Do humans have some sort of 'forbidden potential'?

[Mr. Kobayashi]

In terms of raw physical strength, I mean. I was browsing TVTropes the other day, and ran across the claim that humans only use a fraction of their potential strength (1/3rd), and we don't use the full amount of our strength because of a 'mental block' that stops us ripping muscles off bones and suchlike with overexertion. However, in life or death situations hormones remove this block and allow us to use our full potential.

Is there any truth to this claim? I've heard anecdotal claims of 'superhuman' strength getting people out of sticky situations, but the claims sounds suspiciously similar to the long-debunked '10% of our brain' claim. I've tried Google, but my Google-Fu is weak on this one. What's the SD?

[ITR champion]

There is the split between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The parasympathetic runs our unconscious, involuntary systems at most times. This includes things like heart beats, eye dilation, and sweating. In emergency situations the sympathetic nervous system takes over, and that's how an increased level of physical activity becomes possible. However, I've never heard the one third figures before. In fact, I can't recall that my anatomy and physiology lectures ever tried to quantify the change in physical strength that takes place when the sympathetic nervous system takes over.

[Exapno Mapcase]

The body produces the hormone adrenaline or epinephrine in all times of strength and that does increase capabilities in many ways.

It's also short term. After the crisis, the body feels the effects of the extra stress. The longer the period of boosted action, the bigger the let-down at the end.

I've seen studies of athletic feats that indicate that human bodies are already very near their ultimate limits.

Without genetic alternation of the body's entire underlying system, I don't see how we'd get farther without damage.

[cwthree]

Originally Posted by Mr. Kobayashi

In terms of raw physical strength, I mean. I was browsing TVTropes the other day, and ran across the claim that humans only use a fraction of their potential strength (1/3rd), and we don't use the full amount of our strength because of a 'mental block' that stops us ripping muscles off bones and suchlike with overexertion. However, in life or death situations hormones remove this block and allow us to use our full potential.

That "mental block" is also called pain, and it usually influences a person to stop doing something before damage occurs. This is a feature, not a bug.

Under some circumstances (extreme stress or fear, influence of some kinds of drugs) some individuals will either not notice or not care about pain and can thus continue an action past that point. That's what's happening when you hear about an otherwise ordinary person lifting the front end of a car off an infant, etc.

[ftg]

From Wikipedia:

Frequency summation - For skeletal muscles, the force exerted by the muscle is controlled by varying the frequency at which action potentials are sent to muscle fibers. Action potentials do not arrive at muscles synchronously, and, during a contraction, some fraction of the fibers in the muscle will be firing at any given time. In a typical circumstance, when a human is exerting a muscle as hard as he/she is consciously able, roughly one-third of the fibers in that muscle will be firing at once, yet can be affected by various physiological and psychological factors (including Golgi tendon organs and Renshaw cells). This 'low' level of contraction is a protective mechanism to prevent avulsion of the tendon - the force generated by a 95% contraction of all fibers is sufficient to damage the body.

[Buck Godot]

There is an interesting radio lab episode about human limits that may be interesting to the OP
http://www.radiolab.org/2010/apr/05/, although it discusses endurance more than strength.

[Machine Elf]

Originally Posted by ftg

From Wikipedia:

This is consistent with reports of spinal fractures suffered by people who have been tasered: the electrical stimulation from the taser causes muscular contractions far stronger than can normally be induced by the nervous system. I also recall hearing that muscular spasms caused by disease (e.g. tetanus) can be strong enough to damage ligaments/tendons/bones.

[Broomstick]

I have heard accounts of people using 'hysterical strength" - that is, exerting far more than normal strength in emergency situations, such as the proverbial mother lifting the front end of a car off her child - suffering injuries as a result. They range from torn muscles to damaged or torn ligaments/tendons to broken bones. Some of these injuries result in permanent damage or impairment. As someone noted, the pain that stops people from doing these things under normal circumstances is a feature, not a bug. It keeps you from tearing your body apart.

Once or twice in a lifetime performing such a feat in exchange for saving either your own or a family member's life might be a fair trade-off for the pain/problems involved but if we did that sort of thing on a regular basis, well, everyone would be crippled by 30.

[msmith537]

See also: retard strength

[Skald the Rhymer]

Originally Posted by msmith537

See also: retard strength

Seriously, why would you go there?

[BigT]

The only thing I've heard about is autistic strength. The repetitive actions build muscles, and the different response to pain allows them to overuse those muscles. I'd suspect that (other) mentally handicapped individuals might have similar reasons.

Still, I agree it is an unfortunate term, and there ought to be a better one by now.

[AClockworkMelon]

Originally Posted by Skald the Rhymer

Seriously, why would you go there?

Don't worry, smith, I laughed.

