How strong can a human get

[QoorbaL]

Is there a cetrtain weight that is a limited to human capabilities?What is the highest weight ever lifted?

[JThockey26]

theres no limit. Last i heard the max bench press was 1005lbs but some professional lifters believe they can beat it someday, and eventually someone will

[farmerlee]

There definitely will be a limit to how strong a human can get. But currently i don't think we are close to it.

[gymratluke]

Is there a cetrtain weight that is a limited to human capabilities?What is the highest weight ever lifted?

No......Yes

[Liquidtensi0n]

Are we talking raw? Cause I'm sure they'll be making improvements to PL gear for a while. But the actual human body is only gonna be capable of so much. I doubt we'll ever see a raw 1k bench.

[DoubleWide]

Sorta on topic.
I always wanted to see medical writeups on people who lifted cars off their kids and other feats of strength based on life and death situations. What happened to their muscles due to the weight? After effects? Problems?

[stealth_swimmer]

Are we talking raw? Cause I'm sure they'll be making improvements to PL gear for a while. But the actual human body is only gonna be capable of so much. I doubt we'll ever see a raw 1k bench.

well, the question asked about the HUMAN BODY, so I'm guessing that means raw. Personally I think there is a limit but I of course have no idea what it is and I'm not sure anyone knows exactly what it is.

[spirit3530]

If you mean Raw then I know there has to be a limit. However If you keep training the right way you will see what YOUR limit is.

[GoJu]

There definitely will be a limit to how strong a human can get. But currently i don't think we are close to it.

agreed, the heaviest full squat ever was supposidly done by Paul Anderson with a 1200lb lift, closest thing to that today was done by a dude in a super suit at 1220lbs but his was kind of a high squat in a lenient federation.

Andy Bolton did 1003 on the deadlift, yes in a deadlift suit, but you don't get much more than 30-50lbs in a deadlift suit, he's done 900+ RAW (I think) in the squat.

The best bench press is 1008 but it was done in a triple ply bench shirt, the best raw bench is 715, but these are all superhuman numbers that people never expected to be put up.

In the 50's when olympic lifting was more the rage noone ever expected thtat people would be capable of 500lbs clean and jerks and 400lbs snatches now we got some people approaching 600lbs and 500lbs in the lifts, that's FUKING strong!

We only use about 20-30% of our bodies full physical ability, because if we started using 90+% all of our muscles would tear, our joints would shatter, and our bones would break, so our central nervous system places a lot of barriers on what we can do, all the strength lifting is about adapting the central nervous system to break down those barriers, I expect HIGH numbers to be put up, but there is gonna come a point where a wall will be reached.

[SCG]

I think that humans will still become stronger, I don't know how much more but I defenitely believe more is possible. As medicine becomes more and more advanced, better quality drugs will become available to both power and bodybuilding communities. Also I have yet to believe we are even close to finding the true balance needed for maximum strength/muscle gains within any workout program out there today. Yes there are plenty of great programs, but I believe every single program has flaws that can be worked out and improved upon.

[firstmark]

If you believe the universe has limits you can calcuate the energy all the matter in a person could be converted into in theory use that number and figure what in theory is the absolute maximum a person can lift. Thats like atomic bomb like science though.
Beyond that I don't think there really is a limit. The current limit is the best thats been done.

[QoorbaL]

If you believe the universe has limits you can calcuate the energy all the matter in a person could be converted into in theory use that number and figure what in theory is the absolute maximum a person can lift. Thats like atomic bomb like science though.
Beyond that I don't think there really is a limit. The current limit is the best thats been done.

That isnt possible unfortunately.

[Coach McGuirk]

theres no limit. Last i heard the max bench press was 1005lbs but some professional lifters believe they can beat it someday, and eventually someone will

it was 1008 SHIRTED.... same dude hold the RAW record for 715... there is a HUGE difference... i dont really see the raw bench record going above 850 and that would be far far away...

[CoQ10]

Perhaps somehow "learning" to override the Golgi tendon organ could be the key to reaching a new level of strength and power? Just a thought...

-C10

[Coach McGuirk]

Perhaps somehow "learning" to override the Golgi tendon organ could be the key to reaching a new level of strength and power? Just a thought...

-C10

maybe genetic manipulation someday ??

[AnaerobicAndrew]

Naturally, yes. With enhancement, yes. There is a limit to everything. Nobody likes hearing that, but its true. At some point too much muscle will inhibit the function of other parts of the body, much the same way too much fat will.

[DiamondDelts]

Super Saiyan 4

[farmerlee]

maybe genetic manipulation someday ??

With genetic engineering it would be highly possible to create an athlete with super human strength.

[Big_G1986]

Humans were designed to be weak, we are essentially the walking brains of earth. I dont know where im going with this.....who wants pie?

[Liquidtensi0n]

We only use about 20-30% of our bodies full physical ability, because if we started using 90+% all of our muscles would tear, our joints would shatter, and our bones would break, so our central nervous system places a lot of barriers on what we can do, all the strength lifting is about adapting the central nervous system to break down those barriers, I expect HIGH numbers to be put up, but there is gonna come a point where a wall will be reached.

Did you just pull this out of your ass? Cause in Science and Practice of Strength Training, Zatsiorsky states that the muscle strength deficit is typically 5-35%. The more trained an individual the lower the deficit, so the elite athlete would be able to activate 95% of his muscle voluntarily.

[jream]

Humans were designed to be weak, we are essentially the walking brains of earth. I dont know where im going with this.....who wants pie?

rofl

[AnaerobicAndrew]

We only use about 20-30% of our bodies full physical ability, because if we started using 90+% all of our muscles would tear, our joints would shatter, and our bones would break, so our central nervous system places a lot of barriers on what we can do, all the strength lifting is about adapting the central nervous system to break down those barriers, I expect HIGH numbers to be put up, but there is gonna come a point where a wall will be reached.

