Orange Lightning
Purple Belt
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2015
- Messages
- 306
- Reaction score
- 88
Bear with me for a minute. I have to begin by stating the obvious so I have some context.
Obviously, tigers have claws and snakes have fangs and venom. Humans have....well, we have what we have. You know what we have
But the thing about it that I found odd is that, compared to other animals, we have a lot of weapons, and we can use them in many ways. We have hands, arms, shins, feet, knees, and debate-ably more. And we can use these weapons in as many ways as we can think of. Particularly unique is the ability to make the tools of any other animal our own. Fur, claws, poison, camouflage, speed, etc. Plenty of people think the human hand evolved to be the way the precise way it is specifically to better use tools and weapons.
However, we don't seem to have a natural formula for any of it. We don't hide, chase and pounce like a tiger. We don't have a specific method that we always use, and usually works. There are many theories about the best tools to use and the best ways to use them. This is a context thing too, since different places had different challenges.
Here comes the discussion question. We can use plenty of things fight with against each other. But out of all our tools, what do you think we be our primary, natural weapon? Excluding weapons, what part(s) of the body would be the main ones used to defend yourself against both other people and animals? Or do we have one at all?
To me, is the legs. Knees, shins, and feet. Against animals, it's probably closer to the target than the hands. Plus, these parts are way more resilient to damage than the other parts of the body, almost no matter what you make impact with. Plus, in a survival scenario, the legs are going to be incredibly strong. I can't find the same link, but I once read an article about how much stronger ancient people's legs were because they needed to move all the time and carry a lot more. Farmers, nomads, hunter gatherers, and armies of any sort led lives that put a lot more stress on their legs.
Ancient humans were better travellers than us - daily.bhaskar.com
Sure, your whole body would have been a lot stronger to, but the legs more so than any other part. Even with a weapon in your hand, you would still need to chase down your target.
So, would it be wrong to say that leg strength is the most important strength you can have? Your legs create the strongest leverage you have. Since your always using your legs when you're doing things, you can hit the hardest, from the farthest away, with the least chance of hurting yourself, and give you the option to run OR fight.
But the needs of people are different now. Obviously, leg strength isn't the end all to fighting.
Why I am I giving this so much thought? The I have a hypothesis that having a fighting method that's closer the we evolved to fight will be more easily applicable to more situations, both mentally and physically. I'm trying to look at peoples' reflexive responses to danger, particularly amongst people that haven't been trained to have a specific response.
Do you think we have a primary natural weapon? Or instinctive fighting mechanics of any sort, or is it purely a learned skill? Do you think certain muscles are more important than others for fighting?
Obviously, tigers have claws and snakes have fangs and venom. Humans have....well, we have what we have. You know what we have
But the thing about it that I found odd is that, compared to other animals, we have a lot of weapons, and we can use them in many ways. We have hands, arms, shins, feet, knees, and debate-ably more. And we can use these weapons in as many ways as we can think of. Particularly unique is the ability to make the tools of any other animal our own. Fur, claws, poison, camouflage, speed, etc. Plenty of people think the human hand evolved to be the way the precise way it is specifically to better use tools and weapons.
However, we don't seem to have a natural formula for any of it. We don't hide, chase and pounce like a tiger. We don't have a specific method that we always use, and usually works. There are many theories about the best tools to use and the best ways to use them. This is a context thing too, since different places had different challenges.
Here comes the discussion question. We can use plenty of things fight with against each other. But out of all our tools, what do you think we be our primary, natural weapon? Excluding weapons, what part(s) of the body would be the main ones used to defend yourself against both other people and animals? Or do we have one at all?
To me, is the legs. Knees, shins, and feet. Against animals, it's probably closer to the target than the hands. Plus, these parts are way more resilient to damage than the other parts of the body, almost no matter what you make impact with. Plus, in a survival scenario, the legs are going to be incredibly strong. I can't find the same link, but I once read an article about how much stronger ancient people's legs were because they needed to move all the time and carry a lot more. Farmers, nomads, hunter gatherers, and armies of any sort led lives that put a lot more stress on their legs.
Ancient humans were better travellers than us - daily.bhaskar.com
Sure, your whole body would have been a lot stronger to, but the legs more so than any other part. Even with a weapon in your hand, you would still need to chase down your target.
So, would it be wrong to say that leg strength is the most important strength you can have? Your legs create the strongest leverage you have. Since your always using your legs when you're doing things, you can hit the hardest, from the farthest away, with the least chance of hurting yourself, and give you the option to run OR fight.
But the needs of people are different now. Obviously, leg strength isn't the end all to fighting.
Why I am I giving this so much thought? The I have a hypothesis that having a fighting method that's closer the we evolved to fight will be more easily applicable to more situations, both mentally and physically. I'm trying to look at peoples' reflexive responses to danger, particularly amongst people that haven't been trained to have a specific response.
Do you think we have a primary natural weapon? Or instinctive fighting mechanics of any sort, or is it purely a learned skill? Do you think certain muscles are more important than others for fighting?
