0:00:17 > 0:00:21Imagine being able to lift almost anything.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Knowing you have incredible power at your fingertips.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33And that you can carry something most average people simply couldn't.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Having that sort of strength would be impressive, wouldn't it?
0:00:36 > 0:00:40To do all that you would need the powers of a real-life superhero!
0:00:40 > 0:00:43'A superhero like She-Hulk.
0:00:43 > 0:00:48'A woman stronger and more powerful than any other.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51'Well, I've met a real-life She-Hulk.'
0:00:54 > 0:00:58This is Kristin Rhodes. She's the world's strongest woman!
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Whether it's lifting weights
0:01:00 > 0:01:03or carrying massively heavy objects over distance,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Kristin has broken all sorts of records
0:01:05 > 0:01:09in her quest to become the strongest woman on the planet!
0:01:11 > 0:01:12And here she is!
0:01:12 > 0:01:17Kristin, can you put me down, please, so we can chat? Ooh!
0:01:17 > 0:01:21So, Kristin, how did you discover you had this incredible strength?
0:01:21 > 0:01:22I've been strong all my life.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26I'd pick up heavy things when I was little and carry them around
0:01:26 > 0:01:28and my grandma'd say I had superhuman strength
0:01:28 > 0:01:29back when I was a baby.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32So you ARE the strongest woman in the world?
0:01:32 > 0:01:36Yes, I won the World's Strongest Woman contest two weeks ago.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38We think you DO have superhuman strength.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40We'd like to put your abilities to the test.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43So we've set up three super tests to try and examine
0:01:43 > 0:01:46your incredible strength and your incredible abilities
0:01:46 > 0:01:50- and work out, hopefully, what makes you unique.- Absolutely.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52And we've searched high and low to find somebody
0:01:52 > 0:01:54to measure against you in the super test.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57We can't find anyone at all, so I'm afraid it's going to be me.
0:01:57 > 0:01:58- Let's do it.- Is that OK?
0:01:58 > 0:02:00- That's good.- Excellent.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03I don't think I'm going to do very well at this.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05This is Dr Megan John.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09She's an expedition doctor and has kept people alive while they've
0:02:09 > 0:02:12attempted some of the most dangerous activities you can imagine.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17She's set up three super tests designed to push Kristin and Tim
0:02:17 > 0:02:18to their limit!
0:02:27 > 0:02:30For Super Test One we're in Scotland, at Glasgow University.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34But we're not here for a written test.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Today's super test is a test of your muscle strength.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40I'll be asking the two of you to lift some weights.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42That'll play into your strong hands, Kristin.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Yes, I think that will. Let's see how you do.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48THEY LAUGH Oh, dear.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52This test is simple - who can lift the heaviest weight?
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Tim and Kristin will be lifting this barbell,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57from the ground up to a standing position.
0:02:57 > 0:02:58This is called a deadlift.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Each time they make a successful lift,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03more weight will be added to each end.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Although men can generally lift heavier weights than women,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08Tim is up against the world's strongest woman.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12He'll really have to push himself to compete against Kristin's
0:03:12 > 0:03:13superhuman strength.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17Dr Megan wants to see how their bodies cope with the strain.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20She starts by taking a resting blood pressure reading
0:03:20 > 0:03:22and will monitor them again after each lift
0:03:22 > 0:03:24and that's not the only thing she'll be testing.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30I've got a really cool piece of equipment today called a NIRO
0:03:30 > 0:03:33which I'll be fitting to one of your muscles
0:03:33 > 0:03:36and it'll be telling me how much blood is getting to that muscle.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39And I've got Dr Ron with me here today
0:03:39 > 0:03:41who's an expert in the human body
0:03:41 > 0:03:43and he'll be helping me with that bit of equipment.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46My blood pressure's rising thinking about this, you?
