Crazy Workout

I unlocked the power of pure anger and rage yesterday. I was doing preacher curls and did 9 reps to complete failure. Then my inconsiderate neighbor decided to simulate an earthquake with his car stereo and interrupted my 2nd set. I got so mad, I just focused on that, and I felt like a wild animal, and I did 15 reps.......Then my third set I did 15 more. I wasn't just breathing with every rep, I was growling like a wolverine. It was crazy. I think I know now why some power lifters use smelling salts. When your adrenaline gets going, it's like your performance is on an entirely different level.

My understanding of strength has changed though and I realize that much of your maximum potential is found in your nervous system and not just your muscles.
When you consciously control your muscle and ask it to do work, your body won't make the muscle work as hard as it could, because it wants to conserve energy and prevent injury. When you lift something heavy, you still aren't using most of the muscle you have on tap, again to protect you from injury.
If you are upset, in fear for your life, angry, if your fight or flight is triggered, then your body releases some of the limits and you are able to call upon more of the muscle to do work for a short period. Your risk of injury goes up because your muscle is quite capable of tearing itself, or a tendon, or ligament if pushed too hard. But you are activating more of the muscle.
So if you can get your body in fight or flight mode, like with smelling salts, your central nervous system can call upon more muscle, and you temporarily can push your muscles farther than you normally could.
It's been hours since my workout and my arms feel absolutely dead. They are still very weak and I know tomorrow I'm going to have a bad case of doms, but it may be the single best workout I've ever had.