[TriPolar]

Joke if you will, but did you know most people use 10% of their brains? I am now one of them.

Bart Simpson after taking Focusyn

[msmith537]

Originally Posted by Skald the Rhymer

Seriously, why would you go there?

I suppose because the opportunity presented itself.

Originally Posted by BigT

The only thing I've heard about is autistic strength. The repetitive actions build muscles, and the different response to pain allows them to overuse those muscles. I'd suspect that (other) mentally handicapped individuals might have similar reasons.

Still, I agree it is an unfortunate term, and there ought to be a better one by now.

I don't think "retard strength" is an actual thing. It's just a humorous reference to the common trope of the childishly slow or mentally disabled person who, when inadvertantly provoked, displays freakish strength. Because they are unaware of their size and strength they may injure or kill someone (or are blamed for it if the plot dictates). Typical use of retard strenth as a plot device include:
-rescuing a smaller, weaker nerd from bullies
-accidently killing some slut in a fit of rage after misinterpreting her sexual advances
-beating the crap out of an unsuspecting dupe for comic effect
-being awesome at football
-fighting in Thunderdome with a genius midget on their back (Blaster probably rescued Master from bullies when they were in Bartertown Elementary together).


In reality, the mentally disabled don't have super-strength. I know because I've beaten up enough of them.

Originally Posted by TriPolar

Joke if you will, but did you know most people use 10% of their brains? I am now one of them.

Bart Simpson after taking Focusyn

Hey, the only thing more effective is exercise and fresh air.

[StusBlues]

Originally Posted by msmith537

In reality, the mentally disabled don't have super-strength. I know because I've beaten up enough of them.

OK, I think we've gone far enough down this road for me to chip in.

A guy on an MMA board that I frequent coaches weightlifting for the Special Olympics. He assures me that most developmentally disabled athletes aren't as strong as their non-diabled peers when matched for age, size, and fitness level. As in most pursuits, it's a hallmark of the disability that they lag behind just a bit.

What he DOES see, as pointed out earlier, are the people who, quite literally, don't know their own strength; an athlete may get out of hand roughhousing, for example, or knock things over when pushing them too hard. This may give the illusion of a Bruce Banner-type superhuman strength, but it is just that--an illusion. When tested objectively, it's not there.

[msmith537]

Originally Posted by StusBlues

OK, I think we've gone far enough down this road for me to chip in.

A guy on an MMA board that I frequent coaches weightlifting for the Special Olympics. He assures me that most developmentally disabled athletes aren't as strong as their non-diabled peers when matched for age, size, and fitness level. As in most pursuits, it's a hallmark of the disability that they lag behind just a bit.

What he DOES see, as pointed out earlier, are the people who, quite literally, don't know their own strength; an athlete may get out of hand roughhousing, for example, or knock things over when pushing them too hard. This may give the illusion of a Bruce Banner-type superhuman strength, but it is just that--an illusion. When tested objectively, it's not there.

Well of course. It's not like they have Special Olypics weightlifting because they lift 200% more than their conventional athletic counterparts.

[Mr. Kobayashi]

Thanks for the replies, some...interesting responses there, the human body is a mysterious machine indeed.

[bibliophage]

This column of Cecil's may be of interest: SuperMom: Could a mother actually lift a car to save her child?

[elfkin477]

Originally Posted by cwthree

That "mental block" is also called pain, and it usually influences a person to stop doing something before damage occurs. This is a feature, not a bug.

Under some circumstances (extreme stress or fear, influence of some kinds of drugs) some individuals will either not notice or not care about pain and can thus continue an action past that point. That's what's happening when you hear about an otherwise ordinary person lifting the front end of a car off an infant, etc.

And it's supposed to explain why movie zombies are able to keep going despite the damage to their bodies - they're no longer able to feel the pain that would keep us from doing similar things.

[Beware of Doug]

Originally Posted by msmith537

I don't think "retard strength" is an actual thing. It's just a humorous reference to the common trope of the childishly slow or mentally disabled person who, when inadvertantly provoked, displays freakish strength. Because they are unaware of their size and strength they may injure or kill someone (or are blamed for it if the plot dictates). Typical use of retard strenth as a plot device include:
-rescuing a smaller, weaker nerd from bullies
-accidently killing some slut in a fit of rage after misinterpreting her sexual advances
-beating the crap out of an unsuspecting dupe for comic effect
-being awesome at football
-fighting in Thunderdome with a genius midget on their back (Blaster probably rescued Master from bullies when they were in Bartertown Elementary together).

The Irish comedy Father Ted used this trope to give Father Jack, an elderly priest hopelessly demented by alcohol abuse, the most amazing physical powers. Even though trapped in his armchair and unable to walk most of the time, he could manage to throw teacups or whiskey bottles with deadly precision, escape straitjackets, and climb over barbed wire.