It’s always fun when scientific research confirms something we’ve always suspected. It turns out that dropping a well-timed swear word might actually help you push harder, thus boosting your physical performance.
A new study published in American Psychologist adds to what is clearly a growing body of evidence that isn’t just suggesting, but is screaming like a foulmouthed sailor that swearing up a storm can measurably improve physical performance.
Psychologist Richard Stephens of Keele University and colleagues set out to understand why swearing is basically a performance-enhancing drug. Previous research had already shown that people perform better physically when they swear.
This time, the researchers wanted to know whether profanity helps people loosen psychological restraints that normally keep them from using their full strength. Is calling someone a motherf—ker the key to unlocking your inner Incredible Hulk? Will you be able to lift a car off a child by shouting “b—h” over and over?
Science Says Swearing Boosts Performance, Making the Gym Even Weirder
Across two experiments involving 182 adults aged 18 to 65, participants were asked to perform a chair push-up hold. Sitting in a chair, they lifted their entire body off the seat using only their arms and held the position as long as possible, or up to 60 seconds.
While doing it, participants repeatedly said either a swear word of their choosing or a neutral, randomly assigned word.
Participants who cussed held the position longer than those using the toothless words. They also reported higher levels of positive emotion, confidence, humor, and focus, along with greater feelings of novelty and enjoyment. Swearing made the pain and agony feel more manageable.
The researchers expected swearing to reduce inhibitions or anxiety, but the evidence was mixed. What the data did show clearly was that profanity helped people shift into a mental state more conducive to effort and persistence.
Stephens describes swearing as “calorie-neutral, drug-free, low-cost,” and readily available—a psychological tool everyone has at their disposal, all they have to do is open their mouth and shout something that could make a nun blush.
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