<p>In many cases, the limit of your strength is not actually the maximal force output of your muscles, but reflex inhibition from pain. Anger and the associated release of adrenaline causes stimulus-induced analgesia, which could potentially relieve some of this reflex inhibition. So yes.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-07T14:29:12.460Z
Although you possibly provide a valid answer, in order for the validity to be proven and to gain more votes on quality, could you please provide sources of information which can back your claims up?
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-25T22:52:19.593Z
2013-09-25T22:52:19.593Z
Chris L. Barnes
<p>There could be a correlation between negative emotions, such as anger and hostility, and muscle strength (Tolea et al., 2012). This, however, is a post-hoc examination around the relationship between personality traits and muscle strength and may not infer that 'body strength' actually increases during anger and hostility.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"In spite of the evidence for relationships between personality,
  physical activity, and muscle strength, to our knowledge, only one
  study reported on the association between personality and muscle
  strength (Jorm et al., 1993). In that study, Jorm and colleagues
  investigated correlations between neuroticism and extraversion and
  muscle strength in a sample of older community-dwelling Australian men
  and women. Neuroticism but not extraversion was found to negatively
  correlate to strength in women only."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>A study conducted on physical performance and anger could support that there are positive correlations between anger and physical performance (Davis et al., 2010). Note that this only focuses on <em>physical performance</em> and does not necessarily indicate that anger directly increases actual body strength (i.e. cardiovascular, resistance level, power).</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Consistent with previous research (e.g., Woodman et al., 2009), anger
  facilitated performance of the peak force task. The signiﬁcant
  inﬂuence of trait anger and anger-out on physical performance provides
  additional evidence of the role of anger’s action tendency in
  performance (Smits et al., 2004). This ﬁnding supports Lazarus’s
  (2000b) proposed inﬂuence of anger on performance; that is, the action
  tendency of anger appeared to align with the task demands and
  performance was facilitated by the induction of anger."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>This may well tie well in addressing your question:</p>

<pre><code>P1. There is evidence to show that anger facilitates performance of a peak force task.
P2. Breaking a brick involves a peak force task.
P3. X is angry and required to break a brick.
C. It is likely that anger would facilitate X's need to break the brick.
</code></pre>

<p>As for anger regulation, the same article touches upon the significance of anger regulation strategies towards anger and physical performance. My intuition would be to say that a response such as anger is more likely to help one "break a brick" when ordered rather than being in a controlled state. Anger is more likely to increase reactive motor skills which could maximise power exerted. I'm not an expert on physical fitness but emotional states of mind would seem to impact physical behaviours in my view.</p>

<p><strong>References</strong></p>

<ul>
<li>Toleaa, M.I., Terracciano, A., Simonsick, E.M., Metter, E.J. &amp; Costa
Jr., P.T. (2012). Associations between personality traits, physical
activity level, and muscle strength. <em>Journal of Research in
Personality</em>, 46, 264-270</li>
<li>Davis, P.A., Woodman, T. &amp; Callow, N. (2010). Better out than in: The
inﬂuence of anger regulation on physical performance. <em>Personality and
Individual Differences</em>, 49, 457-460</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-25T02:32:32.277Z
2013-09-25T02:32:32.277Z
coeus
<p>Will anger increase your body strength or not? If you get angry, you may think that i can break anything or fight anyone but sometimes you almost lose control on your body completely (or probably always).</p>

<p>So, if you are ordered to break a brick, will you break it easily when you are angry or when your emotions are under control?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-26T19:08:57.327Z
I just share this knowledge because it seems totally opposite to prerequisites of the question: "Oxytocin is an age-specific circulating hormone that is necessary for muscle maintenance and regeneration" (Title of publication!) So since oxytocin is released when cuddling, it might support you to release the maximum of your strength :)
PythoNic
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-06T12:51:49.383Z
When I get angry I break things I normally couldn't such as when I'm calm I can't dent a car door but angry I can. Also when angered I tend to lift heavier items.
Such as when I workout I deadlift when I'm calm about 450lbs but when angered I lift 90lbs more equalling 540lbs.
Nick Tf
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-30T12:31:53.740Z
Yes, From personal experience , One time a drunk guy punched me in the face with got angry and picked him up and threw him over the bar and went home , I was also drunk.
Harris
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-01T05:51:24.870Z
@PythoNic Coincidentally, [oxytocin can lead to aggression.](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1948550613516876).
Angela Pretorius
<emotion><motor>
Does anger increase your body strength?
Muhammad Rafique
# Does anger increase your body strength?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-09-24)

Will anger increase your body strength or not? If you get angry, you may think that i can break anything or fight anyone but sometimes you almost lose control on your body completely (or probably always).

