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  • It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... you.

  • If you were just three times stronger than the world's strongest person,

  • you could lift a compact car.

  • This is 'What If,'

  • and here's what would happen if you had the strength of a superhero.

  • You might not have washboard abs or buns of steel,

  • but you're a lot stronger than you think.

  • Research shows that even during maximal exercise,

  • the average human only uses about 60% of their total strength.

  • Rigorous training enables professional athletes to tap into 80% of their strength.

  • Your brain is the governor of your body. It's designed to keep you alive.

  • Your brain sends pain through your body when you exert yourself,

  • as a signal to not push yourself too far.

  • Because if you could muster 100% of your strength,

  • 100% of the time,

  • you'd tear your muscles and break your bones.

  • In fact, you might not even survive using your full strength.

  • Why else do you think they call it a deadlift?

  • The world record for deadlifting is 524 kg (1,155 lbs).

  • And in extreme circumstances,

  • ordinary people have hoisted cars to save someone trapped underneath.

  • First of all, your body would have to change drastically.

  • Your bones and your muscles would need to be a lot more dense

  • to accommodate your strength.

  • And your bodily systems would have to change as well.

  • One perk is that you'd get to eat more!

  • Healthily, that is.

  • Superhuman strength is powered by superhuman energy.

  • And your body gets energy

  • by breaking down food into glucose, and releasing it into the bloodstream.

  • So your metabolism would be a lot higher.

  • A full menu might easily be an entree,

  • but you would have to make smart choices

  • to give your body the proper nutrients to fuel itself for the day.

  • Pro tip: bananas are an excellent source of carbohydrates, potassium and vitamin B6.

  • You can rely on them to boost your energy

  • whether you're fighting crime, or falling asleep at work.

  • Think about it. Everything we interact with is designed for humans.

  • Sorry, but, you're superhuman.

  • With your strength, door handles would rip right off,

  • coffee mugs and wine glasses would shatter in your hand.

  • And it wouldn't just be floors crumbling under your feet,

  • but likely earth and concrete as well.

  • Since you'd be exerting a lot more force

  • over the same area occupied by a normal human,

  • it would be hard, if not impossible,

  • to interact with any object in our world without destroying it.

  • You'd need special clothes and special shoes,

  • but any attempt to pay for them with paper money

  • would result in its shredding at your touch.

  • And, that's ignoring the even bigger question

  • which bank is going to let someone in

  • who could open the vault with their index finger?

  • The other major thing to consider is pressure.

  • Superhero movies tend to overlook this, but if they were real,

  • something like this could never happen.

  • Once you have superhuman strength,

  • hopefully, you'd remember that pressure is equal to force over area.

  • And then, maybe, you'll look down at the palms of your hands,

  • and realize that you've got a lot of force distributed over not a lot of area.

  • So what would really happen here?

  • Due to the tremendous force, being exerted over such a small area,

  • the pressure would be so great,

  • that Superman would actually end up going right through the airplane.

  • Not exactly the kind of rescue you were hoping for, is it?

  • Superhuman strength isn't all that it's cut out to be.

  • Yeah, you might look cool, but life on Earth would be very difficult,

  • and you'd end up doing more harm than good.

  • Want big biceps and toned calves?

  • Go to the gym, lift some weights, eat well, and stay in shape.

  • But whether you call yourself brainy, brawny, or just plain average,

  • remember that you're a lot stronger than you think you are,

  • and that you can always be a hero just as you are.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... you.

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