0:03:46 > 0:03:48- Nope, I'm good.- OK.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51When lifting heavy things
0:03:51 > 0:03:53you use lots of different parts of your body.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Your muscles have to move
0:03:55 > 0:03:58and your heart rate and blood pressure go up.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59This makes your face go red,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03the veins in your neck bulge and you could get a nose bleed.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06If you're lifting something very heavy you could strain a muscle
0:04:06 > 0:04:07or damage your back.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10You might drop the weight on your foot and break a toe.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13In extreme cases, you could pull your muscles so hard
0:04:13 > 0:04:16they rip completely off your bones.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Lifting heavy weights can be dangerous,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22so even if you do happen to have one of the UK's strongest women
0:04:22 > 0:04:25sitting on your sofa, please don't try this at home.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31The first weight they'll be lifting is 65kg,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34about the weight of an adult kangaroo.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40He's warming up now, so the blood flow
0:04:40 > 0:04:44is getting more to his muscle to prepare the muscle to work.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50- Oof!- There he goes - when he works there's a dip in blood flow,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53the blood's forced out of the muscles as he's tensing it.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Oof! That looked pretty tough. Let's look at that in slow-mo.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04As Tim lifts the weight he is using his muscles.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Your muscles are made of fibres,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09and each fibre is made of lots of tiny strands.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12When they slide past each other your muscles get shorter and thicker.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15This is how they move the bones in your body.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17When you want to lift something,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19your brain sends signals to your muscles
0:05:19 > 0:05:21telling them which part of your body to move.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24You have over 600 muscles in your body,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26they weigh more than all of your bones.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29In fact, muscles make up half of your body's weight.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Men usually have more muscle fibres than women,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36so they can usually lift heavier things.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39DEVICE BLEEPS
0:05:39 > 0:05:43OK, so, we can see your blood pressure now is 143/84,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46so that's a bit higher than it was when you were at rest,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49showing that your body has been put under quite a bit of stress.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54It'll be interesting to see what Kristin's does with her first lift.
0:05:54 > 0:05:55And here she goes.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Completely different than Tim,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01there doesn't seem to be any dip whatsoever,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03so no blood is being forced out of the muscles.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I can't wait to see what her blood pressure's doing.
0:06:11 > 0:06:17So, 144/87, your blood pressure has gone DOWN from your resting level.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Unbelievably, Kristin's blood pressure
0:06:20 > 0:06:22is lower than it was before the test.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24It's as if she's doing absolutely nothing,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27but actually she's lifting incredibly heavy weights.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Let's see how they get on with the next lift,
0:06:30 > 0:06:31more weights have been added.
0:06:31 > 0:06:36Now Tim has to try and lift 125kg, this is like lifting a small pony!
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Will he be able to do it?
0:06:47 > 0:06:50- Ooh!- This time blood's flooded out of the muscles,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53he's really tensing up and working hard.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Tim struggled with that, but impressively he managed the lift.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Wow, I've got dots in front of my eyes!
0:07:01 > 0:07:04So 154/92.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06- It's gone up.- It's gone up.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09You are putting your body under a lot more stress now.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Whilst lifting the weight, Tim's blood pressure went up,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13but when he put it down
0:07:13 > 0:07:15his blood pressure dropped quickly in his head,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17which made dots appear in his vision.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19You may have had this yourself after sneezing
0:07:19 > 0:07:21or standing up too quickly.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23It's Kristin's turn at the second weight.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25Last time, not only did she easily lift the weight,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28but amazingly her blood pressure went down.
0:07:28 > 0:07:29How will she do this time?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Much bigger dip this time,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35much more blood being forced out of the muscles.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- You made that look really easy. - That was still pretty easy.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Blood pressure, bottom number which is the most important one,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48still only 80, that's LESS than you were when you were at rest.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- Right.- Feeling comfortable?
0:07:50 > 0:07:51I'm feeling good.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55That's amazing. So Dr Megan makes it even harder.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59The weight is now 150kg, that's twice as heavy as Tim.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Will he do it?
