of his head, and some markings on his back. He never lost consciousness began to cry after the incident, ambulance came, he ended up having a CT scan which came back fine. I never realized my pain until we were in the ambulance 15 minutes later. My left shin has giant bruises and welts. My upper left thigh has the worst bruising and welts I've ever seen and bruising on my left arm.

My question to you is: how much force did the golf cart have and how much strength did I have to stop it? I am 5' 5" thin, relatively weak person. I never work out and have hardly any muscle. Miracle or superhuman strength... thank you God for keeping my baby safe!

What a terrifying experience! I'm glad everyone was alright.

Thank you for sharing your story.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Mason's Mom:

I'm inclined to say this was normal human strength, augmented with an adrenaline boost.

You don't mention whether this is a gas or electic golf cart and that may be a factor.
Gasoline powered golf carts weight around 625 pounds, usual speed of 12 to 15 mph, and have about 10 horse power engines. Electic golf carts weigh about 900 pounds, with the same speed, but only 2.5 horse power. Electric vehicles develop far more torque (turning force on the wheels) than gasoline powered vehicles, and because they weigh more, get better traction with the same tires. Gas powered vehicles have greater acceleration (which is why so many of us testosterone enabled like them.) Maximum static force on you is not going to exceed the weight of the cart because that would exceed the friction forces between the wheels and the ground and will cause the wheels to spin.

You didn't mention whether the drive wheels were spinning while you were pinned, which makes a big difference. A cart (or even a car) with spinning wheels is in a low friction condition equivalent to hydroplaning. (Think floating on an air hockey table.) You can push sideways on a parked car and it won't budge. Push sideways while the tires are spinning and you can really move it! That's one of the reasons you see dragsters fishtailing when they first start their runs.

The chain link fence also makes a big difference. They have a lot of give to them and deform under pressure. This is probably what saved you, and your son from turning into roadkill from the initial impact. That "give" spreads the deacceleration time out, reducing the force of impact. Speaking of deformation, a young child's skull is soft enough to also deform under pressure. That's one reason why they look so out of shape after a vaginal childbirth.

Finally, you distributed the force of the cart over your shin, your thigh, and your left arm. I have a frail lady friend about your size who regularly pushes around the 300 to 500 pound pigs they keep with her legs. And yes, she sports bruises on them fairly regularly; which is another reason why she wears pants instead of skirt and pantyhose.

Superhuman, not really.

Miraculous? Never discount a miracle no matter how mundane it may seem. God is an expert at working with whatever is at hand. He or She is also good at bestowing lessons. Those bruises of yours are pretty potent reminders not to let young children loose and unattended around machinery.

 

[kal-el2010]

Well I've had my own superhuman experiences...at a calm level.

When I was in the 7th grade, I ripped a small tree out of the ground, then went over and pulled two wooden beams [4x4] out of the ground whose bottoms were encased in cement...

I was in a fight in 8th grade and broke a kid's cheekbones, then gave him a seizure.

I carried a full-size dryer up a flight of stairs, my grandfather can corroborate all of these stories because he was present at the time.

I ripped a door off of the hinges at my house.

I lifted a quarter ton dresser up and held it up with one hand [this was at my great-grandmother's house, I'll do it again and record it if you all want].

I maxed out the chest fly machine at my college, I'm 19, and I weighed 153 when this was taken:

I maxed out the chest press machine [305 pounds], which I'll have to record again because I deleted it on accident... :(

I maxed out the tricep pushdown, the lat-down, and the row machines as well...I can curl 90 pounds [dumbbells] and do shoulder shrugs with 100 pounds [dumbbells]...

Someone give me their point of view on this.

 

[JaredJames]

Nothing about that sounds "super human".

It just sounds like you're quite strong - which is backed up by later stuff regarding the machines.

That whole lifting "a quarter ton dresser up and held it up with one hand" sounds like complete rubbish - are you seriously trying to tell us you lifted 250kg in one hand? You can film it if you want, but I'd want the weight measured as well to prove it.

And judging by your name I take it you are comparing yourself to superman?

 

[kal-el2010]

Nothing about that sounds "super human".

It just sounds like you're quite strong - which is backed up by later stuff regarding the machines.

That whole lifting "a quarter ton dresser up and held it up with one hand" sounds like complete rubbish - are you seriously trying to tell us you lifted 250kg in one hand? You can film it if you want, but I'd want the weight measured as well to prove it.

