Re: How super do you have to be, to be superhuman?

Dear Isaac,

Thank you for sending in a fun question. 

First off, I don't think being able to lift heavy weights is enough in 
itself to qualify as a superhuman.  Many of the comic book heroes had huge 
physical strength and could fly.  Nowadays we can all do that and more, by 
using a forklift, a crane, or buying a ticket on an airline.  

However, to focus on weightlifting as a standard of superhumanity:  I 
regard myself as ordinary human, and when I was aged teens to forties as a 
5'0, 95 pound female could easily lift 245 pounds.  This is just a tad 
over 2.5 times body weight.  Your 6'2, 240 lb male would be lifting 3.3 
times his body weight if he snatched 800 lbs, still well within ordinary 
tolerances IMHO given the normal differences in male/female musculo-
skeletal structures. 

Lifting a car is impressive, but not necessarily useful.  Ultimately I 
think any definition of a superhuman has to be purely subjective.  

My idea of a superhuman is a person with the following qualities:

 High-grade emotional and mental intelligence.

 Superb health, physical strength and endurance.

 Ethically courageous.

 Compassionate.

 Sexually attractive without being predatory.

 Fun to be with, good for a giggle and not taking themselves too 
dreadfully seriously.  


All of which adds up to someone I'd have to admire but wouldn't 
necessarily care to invite out for a few drinks or a meal.  Guess I'd find 
this much perfection too intimidating, perhaps even unforgivable.  So 
there you go.

regards,

Bobby


bobby@catalase.com


Admin note:

We later received the following further information from Bobby McLaughlin:

Valentin Dikul, was a trapeze artist in the Russian circus.  In his
twenties he fell and broke his neck, which left him almost quadriplegic.
I think he had partial use of one arm only, not the other arm and no legs.
He was told the damage was permanent, incurable.  He refused to accept the
doctors' verdict and started doing exercises he designed for himself.
After a long time and a lot of hard work he succeeded, and went back to
the circus working as a strongman.  In his fifties and sixties he lifted
460 Kg, i.e. SQ and DL of 1012 pounds.  He also runs a medical clinic,
teaching people who were paralysed in accidents how to walk again.
There are a number of websites about him and his work, best go to
www.google.com , input Valentin Dikul and choose which you want to look
at.

regards,

Bobby