I Wonder How Much A Gorilla Could Lift?
01-03-2010, 10:25 PM
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I Wonder How Much A Gorilla Could Lift?
Serious questions, these things must be seriously strong! I wonder how much they could bench, dead lift etc? Anyone got any thoughts...
Benni.
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02-03-2010, 09:19 AM
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from another forum:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ybob
No way, the human record is over 1,000 lbs. They could bench far more than that.
It's all science and mathematics, my friends. Let's just think about it logically. A gorilla is certainly strong, but primarily in movements that are natural to its adaptations. I like the GUINESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORD'S 1985 edition estimate that a STRONG and healthy AVERAGE silverback gorilla could probably deadlift about 2 times that of the world's strongest man (if it were trained). The scientists used actual performance of chimpanzees in specific movements to estimate that an average highly trained (500 lb.) silverback gorilla might deadlift 1,800 lbs whereas the world's strongest men might deadlift 900 lbs. An average man might deadlift 200 lbs.
No other research to date has been based on as much hard evidence. Even so, these estimates are very rough.
Case in point: This evidence indicates that an average 500 lb. silverback gorilla MIGHT be 9 times stronger than an average man and 2 times stronger than the world's strongest man (but only in movements that it excels at).
The estimates used by shows on the Discovery channel argue that silverback gorillas are 20 times stronger than average humans. These estimates are not valid because they are based on gorillas breaking bamboo. Why are the estimates invalid? The gorilla often bites the bamboo which makes it easier to break. Hence this is not a pure arm strength measurement! The Discovery channel pretends it is scientific estimate of the gorillas arm strength.
These estimates are even more ridiculous because they assume that just because the gorilla is much stronger than humans in certain movements that this automatically transfers to a lot of other movements. In other words, Discovery took the bogus 20 times stronger figure and applied it to overhead lifts (which gorillas would suck at). This is just absurd and is very poor scientific thinking. The whole thing is ridiculous.
A gorilla CANNOT lift 4,000 lbs. overhead. This is not an opinion. It is a fact. I say this with almost absolute certainty. A gorilla CANNOT lift 2,000 lbs. overhead. This isn't because a gorilla is weak. A gorilla would struggle to maintain balance if it tried to press a weight greater than its own bodyweight overhead. Its legs don't have the right balance of stabilizing muscles, its back is not erect enough, and its arms are too long. An overhead press would not even be a fair test of the gorilla's strength! The bench press would be easier for the gorilla, but the gorilla still has mechanical disadvantages (i.e. extremely long arms). I would be absolutely shocked if a gorilla could bench press anywhere near 2,000 lbs even with extensive training. (And yes, I'm assuming the gorilla cooperated.)
If the strongest man on the planet can bench-press 700 lbs. (without support gear), a trained healthy male silverback gorilla may or may not be able to match that. I don't know. We just don't know the gorillas potential. So many factors make it difficult to guess. Physical strength is a very complex characteristic involving multiple factors (mass, neuroligical efficiency, tendon shape etc.).
In conclusion, a gorilla is certainly much stronger than an average man in MOST movements, but possibly weaker than the world's strongest men in some movements. Humans are good at overhead lifts. World class power lifters are well designed for bench pressing. Gorillas might beat the strongest men in most upper body movements, but not all of them.
* FTR, I did NOT write this
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ybob
No way, the human record is over 1,000 lbs. They could bench far more than that.
It's all science and mathematics, my friends. Let's just think about it logically. A gorilla is certainly strong, but primarily in movements that are natural to its adaptations. I like the GUINESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORD'S 1985 edition estimate that a STRONG and healthy AVERAGE silverback gorilla could probably deadlift about 2 times that of the world's strongest man (if it were trained). The scientists used actual performance of chimpanzees in specific movements to estimate that an average highly trained (500 lb.) silverback gorilla might deadlift 1,800 lbs whereas the world's strongest men might deadlift 900 lbs. An average man might deadlift 200 lbs.
No other research to date has been based on as much hard evidence. Even so, these estimates are very rough.
Case in point: This evidence indicates that an average 500 lb. silverback gorilla MIGHT be 9 times stronger than an average man and 2 times stronger than the world's strongest man (but only in movements that it excels at).
The estimates used by shows on the Discovery channel argue that silverback gorillas are 20 times stronger than average humans. These estimates are not valid because they are based on gorillas breaking bamboo. Why are the estimates invalid? The gorilla often bites the bamboo which makes it easier to break. Hence this is not a pure arm strength measurement! The Discovery channel pretends it is scientific estimate of the gorillas arm strength.
These estimates are even more ridiculous because they assume that just because the gorilla is much stronger than humans in certain movements that this automatically transfers to a lot of other movements. In other words, Discovery took the bogus 20 times stronger figure and applied it to overhead lifts (which gorillas would suck at). This is just absurd and is very poor scientific thinking. The whole thing is ridiculous.
A gorilla CANNOT lift 4,000 lbs. overhead. This is not an opinion. It is a fact. I say this with almost absolute certainty. A gorilla CANNOT lift 2,000 lbs. overhead. This isn't because a gorilla is weak. A gorilla would struggle to maintain balance if it tried to press a weight greater than its own bodyweight overhead. Its legs don't have the right balance of stabilizing muscles, its back is not erect enough, and its arms are too long. An overhead press would not even be a fair test of the gorilla's strength! The bench press would be easier for the gorilla, but the gorilla still has mechanical disadvantages (i.e. extremely long arms). I would be absolutely shocked if a gorilla could bench press anywhere near 2,000 lbs even with extensive training. (And yes, I'm assuming the gorilla cooperated.)
If the strongest man on the planet can bench-press 700 lbs. (without support gear), a trained healthy male silverback gorilla may or may not be able to match that. I don't know. We just don't know the gorillas potential. So many factors make it difficult to guess. Physical strength is a very complex characteristic involving multiple factors (mass, neuroligical efficiency, tendon shape etc.).
In conclusion, a gorilla is certainly much stronger than an average man in MOST movements, but possibly weaker than the world's strongest men in some movements. Humans are good at overhead lifts. World class power lifters are well designed for bench pressing. Gorillas might beat the strongest men in most upper body movements, but not all of them.
* FTR, I did NOT write this
02-03-2010, 04:24 PM
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Come on, tell the truth... You've been down to Chester Zoo with some a weights and a bench, haven't you?!
Benni.
Benni.
Last edited by Benni; 02-03-2010 at 04:31 PM.
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04-03-2010, 10:21 PM
#13
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Theres one thing missing from that big explanation.
To train a gorilla you would have to get it to lift weight repetitivly.
Most likely to the point where it becomes stronger through the excersise of weightlifting than those figures suggest, and hence lift more weight.
To train a gorilla you would have to get it to lift weight repetitivly.
Most likely to the point where it becomes stronger through the excersise of weightlifting than those figures suggest, and hence lift more weight.
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