And judging by your name I take it you are comparing yourself to superman?

Anyways, I can film it, but I don't know how I could measure the weight. You can suggest some ways and I'd be glad to do it. I have no reason to lie to anyone on this forum, the internet, the world, etc. You have no punishment reasonable enough for me to do so...so with that being said, I don't care if you don't believe me, the proof can be told from the mouths of my grandparents, who also don't need to lie. #shrug it is what it is homie.

And Supes is my favorite comic book hero. I'm paying homage. Simple. I thought this was a place to share information, not be shot down and ridiculed and made out to be a liar. Lol..."rubbish" but anyway, suggest a way to measure the weight accurately, and I'll do it.

 

[JaredJames]

Anyways, I can film it, but I don't know how I could measure the weight. You can suggest some ways and I'd be glad to do it. I have no reason to lie to anyone on this forum, the internet, the world, etc. You have no punishment reasonable enough for me to do so...so with that being said, I don't care if you don't believe me, the proof can be told from the mouths of my grandparents, who also don't need to lie. #shrug it is what it is homie.

And Supes is my favorite comic book hero. I'm paying homage. Simple. I thought this was a place to share information, not be shot down and ridiculed and made out to be a liar. Lol..."rubbish" but anyway, suggest a way to measure the weight accurately, and I'll do it.

A weighing scales. Or, why not just get something that is known to weigh 250kg and lift that instead? Just to clarify, when you say you lift it do you mean it is no longer in contact with the floor? That your hand is the only thing touching it?

This is scepticism and debunking, we hear claims and attempt to explain / debunk them. So yes, it is a place for certain claims to be "ridiculed and shot down".

You claim you can lift 250kg in one hand, you're going to have to prove that.

Just so you're aware, the Worlds Strongest Man contest which runs yearly uses a variety of different trials to test the contestants strength. The maximum involved is 500kg, but all other events are less than 200kg.

So what you are claiming here is that you can lift more in one hand than the worlds strongest men competitors are capable of with everything they've got - and boy do they struggle. Assuming that's you in the video, you don't come close to measuring up to these guys.

1. You make a claim, it is your responsibility to back them up.
2. PF is a place for sharing information, but as per the rules you must be able to back up any claims made with valid evidence.
3. The majority of your claims are simply those of a strong(ish) person, nothing superhuman - so there's no reason for us to dwell on them.
4. You may not have a reason to lie to us, but the number of crackpots who pop up on here is ridiculous and so we have every reason to be sceptical of your claims.
5. So far as punishment goes, we'll just ban you - which for those who care about PF is a serious thing.

 

[berkeman]

I thought this was a place to share information, not be shot down and ridiculed and made out to be a liar. Lol..."rubbish" but anyway, suggest a way to measure the weight accurately, and I'll do it.

Nobody is calling you a liar. But yes, it is best if you can back up claims that you make. Although, it really is a bit off-topic for the thread, since most of what you have said would fit a strong weightlifter type of person.

 

[brewnog]

I lifted a quarter ton dresser up and held it up with one hand [this was at my great-grandmother's house, I'll do it again and record it if you all want].

This I've got to see.

I'm also a bit interested to learn how you know that it's 250kg, yet don't know how to determine the weight of it.

 

[nismaratwork]

Nobody is calling you a liar. But yes, it is best if you can back up claims that you make. Although, it really is a bit off-topic for the thread, since most of what you have said would fit a strong weightlifter type of person.

I'll call him a liar!

Anyway, by definition these are all human feats, and I'd add you can seriously hurt yourself. Can you use hysterical strength and LEVERAGE to tip large object? Sure. Do you feel like you were in a car accident after? Yep.

I think people have very little concept of leverage, and therefore overestimate the actual load they're bearing. In addition, "how strong are you" is a nebulous question right?... you test given lifts, presses, jers... etc.

It's a bit like people who pull vehicles with some unliekly appendage or facial hair... they just need overcome the static friction and deal with the pain. You can do things that are still stunts, because of our preconceived notions.

 

[kal-el2010]

Ban me for what, telling the truth? Lol...OOOOK...@nismaratwork, I'd strongly say that you don't know me at all to call me a liar. So until I post the proof that you all are so thirsty for, let's try to keep the bashing at a minimum. Ok? Thanks. Whatever scientific bases you're making your skepticism upon, I'd throw them out the window real soon. #shrug all I say is, "Wait & see..."

