Superhuman strength

[Pootle]

You come across stories from time to time of people in extremely pressurised do or die moments, an accident for example, where they have been able to perform physical feats they would never be able manage in normal conditions; lifting or moving something that would normally require 4 men. Obviously this on account of considerable adrenalin, but where does this inner strength come from and can it ever be achieved or harnessed in a non-hostile situation?

[heathfield]

It's called 'hysterical strength', and there's an article on it here

[~max~]

It happened to me, in a less dramatic setting though..lol
My mum was replacing the gaz bottle in the kitchen with the help of our neighbour, when the neighbour lost their grip on it and it landed on my mum's toes. I was only 10, but I lifted it off her foot by myself in the next few seconds. I was never able to lift one again until I was about 14. I guess it's just a case of your body reacting before the brain has time to say "hey, hang on, you can't do that!!!".

[sddsddean]

Its happened to me too. When I used to work on construction sites I got my hand trapped between a concrete skip and the hook block of the crane that was lifting it (inept crane driver!!). Anyway, I worked out afterwards that I lifted 200kg off my hand (just a bit) so I could pull it out. I've never done anything similar before or since and despite 15 stitches, I've no ill effects.

[Jugglering]

Gulp... dean... that is phenomenal !

[kn0bbyn0nuts]

When you get an adrenalin rush you can do the impossible

[shylock73]

Many, many years ago when I were but a pimply thin youth I was in the YMCA where my elder brother was doing weight training and what is called a bench lift when suddenly he found he couldn`t hold it up and as it was about 150lbs it crashed down on his chest. I was stood behind him and without giving it a second thought I took the bar-bell and lifted it long enough for him to fall off the bench. We often remember it and even now I couldn`t lift that amount to save my own life.

[fo3nix]

Your muscles are stronger than you believe. But if you fully uilised them, you'd get all sorts of injuries, so your brain prevents this.