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New Study Suggests Humans Could Run As Fast As 40 MPH

January 26, 2010 by 26 Comments
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Rarely do we take the time to stop and consider just how complex and amazing our bodies are. It is understandable after all, as the busy world around us can be quite distracting. But the record breaking times set by Usain Bolt this past summer have piqued the interests of scientists in the perceived limits of the human body.

Where once the maximum top speed of a human being was thought to be around 28 mph, a new study suggests that a trained runner could achieve speeds of 40 mph, or perhaps even more. If true, it could mean that human-powered mobility might be more practical than previously thought.

The study, entitled “The biological limits to running speed are imposed from the ground up,” suggests that the human body might be even stronger than it is given credit for. Using a high speed treadmill, the researchers studied the force applied to the foot when running forwards, backwards, and hopping around on one foot. The top speed of a runner was thought to be limited by the amount of force a foot could take when coming in contact with the ground.

What the research found was that hopping around on one foot produced as much as 30% more force than running at full speed forward. They also found that the muscle contractile speeds on the leg set the limit for how fast a human can run, and their research suggests a maximum top speed of 35 to 40 mph.

Obviously only the best trained, most fit people can go even 20 mph or faster. But it certainly makes one wonder about the possibilities. Perhaps as we, as a species, come to better appreciate our bodies, we might figure out a way to get the most out of it and apply that to mass transit or personal transportation.

How cool would it be to be able to run at almost highway speeds though? Pretty cool, I reckon.

Source: Eureka Alert | Image: Phil McElhinney

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About Christopher DeMorro

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs. You can follow his slow descent into madness and non-nonsensical ramblings on Twitter @harshcougar.

  • http://maxhedrm.montebellopark.com/blog/ MaxHedrm

    That might apply to highly trained athletes, but is useless when talking about people that get winded “running” to the store in their SUVs.

  • http://maxhedrm.montebellopark.com/blog/ MaxHedrm

    That might apply to highly trained athletes, but is useless when talking about people that get winded “running” to the store in their SUVs.

  • http://maxhedrm.montebellopark.com/blog/ MaxHedrm

    That might apply to highly trained athletes, but is useless when talking about people that get winded “running” to the store in their SUVs.

  • http://www.technologyslice.com.au Tech

    You’re right MaxHedrm. The average person these days means extrememly unfit.

  • http://www.technologyslice.com.au Tech

    You’re right MaxHedrm. The average person these days means extrememly unfit.

  • http://www.technologyslice.com.au Tech

    You’re right MaxHedrm. The average person these days means extrememly unfit.

  • RunnerDude

    The other problem here is that these are all theoretical tests. They say nothing about the energy required to keep you stable while running, or whether that level of speed could be achieved in anything approaching “real world conditions.”

    What makes the cheetah so flaming cool is not just that it runs over 50mph, but that it can do so across the African plains–over grass, dirt, uneven terrain, etc.

  • RunnerDude

    The other problem here is that these are all theoretical tests. They say nothing about the energy required to keep you stable while running, or whether that level of speed could be achieved in anything approaching “real world conditions.”

    What makes the cheetah so flaming cool is not just that it runs over 50mph, but that it can do so across the African plains–over grass, dirt, uneven terrain, etc.

  • Res Judicata

    Um, no. It means nothing at all for human-powered mobility. They’re talking about peak sprinting velocity. The force-production required for those speeds cannot be maintained for more than a few seconds due to energy-systems limitations and the muscle fibers involved.

    Humans are actually pretty efficient at self-propelled long-distance travel. We just can’t do it all that fast.

  • Res Judicata

    Um, no. It means nothing at all for human-powered mobility. They’re talking about peak sprinting velocity. The force-production required for those speeds cannot be maintained for more than a few seconds due to energy-systems limitations and the muscle fibers involved.

    Humans are actually pretty efficient at self-propelled long-distance travel. We just can’t do it all that fast.

  • Res Judicata

    Um, no. It means nothing at all for human-powered mobility. They’re talking about peak sprinting velocity. The force-production required for those speeds cannot be maintained for more than a few seconds due to energy-systems limitations and the muscle fibers involved.