0:08:13 > 0:08:16TIM GROANS
0:08:16 > 0:08:21Wow! Tim's managed to lift the weight, but it was really hard
0:08:21 > 0:08:23and just look at his little red face!
0:08:23 > 0:08:27His face has gone red because when you lift something heavy,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30your muscles tense up, and get shorter and fatter.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31As they change shape,
0:08:31 > 0:08:32your muscles squeeze
0:08:32 > 0:08:34the blood vessels inside them
0:08:34 > 0:08:37and blood is squashed into other areas of your body, like your head.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40All this extra blood in your head makes your face look red
0:08:40 > 0:08:42and the veins in your neck stand out.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48If you keep straining like this for too long, very thin blood vessels
0:08:48 > 0:08:52can bulge so much that they actually burst and you can get a nose bleed.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55But as soon as you put down the heavy weight,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59your muscles relax and blood flows around your body normally.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03TIM PANTS
0:09:08 > 0:09:10OK, it's 149/96.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Your heart's being put under quite a lot of pressure now
0:09:13 > 0:09:16to get the blood around to your muscles.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19- That looked pretty hard to me.- Yeah.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Dr Megan is worried about the damage Tim could do to his body
0:09:22 > 0:09:24if he tries to lift any more weight.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28OK, Tim. I've got Super Test Two and Three still for you to do.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30It's important you don't get injured.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32So, that's IT for you.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34- Yeah.- OK? Take a seat, let's get Kristin in.
0:09:34 > 0:09:35Fair enough.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39Tim's blood pressure has gone up with each lift which is normal,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42but amazingly Kristin's has been getting lower.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45So how will the world's strongest woman get on this time?
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Well, the weight seemed easy enough for her to lift,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56but what happened to her blood pressure?
0:09:56 > 0:10:01OK, so 147/90, a little bit higher than you were on the last lift
0:10:01 > 0:10:04but still less than you were before you started.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Now, you looked really comfortable.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08Are you happy to up the weight again?
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Yes, I can definitely go up.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Kristin is going to lift even more weight.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17She's going to attempt to lift an incredibly heavy 200kg,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20that's the same as lifting a pony with Tim on top of it!
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Kristin's NOT like an average person.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27She's really trained, she's got fantastic muscle strength.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29She knows what she's doing.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33KRISTIN GROANS
0:10:33 > 0:10:37THEY CHEER AND CLAP
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- Unbelievable, that's incredible. - Thank you.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Yeah, that was definitely tougher.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48- Tougher?- I think my face got red like your face.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51I don't think it was nearly as red as my face, that's amazing!
0:10:51 > 0:10:54- Thanks.- At the end of the test despite being a woman,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56so not built to lift as much as a man,
0:10:56 > 0:11:01Kristin lifted an amazing 200kg, whilst Tim reached his limit at 150.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03I felt like such a weakling next to Kristin.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07Luckily, nowadays we've got machines to lift heavy things for us,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09but this wasn't always the case.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13In North America, 100 years ago,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15before chainsaws and forest machinery,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19trees were cut down and processed by hand, by lumberjacks.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22To cut down trees using axes and crosscut saws,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25the lumberjacks needed very strong arms.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27While transporting logs down rivers,
0:11:27 > 0:11:31they balanced on the floating tree trunks, needing very strong legs.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34The lumberjacks' job was one of the most dangerous jobs in the world!
0:11:34 > 0:11:36Although they were tough and brave,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39lumberjacks were best known for their immense strength.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42They would often compete with one another in the forest
0:11:42 > 0:11:44to see who was the strongest
0:11:44 > 0:11:48and even today modern competitions are held in honour of these
0:11:48 > 0:11:49incredibly strong people.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55For Super Test Two
0:11:55 > 0:11:58I'll be sending you both to the sugar sheds in Greenock.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01That's where the sugar was brought into Scotland from abroad.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03A lot of heavy lifting went on there.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05I should be able to lift some bags of sugar!
