WE SWEAR, IT WORKS
A few choice curse words can provide you with an indecent power boost. Give it a spin
So you managed to retrieve your bike from the dustiest enclave of the garage with the best of intentions, only to dismount at the first incline in a breathless strop. Before you throw profanities at the infernal machine that has so forsaken you, consider redirecting that ‘energy’. It’s a strategy the peloton swears by.
According to scientists at Keele University, your performance in the saddle can profit from a few well-timed obscenities. Following up on studies in which swearing was shown to help increase pain tolerance, researchers asked participants to swear before an intense session on an exercise bike. Compared to those who uttered ‘neutral’ words, the study group noted an increase in peak power of 24 watts.
The same spikes also applied when the theory was tested on hand grip strength, with those shouting out their favourite four-letter words increasing strength by 2.1kg. Researchers put this down to the distracting effect of cursing – a handy trick when faced with stubborn jars in your kitchen cupboard, sure, but we’d exercise caution with petulant tantrums on a busy gym floor. As for swearing through Sunday afternoon hill climbs, given the evidence, it would be rude not to.