# Physical strength, sex drive, and the mentally handicapped. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 5, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336 "2012-07-05T18:14:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/1 "2012-07-05T18:14:45Z")
I’ve heard two things about the mentally handicapped that I found odd. A. That they have a higher sex drive. B. They are stronger. This one special ed teacher even used the term “tard strength”. Is any of this true? If so, why? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/2 "2012-07-05T18:21:18Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > I’ve heard two things about the mentally handicapped that I found odd. > > A. That they have a higher sex drive. > > B. They are stronger. This one special ed teacher even used the term “tard strength”. > > Is any of this true? If so, why? I doubt either of those is true, especially the second. If mentally handicapped persons _seem_ any stronger (and that is probably rare), it would mostly be because they may lack the judgment to restrain themselves from doing that that might be injurious to themselves to others. Likewise, if they seem more sexually driven, it would most likely be from poor judgment, not any intrinsic higher libido. No cites; this information came out of my ass. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/3 "2012-07-05T18:34:58Z")
I agree with **Skald** ’s ass, and not for the first time. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![SubaRhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@SubaRhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SubaRhubarb)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/4 "2012-07-05T19:40:26Z")
I have noticed people that use the term “tard” are usually not a stellar source of accurate information. Ymmv. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/5 "2012-07-05T19:56:52Z")
The concept of ‘tard strength’ is wonderfully politically incorrect. I think that it may have to become part of my lexicon. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/6 "2012-07-05T19:59:39Z")
I urge anyone else, before posting in this thread, to do something I did not do before posting: read the OP’s name. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/7 "2012-07-05T20:04:11Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > The concept of ‘tard strength’ is wonderfully politically incorrect. I think that it may have to become part of my lexicon. Is this the same concept as blind people having better hearing? The body compensates for one problem by… ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/8 "2012-07-05T20:17:50Z")
It’s absolutely true, OP. I once used a moving company staffed exclusively by workers with Down syndrome. Not only did they bound up stairs three at a time while carrying a couch in each hand, afterward they threw me down on the bearskin rug and gave me a night I’ll never forget. Then we all went out for ice cream cones. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/9 "2012-07-05T20:20:49Z")
Hmmm ice cream… ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/10 "2012-07-05T20:24:17Z")
No, just the cones. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/11 "2012-07-05T20:29:30Z")
Actually, according to the Wikipedia article on Down Syndrome, one of the typical hallmarks of DS is poor muscle tone, which would lead one to expect less strength compared to an average person of similar size. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/12 "2012-07-05T20:30:48Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > No, just the cones. Damn you, I’m laughing in spite of myself. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/13 "2012-07-05T21:09:30Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > No, just the cones. Regular or waffle cones? ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/14 "2012-07-05T22:04:47Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Regular or waffle cones? Traffic. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/15 "2012-07-05T22:08:59Z")
Retarded and other mentally handicapped people people are [not stronger than others](http://www.riverbendds.org/index.htm?page=pitetti.html). In fact, they are typically weaker, because developmental problems often include difficulties with muscle control and lead to sedentary lifestyles. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/16 "2012-07-05T22:49:58Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Retarded and other mentally handicapped people people are [not stronger than others](http://www.riverbendds.org/index.htm?page=pitetti.html). In fact, they are typically weaker, because developmental problems often include difficulties with muscle control and lead to sedentary lifestyles. As well as [cardiac anomilies](http://suite101.com/article/heart-defects-in-down-syndrome-a74325). > [@](#): > > Congenital heart defects are common in infants with Down syndrome. Some are amenable to watchful waiting; others require urgent intervention. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/17 "2012-07-06T16:47:23Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > No, just the cones. Applause ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/18 "2012-07-06T16:55:20Z")
Some profoundly retarded people that engage in repetitive motions all day are remarkably strong and are not inhibited in using their strength in flailing around. The issue is not that they are super strong, but that they are stronger than you expect them to be in such a compromised state. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/19 "2012-07-06T17:30:46Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > No, just the cones. It was worth reading the thread just for this. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336/20 "2012-07-06T17:44:24Z")
I don’t get it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-strength-sex-drive-and-the-mentally-handicapped/627336.md?page=2)