0:12:05 > 0:12:09- It'll get a bit tougher than that. - I look forward to the challenge.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Unfortunately, I've been called away to a medical emergency,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14so I won't be able to be with you,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16but Dr Ron's going to supervise the test for me.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18- He'll meet you there.- OK.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Greenock is famous for shipbuilding.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27And Tim and Kristin will need nerves of steel to survive this super test.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Dr Megan's told me all about Super Test Two.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35You're going to lift and carry... THESE.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40I don't think it's going to be as easy as that.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42It's going to be that easy.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Well, actually, it's not going to be easy.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47In Super Test Two,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Tim and Kristin have to lift these 115kg frames on their shoulders
0:12:51 > 0:12:53and carry them over a 20 metre course.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57Dr Ron will be testing who can carry them the furthest the fastest.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Throughout this test, more weights will be added
0:12:59 > 0:13:01and Dr Ron will monitor how their bodies cope
0:13:01 > 0:13:03with the different weights.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Tim and Kristin, you'll wear these belts
0:13:05 > 0:13:07whilst you go through Super Test Two.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11These record your heart rate and breathing pattern whilst you lift.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14This is a dangerous business and it's not the sort of thing to do
0:13:14 > 0:13:16without appropriate medical supervision.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18- Is it dangerous? - It definitely can be dangerous.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21- Dangerous?- Yes. - OK. Thank goodness you're here.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Dr Ron will be monitoring their heart rate and breathing
0:13:24 > 0:13:27and results will show up on his computer.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30The green zone means their hearts and lungs are not working very hard.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33The orange zone means they're beginning to work harder
0:13:33 > 0:13:36and the red zone means they're under a lot of strain -
0:13:36 > 0:13:40their hearts are working incredibly fast and they could be in danger.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43When you carry heavy weights, your heart beats faster
0:13:43 > 0:13:45to pump more blood to your muscles.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48You breathe more and you start to sweat.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53As the weight gets heavier it's harder to control.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55You could pull or tear a muscle,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57or drop the weight and break your foot.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Really heavy frames could start to crush the bones in your back.
0:14:01 > 0:14:02And in extreme circumstances,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05you could put your body under so much strain
0:14:05 > 0:14:07that you have a heart attack and die.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Kristin has years of weight training under her belt,
0:14:15 > 0:14:19but can Tim's puny frame manage these 115kg giants?
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- Hang on.- Let us get in position.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Oh!
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Kristin's off, and look how fast she's going!
0:14:27 > 0:14:31So what I see here is that Kristin's doing really very well,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33she's running smoothly, she's under control.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Her heart rate's high but she's in the orange zone.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39OK, this is...quite heavy on your shoulders, right now.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44Tim is working really quite hard, he's moving much slower.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48Tim is up in the orange zone and he's moving into the red zone now.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Tim's heart rate is already in the danger zone,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53and he's only just started.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56But for Kristin, this is like a stroll in the park.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58That's Kristin finished at 20 seconds
0:14:58 > 0:15:01and Tim's still got a long way to go.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Tim's finding this much harder than Kristin
0:15:04 > 0:15:06because his muscles aren't as strong.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09You can make your muscles bigger and stronger
0:15:09 > 0:15:11by exercising them regularly.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13When you push your muscles to the limit,
0:15:13 > 0:15:14the fibres they are made from
0:15:14 > 0:15:16get very tiny tears in them.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Your body sends special cells, called satellite cells,
0:15:20 > 0:15:21to heal these tears.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24These cells become part of your muscle fibre
0:15:24 > 0:15:27and over time your whole muscle gets bigger and stronger
0:15:27 > 0:15:29so you can lift heavier things.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Kristin finished the test in 20 seconds,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35but Tim's a long way behind.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Argh, there we go. OK, this way.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41OK, keep going.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42There you go.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46TIM PANTS
0:15:47 > 0:15:49- Oh, wow.- Whoo-hoo!
