WTF!? Swearing while you workout could make you stronger than ever.
If you've been beating your head against a dumbbell wondering why you're plateauing at the gym, fitness experts have some suggestions that could enhance the results of your hard-earned sweat. There are the usual suspects of course: your diet could be off, your form could use an adjustment, and frankly, you may just be too tired or stressed to melt those last stubborn pounds no matter how hard you train (which, frustratingly, is super stressful). But science has an even simpler suggestion. You likely aren't dropping enough f-bombs mid-workout.
Research shows that getting a little potty-mouthed during healthy physical activity helps you train harder. How much does cussing out while you sweat it out help? Foul-mouthed test subjects in one experiment showed an impactful 8 percent increase in physical performance. You may want to uncensor your vocabulary and let some profanities fly next time you're giving it your all straddling a spin cycle or reclining on a weight bench. I suggest minding the volume though, or finish building that home gym. Decorum and all that.
Dr. Richard Stephens, research leader of Psychobiology and Director of Psychology at Keele University, UK says that our favourite, oft self-censored, explicit expressions bolster our workouts because they momentarily raise our pain threshold. Stephens asserts, "we did a study a number of years ago looking at why people swear when they hurt themselves and we found out it helps people cope with pain." Certainly helpful in punctuating and expressing certain feelings with passion, the profanity/pain connection is clear. Stubbing one's toe comes to mind, as does childbirth. Moms often fill the air with decidedly salty language to get through the gauntlet of delivery. Makes sense. Also, reminder: Mother's Day is coming up. Do honour your mom's pain threshold.
Based on his pain/profanity research Stephens theorized that swearing might be linked to the flight or fight response. What he found was that while cursing is linked to physical exertion, he thinks the evolutionary advantage of roaring Rated-R may be even more complex than that.
To test his theory that socially offensive language acts as a primal yell triggering a fight or flight response, his most recent work involved lots of people swearing like sailors while they worked out. First, Stephens had subjects pick neutral words (like flan or tea cozy, I'm guessing) then they were asked to pick their preferred cuss words (if you're curious, sh*t, f*ck and damn round out the top three most popular in the UK and US).
Armed with strong and soft language, he then had stamina testing subjects hop on an exercise bike for a spell as they let it rip with a workout and some vocalized vulgarities (they also worked out using the family-friendly words). Another group tested their muscular power with a handgrip experiment as they switched between curse words and those more suited to polite company. In both experiments, when filthy language was used, subjects enjoyed a boost in performance – increased exertion on the bike and more strength on the handgrip. Results varied between 2 and 8 percent enhancement depending on subjects and exercise, but one factor was constant: all subjects showed heightened performance while they were letting loose with lewd language.
Stephens admits that the full scientific story surrounding the mechanism of swearing is still something of a mystery. Counter to his theory, there was no conclusive data to support that a fight or flight response making people stronger or faster was activated by swearing. He thinks one reason for the performance enhancing advantage is that foul language may simply serve to distract people from their discomfort allowing them to push through a pain barrier.
Another consideration he says is "what psychologists call generalized inhibition. In other words, when you swear, you just don't care as much. You're just not as self-conscious." Something he finds particularly interesting because it could mean that "swearing might help beyond physical tasks." A case for swearing while you do taxes or muddle through a work day, maybe. Before you pop off all potty-mouthed in your cubicle, note that the study is careful to point out that "overuse of swearing in everyday situations lessens its effectiveness as a short-term intervention to reduce pain." So, pick your moments and your words carefully. It could negatively affect your next workout.
In the end, he says, when it comes to the true cause for the enhancing power of swearing, "we don't really know." Other research has shown people prone to foul language are smarter, healthier and funnier (f*ckin' A). A proclivity for hot button words has even been linked to honesty. Stephens is certain that curse words are "not just a mindless tick in the language." He'll continue to search for psychological and biological mechanisms with his team but he's adamant there's an evolutionary cause. "I think people swear for a reason."
Damn straight.
Marc Beaulieu is a writer, producer and host of the live Q&A show guyQ LIVE @AskMen.