So, if you are ordered to break a brick, will you break it easily when you are angry or when your emotions are under control?

**Tags:** emotion, motor

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I just share this knowledge because it seems totally opposite to prerequisites of the question: "Oxytocin is an age-specific circulating hormone that is necessary for muscle maintenance and regeneration" (Title of publication!) So since oxytocin is released when cuddling, it might support you to release the maximum of your strength :)  
> **username_2**: When I get angry I break things I normally couldn't such as when I'm calm I can't dent a car door but angry I can. Also when angered I tend to lift heavier items. Such as when I workout I deadlift when I'm calm about 450lbs but when angered I lift 90lbs more equalling 540lbs.  
> **username_3**: Yes, From personal experience , One time a drunk guy punched me in the face with got angry and picked him up and threw him over the bar and went home , I was also drunk.  
> **username_4**: @username_1 Coincidentally, [oxytocin can lead to aggression.](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1948550613516876).  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2013-09-25. Score: 9 | Accepted answer

There could be a correlation between negative emotions, such as anger and hostility, and muscle strength (Tolea et al., 2012). This, however, is a post-hoc examination around the relationship between personality traits and muscle strength and may not infer that 'body strength' actually increases during anger and hostility.

"In spite of the evidence for relationships between personality,
  physical activity, and muscle strength, to our knowledge, only one
  study reported on the association between personality and muscle
  strength (Jorm et al., 1993). In that study, Jorm and colleagues
  investigated correlations between neuroticism and extraversion and
  muscle strength in a sample of older community-dwelling Australian men
  and women. Neuroticism but not extraversion was found to negatively
  correlate to strength in women only."

A study conducted on physical performance and anger could support that there are positive correlations between anger and physical performance (Davis et al., 2010). Note that this only focuses on physical performance and does not necessarily indicate that anger directly increases actual body strength (i.e. cardiovascular, resistance level, power).

"Consistent with previous research (e.g., Woodman et al., 2009), anger
  facilitated performance of the peak force task. The signiﬁcant
  inﬂuence of trait anger and anger-out on physical performance provides
  additional evidence of the role of anger’s action tendency in
  performance (Smits et al., 2004). This ﬁnding supports Lazarus’s
  (2000b) proposed inﬂuence of anger on performance; that is, the action
  tendency of anger appeared to align with the task demands and
  performance was facilitated by the induction of anger."

This may well tie well in addressing your question:
P1. There is evidence to show that anger facilitates performance of a peak force task.
P2. Breaking a brick involves a peak force task.
P3. X is angry and required to break a brick.
C. It is likely that anger would facilitate X's need to break the brick.

As for anger regulation, the same article touches upon the significance of anger regulation strategies towards anger and physical performance. My intuition would be to say that a response such as anger is more likely to help one "break a brick" when ordered rather than being in a controlled state. Anger is more likely to increase reactive motor skills which could maximise power exerted. I'm not an expert on physical fitness but emotional states of mind would seem to impact physical behaviours in my view.
References

Toleaa, M.I., Terracciano, A., Simonsick, E.M., Metter, E.J. & Costa
Jr., P.T. (2012). Associations between personality traits, physical
activity level, and muscle strength. Journal of Research in
Personality, 46, 264-270
Davis, P.A., Woodman, T. & Callow, N. (2010). Better out than in: The
inﬂuence of anger regulation on physical performance. Personality and
Individual Differences, 49, 457-460


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2013-09-25. Score: 1

In many cases, the limit of your strength is not actually the maximal force output of your muscles, but reflex inhibition from pain. Anger and the associated release of adrenaline causes stimulus-induced analgesia, which could potentially relieve some of this reflex inhibition. So yes.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Although you possibly provide a valid answer, in order for the validity to be proven and to gain more votes on quality, could you please provide sources of information which can back your claims up?  

---