    Humans are actually pretty efficient at self-propelled long-distance travel. We just can’t do it all that fast.

  • Res Judicata

    Um, no. It means nothing at all for human-powered mobility. They’re talking about peak sprinting velocity. The force-production required for those speeds cannot be maintained for more than a few seconds due to energy-systems limitations and the muscle fibers involved.

    Humans are actually pretty efficient at self-propelled long-distance travel. We just can’t do it all that fast.

  • David

    “Most fit” can run 20 mph? Not really. Most decent high school track guys should hit 20 mph, that corresponds to 22.5 seconds in the 200 meters, and that’s sustained, overall speed. I know…I ran sub-22, and didn’t even qualify for state (had better luck in the 400m). It’s even easier to hit that for 40-50 meters in the middle of a sprint. If kids actually were busy all day, working in the fields, hunting gazelles or whatnot, I bet a heck of people would be able to hit 20 mph at least during their prime from 16-28 or so.

  • David

    “Most fit” can run 20 mph? Not really. Most decent high school track guys should hit 20 mph, that corresponds to 22.5 seconds in the 200 meters, and that’s sustained, overall speed. I know…I ran sub-22, and didn’t even qualify for state (had better luck in the 400m). It’s even easier to hit that for 40-50 meters in the middle of a sprint. If kids actually were busy all day, working in the fields, hunting gazelles or whatnot, I bet a heck of people would be able to hit 20 mph at least during their prime from 16-28 or so.

  • David

    “Most fit” can run 20 mph? Not really. Most decent high school track guys should hit 20 mph, that corresponds to 22.5 seconds in the 200 meters, and that’s sustained, overall speed. I know…I ran sub-22, and didn’t even qualify for state (had better luck in the 400m). It’s even easier to hit that for 40-50 meters in the middle of a sprint. If kids actually were busy all day, working in the fields, hunting gazelles or whatnot, I bet a heck of people would be able to hit 20 mph at least during their prime from 16-28 or so.

  • Mark Buehner

    I saw a show somewhere diagnosing ancient man’s footprints that suggested they ran quite a bit faster than today- wish i could cite.

    Seems its more an issue of fast twitch muscle than anything else.

  • Mark Buehner

    I saw a show somewhere diagnosing ancient man’s footprints that suggested they ran quite a bit faster than today- wish i could cite.

    Seems its more an issue of fast twitch muscle than anything else.

  • willis

    If the fastest speed our most likely predator, say a cougar of the non-human variety, can hit is 40 mph, then I say the top speed for a human would be about 41 mph. If not, you’ll not know about it.

  • willis

    If the fastest speed our most likely predator, say a cougar of the non-human variety, can hit is 40 mph, then I say the top speed for a human would be about 41 mph. If not, you’ll not know about it.

  • sheckyvegas

    I can get to the fridge and back at 65 MPH during half time. Does that count?

  • sheckyvegas

    I can get to the fridge and back at 65 MPH during half time. Does that count?

  • sheckyvegas

    I can get to the fridge and back at 65 MPH during half time. Does that count?

  • http://musclemax-xl.com muscle maxxl

    Great stuff here :)

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    Great stuff here :)

  • ExSciJournal1

    I think we’re looking at this all wrong. Muscle speed has very little to do with overall speed. Take a 7 foot bull whip. The whip itself has no muscle. Add to it the 2.5 feet from the shoulder to the wrist. Once the arm moves the whip, the wrist may be moving 10mph. But by the end of the whip, the tip breaks the sound barrier at over 1000 mph. The last 7 feet had zero added muscle or power, yet increased in speed by 100 fold. I think I will be able to hold 22mph for a mile (2:44 pace) and teach others to hit top speeds well over 35 by introducing a completely revamped running style that relies on a speed compounding kinetic system within the body.

  • J

    The Seri Indians of Tiburon Island were known to run down horses, deer, jack rabbits, and coyotes. Their fastest and tallest men could run down a deer and break its neck with his hand. Some of their men were over 7 feet. If Ussain Bolt can hunt down a deer and kill it with his bare hands, he would do well in that tribe.