How fast can a human possibly run 100 meters?
Usain Bolt's 9.58-second 100m world record, unbroken for 15 years, sparks speculation on human speed limits. Theoretical 6.97-second potential exists, but surpassing it may necessitate enhancements beyond natural abilities.
Read original article
Usain Bolt holds the world record for the fastest 100 meters run at 9.58 seconds, set in 2009. No other human has broken the 9.60 second barrier, with Bolt's record standing for nearly 15 years. The ultimate limit for human speed in the 100 meters remains a subject of speculation, considering factors like anatomy, acceleration, and endurance. While elite sprinters can apply peak forces of 800-1000 pounds to each limb, sustaining top speeds of 15.6-17.9 m/s (35-40 mph) is theoretically achievable but practically limited to 3-4 seconds. An ideal race scenario involving a perfect start, constant acceleration, and maintaining top speed could yield a time of 6.97 seconds. However, any time faster than this would likely require enhancements beyond human capabilities, such as gene altering, prosthetics, or robotic augmentations. The current limits of human physiology and performance in sprinting continue to intrigue researchers and athletes alike.
Related
Supershoes are reshaping distance running
Supershoes like Nike's Vaporfly are reshaping distance running, enhancing performance with carbon-fiber plates and foam. They spark debates on athletes' abilities and access challenges in Kenya, revolutionizing the sport.
Nyobolt charges car to 80% in under 5 mins
A UK start-up, Nyobolt, unveiled a fast-charging electric car battery charging from 10% to 80% in 4 minutes and 37 seconds. The breakthrough targets reducing "range anxiety" and accelerating EV adoption. Nyobolt plans collaborations with car manufacturers to implement the technology. Other companies like Toyota and Gravity are also advancing in fast-charging battery technology. Experts stress the necessity of a strong charging infrastructure for widespread EV use.
How the 1904 Marathon Became One of the Weirdest Olympic Events of All Time
The 1904 Olympic marathon in St. Louis was marked by bizarre events, including extreme conditions, lack of regulations, and peculiar incidents. Winner Thomas Hicks even consumed a dangerous mixture during the race.
Internet speed record 402M Mbps achieved using standard optic fibre cable
A team of Japanese engineers set a new internet speed record of 402 Tbps using standard fiber optic cables. Despite its potential, high costs and existing technology limitations hinder widespread implementation.
Running without air resistance
Researchers at ETH Zurich created an airshield for track athletes like Mujinga Kambundji. The U-shaped windscreen, pulled by a go-kart, regulates speed using sensors, enabling high-speed training without air resistance. This innovation enhances training effectiveness and performance.
- Training Techniques: Comments discuss methods like Ryan Flaherty's hex-bar deadlift to increase speed without adding body weight.
- Feasibility of Speed Estimates: Skepticism about the theoretical 6.97-second 100m, with references to studies on human speed constraints.
- Performance Enhancements: Debates on the role of performance-enhancing drugs and the potential for gene doping to break speed limits.
- Comparative Analysis: Discussions on historical and hypothetical comparisons, including other athletes and prehistoric humans.
- Entertainment and Spectacle: Comments on the excitement of sprinting events, including the USA vs. Jamaica rivalry and the idea of non-athletes running alongside professionals for perspective.
25 commentsThe heavy lifting seems to be done by the study linked in the "anatomical studies suggest peak speeds up to 15.6-17.9 m/s (35-40 mph) are achievable" line. I'm not sure where those exact numbers were pulled from - I can't find them with a cmd+f. One line in the study uses some nearby numbers:
> If, for simplicity, we assume no change in contact lengths or the minimum aerial times needed to reposition the swing limbs at top speed, the average and greatest individual top speed hopping forces (Favg) of 2.71 and 3.35 Wb would allow top running speeds of 14.0 and 19.3 m/s and of 50 and 69 km/h, respectively
But the study concludes that, even though our leg extensor muscles can produce much higher maximum forces than those generated during sprinting, the "contact length" imposes a constraint on these "hopping forces":
> Because humans have limbs of moderate length and cannot gallop, they lack similar options for prolonging periods of foot-ground force application to attain faster sprinting speeds at existing contact time minimums. Consequently, human running speeds in excess of 50 km/h are likely to be limited to the realms of science fiction and, not inconceivably, gene doping.