 

[JaredJames]

Ban me for what, telling the truth?Lol...OOOOK...@nismaratwork, I'd strongly say that you don't know me at all to call me a liar. So until I post the proof that you all are so thirsty for, let's try to keep the bashing at a minimum. Ok? Thanks. Whatever scientific bases you're making your skepticism upon, I'd throw them out the window real soon. #shrug all I say is, "Wait & see..."

Drop the attitude.

You want people to believe you, post some evidence. If you don't then prepare to be called a liar. If I told you I could fly from New York to London using only the power of thought then you'd call me a liar - and this is no different. You are making a claim that sounds wildly exaggerated without anything to back it up.

I think you'll find that the scientific method demands we dismiss your claims so long as there's no evidence to back them up - for the same reason it doesn't comment on God, Ghosts, Spirits etc - lack of evidence.

Find yourself a container that has a volume of 0.25m³, fill it with water and then lift it with one arm so it is no longer touching any other surfaces. Film this (and the setup - measuring dimensions and filling with water) with a good quality camera and post the results. If you can do this, we'll believe you.

 

[nismaratwork]

Ban me for what, telling the truth? Lol...OOOOK...@nismaratwork, I'd strongly say that you don't know me at all to call me a liar. So until I post the proof that you all are so thirsty for, let's try to keep the bashing at a minimum. Ok? Thanks. Whatever scientific bases you're making your skepticism upon, I'd throw them out the window real soon. #shrug all I say is, "Wait & see..."

I didn't say anything about banning you... I'm just willing to call you a liar. If you post a video, how will we know the weight of the object? I can't think of a way to verify that claim except in person... superman... Kal El...heh.

Note, I haven't called you a liar yet, I simply expressed a willingness to do so. I'm that guy.

 

[JaredJames]

If you post a video, how will we know the weight of the object? I can't think of a way to verify that claim except in person

That's why I suggested the above idea.

Show on camera the internal measurements of the container (totalling 0.25 cubic metres) and then show it being filled with water, followed by it being lifted with an all round view to show he is the only influence.

At least we'd have something to gauge it by.

 

[berkeman]

I didn't say anything about banning you... I'm just willing to call you a liar. If you post a video, how will we know the weight of the object? I can't think of a way to verify that claim except in person... superman... Kal El...heh.

I think Jared's idea of using water in a clear container is a good start. Still possible to fake, but a lot harder.

Edit -- beaten to the punch by Jared...

 

[JaredJames]

I think Jared's idea of using water in a clear container is a good start. Still possible to fake, but a lot harder.

Oh, incredibly easy to fake.

But to reduce chance of this, that's why I want the whole video - continuous - from measurement to lift.

As a second confirmation, I'd request the lifter be stood on bathroom weighing scales - I'd either want to see the final weight (unlikely) or the scales to max out.

 

[nismaratwork]

Oh, incredibly easy to fake.

But to reduce chance of this, that's why I want the whole video - continuous - from measurement to lift.

As a second confirmation, I'd request the lifter be stood on bathroom weighing scales - I'd either want to see the final weight (unlikely) or the scales to max out.

Hmmm... for a claim to lift a quarter ton with ONE hand? I need something better than scales and container that could have water in a space between layers of plastic or glass, and nothing else.

I like my proof... proofy.

edit: A live stream, where instructions that are unknown to the Kal El, would be acceptable.

 

[nismaratwork]

I think Jared's idea of using water in a clear container is a good start. Still possible to fake, but a lot harder.

Edit -- beaten to the punch by Jared...

re Bolding mine: Heh... welcome to the club... he's a quick cat.

 

[JaredJames]

Hmmm... for a claim to lift a quarter ton with ONE hand? I need something better than scales and container that could have water in a space between layers of plastic or glass, and nothing else.

I like my proof... proofy.

edit: A live stream, where instructions that are unknown to the Kal El, would be acceptable.

You film them measuring the internal dimensions so you know it has the required capacity and then without cutting the recording they fill it with water (giving us as many angles on the box - inside and out - as possible to show the water isn't just in gaps) and then again without cutting it shows him lifting.

I understand it's not the ultimate solution but if there's no signs of tampering it would at least provide an initial piece of evidence to work with.