Geeking out on Martial Arts

[Dannyalcatraz]

Just a TV programming note for those with good cable/sattelite hookups.

Fight Science

Featuring Scientists, Motion-capture specialists, CGI animators and martial arts champions.

Airing now, but rebroadcasting Sunday from 4PM-6PM CST on the National Geographic Channel.

It illustrates the physics of various martial arts techniques and weapons with high-tech motion-captured animation, including descriptions of the force per strike...and what that means in a practical sense.

Which is a dry way of saying this show ROCKS! (I've seen it 3 times so far.)

I'd call it a must-watch for those trying to incorporate new martial arts or weapons into their game- regardless of RPG system.

 

[rossik]

u can see it at youtube too...some things are nice, others...not so much

 

[Storyteller01]

Yea. I saw the episode with the katana pshed through the ballistic gel chest. Not a pretty sight. I spent the better part of the commercials with throbbing headeaches (Obata was cool though).

I haven't seen other episodes yet (I don't have cable). Is this normal?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

AFAIK, its only a single 2 hour documentary.

There are, however, similar shows out there- one which used a similar format was aired on A&E some years ago. It wasn't as sophisticated as this one is, though.

 

[rossik]

u can find in youtube, i guess is a 13 part movie..


i didnt like the guys breaking things with sholders and stuff...that was weird!


and how about things like "oh, tkd have the best kick, or boxe have the best punch.."


well, it actually depends on the artits, not the art

 

[Iku Rex]

The actual science could have been a lot better.

The test subjects should have been in the same weight class. They should have tried (showed?) more than one technique from each. And all the talk about that ninja guy (TM) being the "ultimate warrior" or what-not was just silly.

If y'all really want to learn more about well-tested martial arts you should watch MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). A dummy doesn't hit back.

 

[bento]

Hey Danny!

I caught the show last winter while it was mid-way through and then had to hunt it down on the schedule to watch it all the way through.

It's the one with the funky round set and they switch to showing the fighters as skeletons, right?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yeah, bento- that's the one!

Iku, they could have better, but some stuff is always going to be apples & oranges.

When you realize that martial arts techniques vary in suitability, you'll also realize that a big guy is not going to have the same facility with styles that emphasize quickness and flexibility as someone smaller, and vice versa. You simply won't be able to compare martial arts techniques well within a size class.

While I like watching martial arts competitions, this show did things that those cannot. It showed actual force readings- particularly illuminating when they show force readings for unarmed techniques that exceed the limits for breaking certain bones.

 

[rossik]

The actual science

If y'all really want to learn more about well-tested martial arts you should watch MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).

why is that?

 

[Iku Rex]

When you realize that martial arts techniques vary in suitability, you'll also realize that a big guy is not going to have the same facility with styles that emphasize quickness and flexibility as someone smaller, and vice versa. You simply won't be able to compare martial arts techniques well within a size class.

They were (among other things) comparing the power of various techniques by having the participants hit or kick a dummy. That's very size dependant. A 250 lb martial artist may not look as pretty doing the kung fu dancing as the little guy they had on the show, but I assure you he'll make more of an impact throwing his body at the dummy feet first. And he'll be backing up his strikes with far more muscle.