And %76 of all statistics are made up on the spot.

[Ricky_k]

wana be stronger ?
just change ur sig and there u go a new PR

[7Forty7]

Was discussed a lot here:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=879099

[G_Train]

Super Saiyan 4

i was thinking .85x the strength of a silverback

[Doc Iron]

I actually think we're pretty close to the maximums right now. Now, I don't have any definitive proof of this, but I am an actual "doc", and a guy who's been lifting weights for 30 years, so this is at least an educated opinion. Here's why:

1) There has been little advance in the maximum weight lifted in either powerlifting or olympic weightlifting over the past 25 years. The heaviest C&J in history is NOT the "world record" 263kg held by the Iranian Rezadeh (sp?), Russian Leionid Taranenko (sp?) actually put up 266kg under a different weight class system in the 80s. Similarly in Powerlifting, Bill Kazmaier and Don Reinhoudt both totalled over 2400 pounds in the late 70s and early 80s, using ONLY belts, wraps and singlets. There isn't a powerlifter today who can match this. Honestly, without the gear that dominates the sport today I don't think there's anyone who can even hit 2300 (the winning total at NERB last year was 2200 by Brian Siders). There certainly HAS been advance in the sport of strongman, but I think that's more a reflection of improved TECHNIQUE as opposed to raw strength. When you see Savickas or Koklayev lock out a log lift today it's a work of art. When Kazmaier and Sigmarsson were doing it, they were just big brutes using raw strength.

2) A human being's cardiovascular system can only support so much muscle mass. When a person gets over about 300 pounds of muscular weight, blood pressure starts to go way up and the muscles become inadequately oxygenated. If you look at these monster bodybuilders like Kovacs and Coleman, or the truly giant powerlifters and strongmen (the 400+ pounders) you'll find that they sweat and turn red just standing in place and sound like steam engines when they have to climb stairs. High blood pressure has actually killed some great strength athletes like bench press champion Anthony Clark.

So, if was a bettin' man I would bet the following. You are NEVER going to see:

1) A raw bench press over 800 pounds (a real bench press, not a belly press, not a press with spotters hauling on the bar etc.)
2) An Olympic Clean and Jerk over 280kg.
3) An Olympic Total better than 510kg.
4) A true, raw squat or deadlift over 1100 pounds (I do NOT believe Paul Anderson did a true, raw, past parallel squat of 1200 ... I do believe he did a partial squat with 1200 and was probably good for 950 or so to depth).
5) A true, raw powerlifting total over 2600 pounds.

[G_Train]

I actually think we're pretty close to the maximums right now. Now, I don't have any definitive proof of this, but I am an actual "doc", and a guy who's been lifting weights for 30 years, so this is at least an educated opinion. Here's why:

1) There has been little advance in the maximum weight lifted in either powerlifting or olympic weightlifting over the past 25 years. The heaviest C&J in history is NOT the "world record" 263kg held by the Iranian Rezadeh (sp?), Russian Leionid Taranenko (sp?) actually put up 266kg under a different weight class system in the 80s. Similarly in Powerlifting, Bill Kazmaier and Don Reinhoudt both totalled over 2400 pounds in the late 70s and early 80s, using ONLY belts, wraps and singlets. There isn't a powerlifter today who can match this. Honestly, without the gear that dominates the sport today I don't think there's anyone who can even hit 2300 (the winning total at NERB last year was 2200 by Brian Siders). There certainly HAS been advance in the sport of strongman, but I think that's more a reflection of improved TECHNIQUE as opposed to raw strength. When you see Savickas or Koklayev lock out a log lift today it's a work of art. When Kazmaier and Sigmarsson were doing it, they were just big brutes using raw strength.

2) A human being's cardiovascular system can only support so much muscle mass. When a person gets over about 300 pounds of muscular weight, blood pressure starts to go way up and the muscles become inadequately oxygenated. If you look at these monster bodybuilders like Kovacs and Coleman, or the truly giant powerlifters and strongmen (the 400+ pounders) you'll find that they sweat and turn red just standing in place and sound like steam engines when they have to climb stairs. High blood pressure has actually killed some great strength athletes like bench press champion Anthony Clark.

So, if was a bettin' man I would bet the following. You are NEVER going to see:

1) A raw bench press over 800 pounds (a real bench press, not a belly press, not a press with spotters hauling on the bar etc.)
2) An Olympic Clean and Jerk over 280kg.
3) An Olympic Total better than 510kg.
4) A true, raw squat or deadlift over 1100 pounds (I do NOT believe Paul Anderson did a true, raw, past parallel squat of 1200 ... I do believe he did a partial squat with 1200 and was probably good for 950 or so to depth).
5) A true, raw powerlifting total over 2600 pounds.

Good post.

[MassIsAhead]

Doc Iron> Rezazadeh, and yeah - great post!!!

[Liquidtensi0n]

Did you just pull this out of your ass? Cause in Science and Practice of Strength Training, Zatsiorsky states that the muscle strength deficit is typically 5-35%. The more trained an individual the lower the deficit, so the elite athlete would be able to activate 95% of his muscle voluntarily.

Practical Programming also confirms this, which I just started reading.

[ElderJefferson]

Is there a cetrtain weight that is a limited to human capabilities?What is the highest weight ever lifted?

Most definitely. There are two limiting factors - genetics and physics.

Obviously us natural guys are limited by the amount of testosterone our bodies can produce on its own, thus limiting muscle growth/maintenance. Roids are a way around this, but the problem still remains in the realm of physics. How much weight can the human frame sustain before buckling under pressure (broken bones, pulled muscles, etc).