Martial Science

[Bode]

Science is everywhere yet so many refuse to look at the martial arts with a scientific eye. Discovery had some simple physics explanations for some amazing physical feats that might be considered by some to be supernatural. Interesting.

 

[Seabrook]

Good post!

I have always looked at AK as a science. It's one thing to be able to memorize a bunch of forms with so little comprehension (as I often see in many traditional styles of karate) and quite another to know proper methods of striking, which targets to hit, and the "why's" of the system.

Jamie Seabrook
www.seabrook.gotkenpo.com

 

[masherdong]

Very good info!

 

[Bode]

The stone breaking example is very itneresting.
Let's analyze the handsword from this traditional martial art:

• Fingers are open wide. Funny, Doc, maybe you could comment on how this effects the hand. Some martial artists close their fingers.
• He doesn't bend his elbow when delivering the strike. He uses his shoulder to move his hand, not his elbow, which causes the arm to act as one rigid unit connected to the larger body. Doc, again, comments?

Now, I'd be willing to be that there are some very sound scientific anatomical principles at work here. I would also be willing to be that none of the monks have a degree in Kinesiology. This isn't said to discredit, rather, to complement. The martial arts have been around so long they were corrected over time. Sound movement became the by-product of practice and experimentation.
This makes you realize how many secrets are locked away in traditional arts. Today we have the opportunity to apply modern science to them and achieve an even greater understanding of the martial "arts". Mr. Parker wrote the book, "The Secrets of Chinese Karate" for a reason.

 

[Kenpodoc]

The stone breaking example is very itneresting.
Let's analyze the handsword from this traditional martial art:

• Fingers are open wide. Funny, Doc, maybe you could comment on how this effects the hand. Some martial artists close their fingers.
• He doesn't bend his elbow when delivering the strike. He uses his shoulder to move his hand, not his elbow, which causes the arm to act as one rigid unit connected to the larger body. Doc, again, comments?

Now, I'd be willing to be that there are some very sound scientific anatomical principles at work here. I would also be willing to be that none of the monks have a degree in Kinesiology. This isn't said to discredit, rather, to complement. The martial arts have been around so long they were corrected over time. Sound movement became the by-product of practice and experimentation.
This makes you realize how many secrets are locked away in traditional arts. Today we have the opportunity to apply modern science to them and achieve an even greater understanding of the martial "arts". Mr. Parker wrote the book, "The Secrets of Chinese Karate" for a reason.

First of all, don't do this at home.

I believe that Doc has previously commented that open fingered hand swords are strucuturally more sound. This makes sense to me and is confirmed by the monk choosing this position to break a rock. Closed fingers help protect your fingers from breaking when you miss with your handsword. The Monk also bends his wrist slightly locking The wrist into a more structurally sound unit. The power comes from the body and not the arm.

Interesting video.

Jeff