So the craziness of the original estimate seems to follow from on a misreading of that study.
I followed the link and it just said
> If you're looking for the specifics to snap a piece of your skeleton, it takes about 4,000 newtons of force to break the typical human femur.
So the sprinters are already producing that much force (900 pounds) and the 1300 notion seems unsupported. Not to mention that applying the force with different amounts of torque might not break the bone, since bones are 10x stronger in compression so can withstand a lot more force longitudinally.
He utilizes the hex-bar deadlift.
He has his football athletes complete the concentric phase (picking up from the ground) as fast as possible.
They just drop the weight when they reach full extension at the top.
He claims that the eccentric phase (lowering) is when all of the micro-muscle tears occur. These tears cause muscle growth.
By dropping the hex-bar deadlift weight at the top, instead of lowering, you get most of the strength gain, without the muscle size growth.
This is an effort to increase leg strength (for speed) without adding additional body weight.
Getting faster by getting stronger but staying lighter.
https://www.cold-takes.com/this-cant-go-on/
And I think it is smart to prepare yourself for when the world realizes that stuffing money into stocks can’t give 10% every year forever. And all hell will break loose because that is what our whole world is currently built upon. I don’t know when that will happen, but mathematically we can prove that it must happen eventually.
It starts by saying "Other than Bolt, no human has ever run 100 meters in under 9.73 seconds" Then just below there's a table of records showing 3 other runners with sub 9.73 times.
Stride length, and on mud, was longer than Bolt - implying faster than the 100m WR on an awful surface?
https://www.scotsman.com/news/world/prehistoric-man-faster-t...
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/oct/03/how-fas...
-------------------------------
A more realistic assessment
I'm surprised height was never mentioned in the article.
Usain Bolt is 6'5" (1.98m).
From what I've seen, it depends on how soon the train or plane is going to be leaving the gate . . .
“When people ask me about Bolt, I say he could be the greatest athlete of all time. But for someone to run 10.03 one year and 9.69 the next, if you don’t question that in a sport that has the reputation it has right now, you’re a fool. Period.” Carl Lewis
Just saying, these are different things.
When would you ever need to be so fast at 100m that you over train your body for one specific task?
Related
Supershoes are reshaping distance running
Supershoes like Nike's Vaporfly are reshaping distance running, enhancing performance with carbon-fiber plates and foam. They spark debates on athletes' abilities and access challenges in Kenya, revolutionizing the sport.
Nyobolt charges car to 80% in under 5 mins
A UK start-up, Nyobolt, unveiled a fast-charging electric car battery charging from 10% to 80% in 4 minutes and 37 seconds. The breakthrough targets reducing "range anxiety" and accelerating EV adoption. Nyobolt plans collaborations with car manufacturers to implement the technology. Other companies like Toyota and Gravity are also advancing in fast-charging battery technology. Experts stress the necessity of a strong charging infrastructure for widespread EV use.
How the 1904 Marathon Became One of the Weirdest Olympic Events of All Time
The 1904 Olympic marathon in St. Louis was marked by bizarre events, including extreme conditions, lack of regulations, and peculiar incidents. Winner Thomas Hicks even consumed a dangerous mixture during the race.
Internet speed record 402M Mbps achieved using standard optic fibre cable
A team of Japanese engineers set a new internet speed record of 402 Tbps using standard fiber optic cables. Despite its potential, high costs and existing technology limitations hinder widespread implementation.
Running without air resistance
Researchers at ETH Zurich created an airshield for track athletes like Mujinga Kambundji. The U-shaped windscreen, pulled by a go-kart, regulates speed using sensors, enabling high-speed training without air resistance. This innovation enhances training effectiveness and performance.