0:15:49 > 0:15:52That's Tim finished at 40 seconds,
0:15:52 > 0:15:54that's 20 seconds later than Kristin.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- How was that?- When you put it down you feel like you're floating!
0:15:57 > 0:15:59You've probably just shrunk an inch!
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- Reckon you could do that with weights on?- Definitely.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06- OK, do you think I could?- You could. You did good, you finished.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08- I finished.- You finished.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10- That's a plus!- That's a plus.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Tim found it tough without any weights added to the frame,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17so how will he get on with a total weight of 155kg?
0:16:17 > 0:16:205kg heavier than he lifted in Super Test One
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Boo-ah! Wow!
0:16:22 > 0:16:25That is heavy. That is really heavy.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Kristin is still in the orange zone.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30She's still moving fast and she's not in any trouble at all.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32Tim, on the other hand...
0:16:32 > 0:16:35OK, so I'm feeling it in my lower back really quite badly.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Oh! I nearly lost it then.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Ah! If it overbalances your back, it gets absolutely bad.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Ah, keep going.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45I have to stop talking for a minute.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Kristin is still making this look easy.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53That's 22 seconds for Kristin and Tim is miles behind.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55TIM PANTS
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Tim looks like he's finding this really difficult
0:16:58 > 0:17:00and is in lots of pain, but why?
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Your muscles are connected to your bones
0:17:04 > 0:17:06by stiff cables called tendons.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Your muscles are so powerful that if they are used to their full strength
0:17:09 > 0:17:12they would actually pull your tendons right off your bones.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16A special part of your tendon - called the Golgi tendon organ -
0:17:16 > 0:17:18stops this happening.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21When your muscles start using more than 2/3 of their full power,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24it sends a signal to your brain making you feel pain
0:17:24 > 0:17:27so you know to stop and don't injure yourself.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29But in a life or death emergency,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32your body produces a chemical called adrenaline,
0:17:32 > 0:17:34which allows you to override your Golgi tendons
0:17:34 > 0:17:38and use more muscle power, but this would damage them.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42But right now, Tim is just feeling pain in muscles all over his body.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45TIM GROANS
0:17:48 > 0:17:50TIM PANTS
0:17:52 > 0:17:55I'm out of breath and I'm feeling it in my lower back.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Kristin didn't seem to feel any pain and finished ages ago,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01but poor Tim still has half the course left.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Ooh! And here we go!
0:18:09 > 0:18:13Tim's arms, muscles, ligaments, tendons are carrying 155kg,
0:18:13 > 0:18:17that's a big stretch and that's going to make him feel real pain.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21He's really close to the limits of exhaustion now,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23he hasn't got very much more to deliver.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26And there's the line, I can see the line.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28TIM GROANS
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Tim has taken over three times as long as Kristin
0:18:34 > 0:18:36to finish the course.
0:18:38 > 0:18:39Just...
0:18:40 > 0:18:42I'm quite out of breath now.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45You were just gliding along and gliding back
0:18:45 > 0:18:46and I'm really struggling.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50- OK, shall we try more weights? - Let's do more weight.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53I don't believe I'm saying this. Let's try more weights!
0:18:54 > 0:18:58An extra 65kg is being added to the frame,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00making the total weight 220kg!
0:19:00 > 0:19:03This is almost three times as heavy as Tim.
0:19:03 > 0:19:04OK.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Ready... Steady... Go!
0:19:11 > 0:19:14TIM GROANS
0:19:14 > 0:19:16Amazingly, Kristin is still finding this easy,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19and not surprisingly, Tim can barely lift it off the ground!
0:19:19 > 0:19:21That did not go very well.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25So Kristin's a very well-trained individual.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28She's much stronger than normal, she's carrying loads far above
0:19:28 > 0:19:32what any normal person could manage to shift.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34So how does Kristin do it?
