Superhuman strength is asuperpower commonly invoked infiction and other literary works, such asmythology. It is the power to exertforce and lift weights beyond what isphysically possible for an ordinaryhuman being.
Many fictional works involving superhuman strength are rooted in ancient chronicles.[1]
Attempts to modify the human body in order to gain extraordinary strength have also been depicted in fiction through characters such asTerminator,Robocop,Iron Man, andCyborg. Similarly, humans too have tried to use external devices to enhance their strength. A device for this purpose was patented by Nicholas Yagn in 1890; the device was described to be an apparatus for facilitating walking, running, and jumping through the use of bags of compressed air.[2] TheUnited States Department of Defense is considering a variety of technologies to create anexoskeleton intended for military use to enhance soldier performance.[3]
Records describe instances of people going beyond 'normal' strength in specific circumstances, as in the case of Tom Boyle, who was able to lift the front of a car in order to rescue a person trapped beneath it.[4] Penn State professor ofkinesiology Vladimir Zatsiorsky stated that extraordinary strength can occur when a person engages their muscles through the conscious "exertion of will".[5] Zatsiorsky claims that trained athletes can improve their strength under specific conditions of competition.[5] Fear can also cause a person to exhibit enhanced human strength, for examplehysterical strength.