History Main / DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength

* Happens a few times in ''Anime/OnePiece'' especially when people get their Devil Fruit Abilities for the first time: Luffy for instance as a child couldn't control his RubberMan powers and would end up punching his own face with attempted stretchy punches, not until he was teenager could use his powers better; though Crocodile still dubbed him UnskilledButStrong. Kaku also had this problem despite being grown adult and ProfessionalKiller, when he first activates his [[BeastMan Zoan]]-Devil Fruit he falls through the floor and his attacks are now strong enough to unintentionally slice the building he was standing inside in half.

* In ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'', Shizuka warns Akira to not crush the trigger of his guns by accident while getting a handle on the SuperStrength his [[PoweredArmor augmented suit]] provides. When training with it at first, he punches and kicks holes in the ground and accidently flings himself around. His VirtualSidekick Alpha reprograms it to make up for its cheap PowerLimiter capabilities.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime,'' Bulkhead says that the Autobots know both when to use force and how much to use... and breaks some of Ratchet's equipment by way of demonstration. "Hey, I NEEDED that!" Unlike ''Animated'' Bulkhead, this version isn't clumsy but it's implied that he still heavily restrains himself because even among Cybertronians he is an abnormally big and powerful bot. Part of his relationship with Miko is her encouraging him to unleash his strength when necessary.

* In ''Manga/MonsterMusume'', Kimihito's CuteMonsterGirl harem, with the exception of Rachnera and Lala, have difficulty holding their strength back, which often results in Kimihito being injured. When {{Lunacy}} strikes Miia, Papi, ''and'' Centorea at the same time, they all suffer from this, thus leaving Kimihito facing a very real risk of [[spoiler:[[OutWithABang literally getting killed during intercourse]] if the temporarily lust-crazed girls manage to capture him long enough to have their way with him]].

* In ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'', Shizuka warns Akira to not crush the trigger of his guns by accident while getting a handle on the SuperStrength his [[PoweredArmor augmented suit]] provides.

* Shujaa the gorilla in ''WesternAnimation/LionGuard'' keeps causing damage because of this. Scar gets his minions to pick fights with the guard to get Shujaa to cause more damage. Beshte, the hippo who’s the guard’s strongest, teaches him how to slow down and think before he acts. Interestingly, Beshte himself has this happen at the Tree of Life when he is trying to meet new animals. They think he’s attacking and have to be re introduced to see he’s not a bad guy.

** Muay Thay God of Death Apachai Hopachai. Also a GentleGiant on his own right, he is really kind to all living things, being even able to speak with animals. Unfortunately, due to the TrainingFromHell he went through during his childhood (and the fact that he was thrown in life-or-death battles even as a kid) he's incapable of sparring with Kenichi without delivering several blows that would have killed anyone less resilient. It gets to a point when Kenichi loses the memory of being hit due to a concussion. He's actually killed Kenichi at least once. The other masters are able to revive the poor kid, and it's been mostly played for laughs.

** Earlier, when Naruto and Sasuke are fighting on hospital roof and use their new jutsus (Rasengan and Chidori) on each other, Sakura gets in the way and to both boy's panic they literally can't stop before Kakashi knocks their asses into two water tanks. Sasuke is pleased to see his chidori [[UnderestimatingBadassery seemly]] did more damage to water tank than his rival’s attack until he looks behind Naruto's tank and [[https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcTNrY9iBU1EoevHHhdy82JPXetQAyoKkV4rYg&usqp=CAU sees what the Rasengan did]]. This clearly wasn't Naruto's intention therefore Kakashi is concerned Naruto learned such a powerful attack at a young age.

** Ryoga. Whenever his emotions get too much, or his mind wanders, everything he touches tends to crumble around him. Combine this with the fact he gained the ability to shatter inanimate matter with a finger jab early in the series, and you've got a man who has as much trouble ''not'' destroying Tokyo as he does [[NoSenseOfDirection navigating it]].

** In the beginning of ''Comicbook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton'', Kara accidentally breaks a lot of things because she does not know how strong she is.

* In ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/29076336/chapters/71373789 A Green Dragon's Hoard]]'', Izuku is ''ridiculously'' strong, using weights of up to ten metric tons with ease. Besides referenced instances like accidentally uprooting a tree, the wind generated from Izuku casually waving his hand almost knocks Manami over.

** Played straight when Supes is depicted as a child who realistically doesn't know his own strength as seen in ''ComicBook/ActionComicsNumberOne'' ([[http://www.comicbookreligion.com/img/_num/18000/18225.jpg here]]). After the 1986 reboot, some writers declared that he only developed his powers at a late age to avoid it.

