A new study has shown that swearing can improve physical performance by helping people stay focused, confident, and less distracted.

Swearing like a sailor is usually frowned upon in polite society. However, scientists believe it may be the key to boosting physical performance.

A new study published in the journal American Psychologist found that swearing helps people cope better with physical tasks: participants reported that it made them feel more confident and focused.

In other words, if the next time you feel like swearing at the gym, scientists advise you not to hold back, Euronews reports. In a statement, the lead author of the study, Richard Stephens, a senior lecturer in psychology at Keele University in the UK, said: “In many situations, people consciously or unconsciously hold themselves back and do not use their full strength.”

He added: “Swearing is a simple and accessible way to help yourself be more composed, confident, less distracted, and act a little more decisively.”

The study builds on a large body of research that has already established a link between swearing and improved physical performance. However, this is the first time scientists have focused on the mechanism behind this relationship.

Stephens and his colleagues from Keele University and the University of Alabama in Huntsville believe that swearing can put people into a state of disinhibition, which they define as “a temporary tendency toward behavior that is less controlled rather than more.”

“By swearing, we shed social restraints and allow ourselves to push harder in different situations,” Stephens said.

In two separate experiments, 192 participants were asked to repeat either a swear word of their choice or a neutral word every two seconds while performing chair push-ups.

The researchers then asked participants to answer questions about their state during the task, such as how focused and confident they felt, or how amusing they found the exercise.

Overall, those who swore were able to support their body weight for significantly longer than those who repeated a neutral word.