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Kristin's muscles are much bigger than average
0:19:37 > 0:19:39because she spent many years weight training.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42This has meant that her muscle fibres have grown
0:19:42 > 0:19:45really thick and strong so she can lift more.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48She's also learnt the best techniques to use when lifting
0:19:48 > 0:19:51and pulling extremely heavy things so she doesn't hurt herself.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Before exercising, Kristin warms up her muscles
0:19:54 > 0:19:56and mentally prepares herself,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59making her body release a chemical called adrenaline,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01which lets her body perform at its peak.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06All of these things make Kristin the world's strongest woman.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Well, Tim's not the world's strongest man,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11but he's certainly having a good go.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Tim's muscles just aren't big enough to cope with the load.
0:20:16 > 0:20:23Oh... OK, that's not going entirely well.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28Kristin's finished and Tim, well, he's still on the starting line!
0:20:28 > 0:20:32So, Kristin's finished in 24 seconds and that's amazing,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35that's only two seconds slower than the previous test,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37even though she's carrying all that weight.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Hmm, something tells me it won't be the same for Tim.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Oh! OK, there we go, there we go. I've got it, I've got it.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Arghh, it's my lower back, that's where I'm feeling it,
0:20:51 > 0:20:52right down there.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57HE GROANS Wow, that's tough!
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Right, Tim's back's really hurting, we have to stop now.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03If he damages his back it could take months to recover.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07It's all over for Tim. Remember, don't try this at home.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Lifting heavy things can seriously damage your muscles and back.
0:21:14 > 0:21:15You need to stop.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19You're going to do more damage than is good for you if you keep going.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21- Is that right?- Yes, stop now.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23- Sorry, Dr Ron. - The pain is telling you to stop.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25At the end of Super Test Two,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Kristin is still proving to be much stronger than Tim.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31She glided through all the weights, Tim took much longer
0:21:31 > 0:21:34and could barely lift the last one.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37It's becoming clear to me that Kristin really does have
0:21:37 > 0:21:38superhuman strength,
0:21:38 > 0:21:41but sometimes ordinary people can find superhuman strength
0:21:41 > 0:21:43they didn't know they had.
0:21:45 > 0:21:46In Virginia, America,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Alec Kornacki was changing a tyre on his car
0:21:49 > 0:21:51when the car slipped and landed on top of him.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Alec was knocked unconscious and stopped breathing.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Luckily, he was found by his 22-year-old daughter, Lauren,
0:21:58 > 0:21:59when she came out of the house.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03Lauren was so shocked at finding her dad under the car
0:22:03 > 0:22:05that adrenaline rushed around her body,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08giving her extra-ordinary strength.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Unbelievably, Lauren lifted the car
0:22:10 > 0:22:14which weighed 1.5 tonnes and pushed it off her dad.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17She then used first aid to save his life.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26For Super Test Three we've come to Govan, in Glasgow.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Guys, welcome back to Glasgow.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Dr Ron told me that Super Test Two went really well.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Oh, it was really tough.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36Well, Tim, I think my Super Test Three is going to be even tougher.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38- OK.- See that bus over there?
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Are we getting the bus to the test site?
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- Ah, that bus IS the test site.- What?
0:22:45 > 0:22:50Super Test Three - the two of you are going to be pulling that bus.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51Sounds fun.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Wow, this really is the ultimate test of strength -
0:22:56 > 0:22:59who can pull a double-decker bus the fastest over 25 metres?
0:22:59 > 0:23:02That's the same length as an average swimming pool.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Tim and Kristin will be harnessed to the bus
0:23:05 > 0:23:07and use a guide rope to stay on course.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Although Tim thought this sounded tough,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Dr Megan is about to make it even tougher!
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Can you pull a London double-decker bus...
0:23:16 > 0:23:20with 31 rugby players I've put on board?
0:23:20 > 0:23:25The combined weight is 10,700kg.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26That's an awful lot of weight
0:23:26 > 0:23:29and can put a lot of pressure on your body,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31so there's a serious potential for injury.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34You wouldn't be doing it unless it was under test conditions,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37with all the health and safety teams I've got on standby.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39So it's really dangerous?