* ''Film/{{Moonraker}}''. Jaws tries to pull the ripcord on his parachute... it comes off in his hand. Later on he's chasing Bond in a speedboat, realizes he's heading for an InevitableWaterfall and tries to jerk the steering wheel to the side; it also comes off in his hand. Being MadeOfIron, he survives both OhCrap-[=worthy=] moments.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'' has a [[TearJerker heartbreaking]] example with Cloud and Tifa. Late in the game after Section 7 has been completed destroyed by Shinra, Tifa [[BreakTheCutie breaks down completely]] at losing her home for a second time and cries on her [[ChildhoodFriendRomance childhood friend]]’s [[CryIntoChest chest]]. Cloud who up until that point had been [[StoicWoobie very hesitant to open up to those close to him]], finally gives into his feelings and hugs Tifa tightly in response but being a [[SuperSerum Mako]]-powered SuperSoldier his strong embrace actually hurts her slightly.

** In ''[[Comicbook/Supergirl2011 Supergirl Volume 6]]'' #27--the beginning of the ''ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'' storyline--Supergirl kicks ''SelfDemonstrating/{{Lobo}}'' so hard that she--apparently--kills him. Kara is so upset that she swears she didn't want to kill him and she cries she doesn't know her own strength.

* Much like the above example, the ''Captain America'' fanfic [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/21073415 Grateful]]'' has post-SuperSerum Steve snap his pencil in half after attempting to draw.

* Ever since they switched to a multi-man team, the Pink heroine in the ''Franchise/PrettyCure'' series will always discover how powerful she is when she takes off into the sky in a panic.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Invincible}}'' upon developing his [[FlyingBrick Viltrumite powers]] Mark accidentally [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/imagecomics/images/b/b0/Invincible_Vol_1_1_001.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150310155932 throws a garbage bag into orbit]] while taking out the trash. He becomes a superhero soon after. Similarly at his graduation Mark accidentally [[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/7Voqoy-uVFZecV2y3News8MBits-gBlITu68AgZHYw1hiYLL0YB9CA_U4lJmlhVJFV8KOMSen59t=s1600 threw his square academic cap into orbit]]. PlayedForDrama later as Mark (horrified) nearly kills and permanently disfigures Angstorm Levy, since Mark assumed Levy had the SuperToughness to take a [[ExtremeMeleeRevenge rage-filled beating]] from him... [[{{Gorn}} he didn’t]].

** In a ''Franchise/{{Wolverine}}'' series, there is a grown-up mutant with super strength but the intelligence of an infant. A horse tries to kick him and he punches it, then he gets upset because he can't put the horse's head back on.

** Similar occurrence happens in ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'' when Peter first got his powers, he tried to avoid Flash's attacks during a school fight, and managed to [[PunchCatch stop his fist]]. But, by doing so, he broke his hand. Uncle Ben and Aunt May [[RealityEnsues were sued for hospital bills by Flash's parents]].

* ''Franchise/LapisReLights'' has Salsa of IV KLORE. She is a werewolf with supernatural strength and speed but is so excitable and wild that she oftentimes breaks things like doors.

** Number 1 aka Luther has this problem frequently as his [[TopHeavyGuy size]] and [[SuperStrength strength]] guarantees he’ll break something when indoors, at one point when fighting Diego he punches over a statue and later he rips a bar door off it hinges when in a hurry. Still that’s nothing compared to when he’s piss drunk and depressed as Luther casually shoves his brother Klaus, sending the latter flying across the room.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' in "The Super-Batman of Planet X" when Green Arrow arrives on Zur-En-Arrh to retrieve Batman he unknowingly becomes a FlyingBrick in the alien atmosphere. Ollie is very surprised when he indents the rocket with his hand, then quickly becomes gleeful as he starts flying around, then Batman ever the killjoy comes in and removes Green Arrow's superpowers much to latter’s disappointment.

** This trope comes up again in Punk Hazard thanks to Trafalgar Law putting half the crew in a FreakyFridayFlip situation, the first case is when Nami in Franky's {{Cyborg}} body goes to [[PervertRevengeMode punch out]] Sanji whose in Nami's own weaker ''sexy'' body and [[ManIFeelLikeAWoman loving it]]... which results in Nami nearly killing Sanji/herself. The second time is when Franky decides to use Chopper's ability to transform into stronger forms [[PhlebotinumPills through pills]]. Unfortunately, Franky doesn't have any of Chopper's medical expertise and goes on a UnstoppableRage in Monster Point which he can't control.