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Superheroes have long been the subject of fascination and admiration for people across the globe. They fight against injustice, defend the vulnerable, and rescue the world from countless dangers and wrongdoings. However, there’s one major issue: They don’t exist in real life. The extraordinary acts they perform are made possible by powers that, unfortunately, belong only in fiction.
But what if they do?
What if I told you that there are actual superpowers hidden within us, lying dormant, waiting for the right training to awaken them? As unbelievable as it may sound, this is indeed true. So, if you’re ready to break free from the limitations of your human form and become the superhero you’ve always dreamed of, here’s a list of ten extraordinary abilities that can help you become a superhuman!
10. Superhuman Strength
Strength is a more intricate concept than many realize. It’s not just about muscle mass, but rather about how effectively we use that muscle. One doesn’t need to be a bodybuilder to possess superhuman strength, as demonstrated by Dennis Rogers, the world’s strongest man pound-for-pound and grand master strongman. Rogers has accomplished amazing feats of strength, such as stopping airplanes from taking off and holding back four Harley-Davidson motorcycles simultaneously. These are impressive feats for any strongman, but even more so considering Dennis Rogers is only 168 centimeters (5’6″) tall and weighs 76 kilograms (168 lb), not to mention he’s in his fifties. So, how does he do it? The secret lies in plyometrics.
Plyometrics aims to unlock more dormant strength in our muscles by partially bypassing a natural function of the nervous system called the inhibition reflex. Every muscle contains a golgi tendon organ (GTO), which sends nerve signals to our spinal cord whenever a muscle is used. The spinal cord then triggers the inhibition reflex, limiting how much force a muscle can generate. This reflex exists because human muscles have the potential to create more force than our body’s structural elements can handle. Without this, muscles would tear from tension, and people would generate forces too strong for their bones and tendons to withstand. However, the GTO doesn’t just suppress power at the brink of injury. Plyometrics, through explosive exercises, helps us generate more power, more rapidly, before the inhibition reflex takes effect.
The goal of plyometrics is to teach your muscles to produce more power, faster, with the intention of using as much force as possible before the inhibition reflex kicks in. To achieve this, plyometrics focuses on rapid, explosive exercises that emphasize generating immediate force and developing fast-twitch muscle fibers. Beyond training for explosive bursts, an essential part of enhancing fast-twitch muscles is exhausting the slow-twitch muscles through longer, stamina-driven workouts. This forces the fast-twitch fibers to take over and begin their development.
Plyometrics are incredibly effective, but muscle mass remains the foundation of strength, so building muscle is still crucial. There is a difference between how much muscle you have and how strong that muscle is. Both factors are equally important and require distinct training methods. Muscle growth, or hypertrophy, is best achieved by pushing muscles to their limits through high reps and continuous workouts targeting the same muscle groups. Strength, however, is cultivated by lifting heavier weights for fewer repetitions, with adequate rest periods in between.
9. Lightning Speed
You might be thinking, “Sure, there are fast people out there, but there’s a difference between being fast and having ‘superhuman speed.’” However, anyone who had the privilege of working with the legendary Bruce Lee would likely argue otherwise. For Lee’s movements to be visible on film, they had to be slowed down twice. First, he would intentionally move slower for the camera to capture his actions, then the film would be slowed further so viewers could follow his incredible speed. Without these adjustments, it would appear as though his enemies simply collapsed without any visible cause. If speed beyond the human eye’s ability to comprehend doesn’t qualify as superhuman, then you must be one tough critic.
While fast fighting is impressive, true super speed also involves running and other types of movement. Fortunately, this all comes down to the same key element: fast-twitch muscle fibers. These fibers were discussed earlier in relation to super strength and are trained using similar methods: plyometrics, explosiveness, and focusing your training on the muscle groups essential for the abilities you want to unlock.
But speed alone isn’t enough to achieve lightning-fast movement. To effectively harness speed, one must also possess super reaction time. Without quick reactions, all the speed in the world becomes meaningless. The best way to train your reaction time is through activities that focus on quick reflexes, such as the hand-slap game, speed bag training, and visual athletic drills like robo-pong, focus loop, and brock string exercises.
8. Incredible Agility
So far, we’ve covered a few powers that would help you take down the villains. To do that, you need to get there in time to save… well, whoever you’re saving. Super speed will get you there, but you’ll need super agility to overcome obstacles that most people would find impossible to pass, and do it quickly!
Parkour is exactly what you need. As its founder David Belle describes, “Parkour is a training method that enables us to overcome obstacles, both in urban and natural environments.” One of the most famous routes for parkour practitioners (traceurs) is across rooftops, as demonstrated in the Rush Hour BBC promo, which introduced parkour to the wider public. Being agile enough to leap, climb, and sprint across intimidating obstacles may not seem like a superpower, but just watch any of the countless homemade parkour videos, and you’ll be amazed at the extraordinary feats already being performed by people around the globe!
Founded in 1990, parkour is a relatively modern practice, yet it has exploded in popularity and now boasts numerous training schools worldwide. This is crucial because, without proper guidance, parkour can be extremely dangerous for obvious reasons (like falling from the rooftops you're jumping between).
7. Extreme Flexibility
Extreme flexibility is one of the most renowned real superpowers. Contortionists have been a mainstay in performance arts since as early as ancient Egypt, if not earlier. One of the true masters of this art is Daniel Browning Smith, known as “Rubberboy.” Recognized by Guinness World Records as the most flexible man on earth, he is famous for squeezing himself through unstrung tennis rackets, rotating his torso 180 degrees, bending backwards from a lying position, fitting into small boxes, and mastering many other skills commonly associated with the craft.
Jujutsu, along with its counterparts Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, and other forms of technical grappling, are incredibly effective and widely-practiced martial arts. These ground-based combat styles incorporate submissions, chokes, joint locks, and other grappling techniques, where flexibility plays a crucial role. Flexibility also enhances the execution of many striking techniques, and this goes beyond flashy moves and high kicks. Speed and range of motion in power-generating body parts, such as the hips, result in more powerful strikes.
Superior flexibility also boosts healing and recovery by reducing stress on joints and alleviating pain, which makes us more resilient and helps us get back into action quicker after a tough fight or injury.
Developing flexibility primarily involves regular, frequent stretching of all types. Dynamic stretching consists of gradually extending your reach, speed of movement, or both, as you move parts of your body. Ballistic stretching, which is less controlled, uses momentum to push a body part past its usual range. Static stretching involves holding a muscle at its maximum stretch point, with two variations: static-passive (where external force holds the stretch) and static-active (where the stretch is held solely by the muscle). Another form, isometric stretching, involves contracting the stretched muscles, such as when a partner holds your leg up and you try to push it down. (This is just one example of isometric stretching.)
All forms of stretching are important for extreme flexibility, but isometric stretching is particularly effective for building strength and range of motion, both for athletic performance and contortion. Therefore, focusing on isometric stretching should be a central component of your training if you’re aiming to develop these abilities.
6. Ultra Fortitude
To achieve a truly superhuman physique, fortitude and toughness are essential, as superheroes constantly face threats to their bodies. For centuries, martial artists have employed body conditioning techniques, one of the most prominent being bone mineralization, also known as calcification. Bones are made primarily of calcium, and their density and strength are determined by the amount of calcium they contain. Resistance training is an effective and safe method for promoting mineralization, and it is even recommended for maintaining health in older adults.
When the body experiences significant force on its bones, a natural response directs more calcium to the bones, strengthening their size, density, and weight, which in turn enhances the structural integrity of the body and can even increase striking power. This process is known as Wolff's law. Throughout history, martial artists, including the legendary Shaolin monks, have used this principle by repeatedly striking objects to trigger the calcifying process in their bones.
Davis's law is a concept similar to Wolff's law, but it applies to soft tissues rather than bones. The body's ability to adapt to stress is not limited to bones; soft tissues can also harden in response to stress, resulting in stronger muscles and organs, along with increased pain resistance, which is crucial for enduring pain in battle.
Having a body capable of surviving tremendous punishment is impressive, but the real test of a hero is how much pain and suffering they can endure before succumbing to a villain or a difficult challenge. Pain is governed by two main concepts: threshold and tolerance. The threshold represents how much stimulus is needed for something to be perceived as painful, while tolerance is the amount of pain one can withstand, both physically and mentally. Although there seems to be no way to increase the pain threshold, pain tolerance can be trained, and to an extraordinary extent.
For an example of superhuman pain resistance, look no further than the Shaolin monks. These remarkable warriors perform extraordinary feats of pain control, such as lying on a bed of spears or having large stones crushed on their stomachs. How do they manage it? Through meditation. By mastering their minds, the Shaolin monks can distract themselves from pain and even reduce it to the point where it becomes almost irrelevant. If this isn’t superhuman pain resistance, what is?
5. Surviving Extreme Temperatures
In 2007, Wim Hof set a world record by spending 72 minutes submerged in ice, wearing nothing but shorts and boots, and that's just one of his many extraordinary feats. He also climbed Mount Everest, wearing only shorts and boots, though he was stopped just short of the summit by a foot injury. Additionally, he ran a marathon across the desert without any water.
Wim Hof, known as 'The Iceman,' is capable of these feats due to his unique ability to connect with and control his body. While this might sound like a trick or a hoax, Hof has completed his remarkable challenges under the watchful eyes of scientists and journalists, all of whom have verified his achievements. Despite close scrutiny, the exact mechanisms behind his methods remain a mystery to the scientific community.
So, how can we train for something that is still not fully understood? And how can we be sure that Wim Hof isn’t just an extraordinary anomaly? The answer is simple: He teaches others. That’s right—Hof offers direct lessons, and even if traveling to Europe to train with him is out of the question, you can find training videos on his website to get started on learning his techniques.
4. Enhanced Immunity
An impressive outcome of the Wim Hof method is its ability to significantly boost immunity. This was demonstrated when Wim Hof himself was exposed to an endotoxin in a controlled medical experiment. Despite the scientists' surprise, they initially doubted anyone else could replicate his result. To prove it, 12 of Hof’s students were tested, and, remarkably, they all managed to resist the toxin just as he did!
While the Wim Hof method is indeed remarkable, it is not a universal remedy. In many cases, the only way to build immunity to various harmful contaminants is through exposure. Tolerance to poisons and other toxins is usually developed by introducing small, non-lethal amounts of the substance into the body over time. This gradual increase toughens the body's immune defenses. This process is known as 'mithridatism.'
Vaccines are based on a similar idea: they are 'imitations' of a disease, not capable of causing illness but designed to trigger an immune response. This prompts the body to create antibodies and T-lymphocytes, which help protect against the actual disease when encountered later.
3. Mind Control
While controlling others like puppets may not be a realistic superpower, influencing thoughts and altering someone's mindset is very much achievable. The human subconscious is highly susceptible, and mind control through suggestion is more attainable than most would think. This is why it's important for readers to understand these techniques—not only to use them if necessary but also to protect themselves if they encounter someone who wields these powers.
The key to this process is to target the subconscious mind while the conscious mind is distracted, and here are five common techniques for doing so: Covert hypnosis involves convincing someone that your thoughts are their own through suggestive, focused dialogue. Pattern interruption forces someone’s attention to shift by performing an unexpected action (like placing your hand on their chest instead of shaking their hand during a greeting), briefly triggering a hypnotic state. The Zeingarnik effect focuses on people's natural tendency to dwell on unfinished tasks. You can trigger this by telling an incomplete story or leaving a task incomplete, drawing their attention and increasing suggestibility. Another method is to use ambiguous phrases that cause the person to focus on their meaning, leading to a brief moment of heightened suggestibility. Lastly, hypnotic keywords, like “imagine if…” can evoke subconscious responses, opening access to the mind. Though weaker and more vague, this technique is still widely used.
However, mind control isn't just about controlling others; it also has a powerful application in self-development. One of the most significant uses—and why this technique is placed last—is for personal growth. The reader may feel overwhelmed by the effort required to achieve the goals mentioned earlier, but through self-control using techniques like self-hypnosis, it’s surprising what challenges the average person can overcome and what remarkable achievements they can accomplish.
When practicing mind control on oneself, a core technique is neurolinguistic programming (NLP). In this context, NLP involves two primary methods: The flash technique, where one vividly imagines a negative feeling associated with a particular situation, then introduces a small grayscale image of their preferred emotion in that same context. Over time, the preferred emotion grows and dominates, while the negative one fades. The process is repeated until psychological success is achieved. Anchoring involves associating an internal response with an external or internal stimulus—like how a nostalgic memory triggers the emotions felt at the time. This can be created by using a simple, self-created stimulus—such as a hand gesture or specific touch—that, when repeated, can evoke the associated feeling whenever needed.
Although only a handful of techniques are covered here, there are numerous others that can also be utilized to achieve similar levels of control.
And there you have it: ten extraordinary superpowers, all within your reach with a little practice. While this list barely scratches the surface of the full journey to mastering such abilities, rest assured, all these powers are accessible and ready for cultivation. Now, it’s up to you to grab hold of your destiny—and, of course, always use your newfound abilities for good.
Excelsior!
2. Echolocation
You’ve likely heard that some blind individuals are capable of using echolocation to navigate their environments, but a 2013 study from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich revealed that even sighted individuals can learn this impressive skill! The truth is, the ability to echolocate is something that’s latent within all of us. Our brains have evolved to filter out echoes in order to focus on the primary source of a sound, but with the right training, we can learn to focus on those very echoes. The key is tuning in to the sounds that surround us.
In the LMU study, sighted participants were outfitted with a headset containing earphones and a microphone. They would make vocal sounds, and the corresponding echoes of objects and spaces in the room were transmitted through the earphones. Through several weeks of training, these sighted individuals were able to use the echoes to gather information about the size, shape, and distance of objects in their environment.
1. Apnea Diving
Apnea diving, also known as freediving, is so popular and widespread that it has become more than just a superhuman feat, but a legitimate sport! AIDA International Freediving, a globally recognized and inclusive organization, is responsible for ensuring safety standards, maintaining world records, and organizing events worldwide. While scientists once believed that humans could only hold their breath for a few minutes and reach depths no deeper than 50 meters (164 ft), today’s freediving world records have surpassed depths of over 200 meters (656 ft) and some divers stay submerged for over 11 minutes on a single breath!
This remarkable ability is enabled by an evolutionary adaptation called the “diving reflex.” When triggered, this reflex slows or halts non-vital physiological functions that consume oxygen, allowing the body to function on reduced oxygen levels for extended periods of time. Another critical factor in freediving is blood shift, a phenomenon that enables the lungs to fill with plasma, safeguarding them from collapsing under the pressure of deep-water immersion.
Though freediving is internationally acknowledged as a sport, it remains extremely risky for those who are unprepared. Inadequate training and faulty or improperly managed equipment have caused multiple fatalities within the sport. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to undergo proper instruction before attempting freediving.