0:23:39 > 0:23:40OK, so what we're saying is,
0:23:40 > 0:23:43if you do have a double-decker bus at home
0:23:43 > 0:23:44and 31 massive rugby players,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47don't try this without proper medical help.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50This is really dangerous!
0:23:51 > 0:23:54For safety reasons the bus' engine must be running,
0:23:54 > 0:23:56but it won't be moving the bus -
0:23:56 > 0:23:59that is down to Tim and Kristin's muscle power alone.
0:24:01 > 0:24:02Tim's up first.
0:24:04 > 0:24:05OK.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08This is an incredibly difficult test, and it's against the clock.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11ENGINE PURRS
0:24:11 > 0:24:15OK, Tim. Three, two, one... Go!
0:24:18 > 0:24:20CHEERING
0:24:22 > 0:24:26Unbelievably, Tim is making the bus move, although not very quickly!
0:24:30 > 0:24:35This is 10,700kg, I didn't think Tim would even get it started!
0:24:35 > 0:24:36I didn't either.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43This double-decker bus, along with all the rugby players,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45weighs the same as nine hippos!
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Oh, ahh, oh! This is hard.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52It's incredible that Tim is managing to move it at all.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Oh, my goodness! HE GROANS AND PANTS
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Tim's heart is really under pressure now,
0:24:59 > 0:25:01the strain is really showing on his face.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08After only a few seconds, Tim is starting to feel the pain.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14Oh, my legs are burning, they really are burning!
0:25:14 > 0:25:16This is really tough on the thighs.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Tim, you're doing really, really well!
0:25:18 > 0:25:21He's getting on for halfway now, is that the hardest bit over?
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Now your body wants to shut down. Your muscles are fatigued.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27You can't breathe. Your arms are on fire and you
0:25:27 > 0:25:30really have to just push and push and push hard until the end.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34Tim is almost at the finish and all of his body is burning in pain.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39No, don't give in now. Come on, come on.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45Ooh! OK, Tim. Don't...
0:25:45 > 0:25:48CHEERING
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Tim is completely exhausted - mentally and physically,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55but he did it in 1 minute 15 seconds.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57How are you?
0:25:59 > 0:26:01That's really tough.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05That is really tough!
0:26:06 > 0:26:07It's Kristin's turn.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Women have less muscle mass than men,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11so this should be harder for her!
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Will she be able to pull the bus 25 metres,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16in under 1 minute 15 seconds?
0:26:27 > 0:26:31She's doing it! But she looks as if she's finding it tough.
0:26:32 > 0:26:37Amazingly, once she's started, she starts to speed up.
0:26:37 > 0:26:38We know from Super Test One
0:26:38 > 0:26:42that she's much better at keeping her blood pressure under control,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44so the blood stays where it wants to be,
0:26:44 > 0:26:48getting away from the muscles and filtering around her body.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51At this stage, Tim's muscles were starting to burn with pain
0:26:51 > 0:26:54and he was struggling to keep moving.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56But Kristin is getting faster and faster,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58making it look easier and easier!
0:26:58 > 0:27:03- Incredible, Kristin. Keep going! - Come on, Kristin.- Aah!
0:27:03 > 0:27:06And now she's not even using the guide rope! Completely amazing.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Kristin!
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Well done!
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Kristin has done it in 55 seconds!
0:27:14 > 0:27:18APPLAUSE Wow, wow!
0:27:18 > 0:27:22- Get your breath back, how was that? - That was good.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24That's Super Test Three over.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Tim did amazingly well to get to the finish line,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29but the real star here is Kristin.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Women aren't as naturally strong as men,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34so just pulling the bus was an incredible feat,
0:27:34 > 0:27:37but moving it so fast was truly astonishing!
0:27:39 > 0:27:42I came to Glasgow looking for a Super Human
0:27:42 > 0:27:44with incredible strength.
0:27:44 > 0:27:50And I found one. Kristin Rhodes... you are Super Human!
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd