Fighting Science - Seperating Fact from Martial Myth

**Digi** · 09-11-2006, 03:17

This is a great documentary for people of all styles. Science research of various martial art disciplines. Many will enjoy this 145MB - Download

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KM62LI61

**Rasputin** · 09-11-2006, 06:56

I TiVO'd this when it originally aired, and found it to be holier than swiss cheese. But thanks for the head's up on the download.

**Digi** · 09-29-2006, 16:10

Originally Posted by Rasputin

I TiVO'd this when it originally aired, and found it to be holier than swiss cheese. But thanks for the head's up on the download.

How come? I'd love to hear your reasons.

**Rasputin** · 09-29-2006, 16:22

It's been weeks since I saw the show, so my memory is a bit foggy for specifics.

1. They couldn't find a traditional Karateka to measure his punch or kick? Some guy who has been diligently punching and kicking the makiwara for 20 years? The guy they chose was one of the "bouncy" Karotty types. I was not surprised that he scored the lowest force of the strikers.

2. The reason that the Muay Thai guy's knee scored so high was because he pulled the test dummy down into the knee. A perfectly valid move, but it skews the test results since everyone else was against a target which was free to move in the opposite direction.

3. Ninjers.

4. They chose the TKD guy to test the Katana. Pu-leeze.

5. When evaluating the weapons, their choice of criteria and meter were subjective at best. Who can really say what the best weapon is? The ones which have persisted for hundreds of years have all done so because they all have situations in which they are supreme.

I give NatGeo A for effort, but F for so many silly choices. I would have to go back and re-watch the show for the rest of my objections, but seeing as I am not strapped to a chair with my eyelids taped open, I can confidently say that it will not happen any time soon.

**Da-RiSiN-sMoKe** · 09-29-2006, 17:12

Yeah I heard the katana scored higher than the broadsword; which I think because the katana is more thin and has a sharper tip (correct me if I'm wrong). The katana just pierces more, but I'm not sure bout the broadsword.

In Muay Thai, that's just the way they do it, Rasputin.

Modern Karate was found more powerful than Shotokan Karate (which I found ironic), because they are moving around freely and not tensed up like a deep stance.

**Rasputin** · 09-29-2006, 17:58

Originally Posted by Da-RiSiN-sMoKe

Modern Karate was found more powerful than Shotokan Karate (which I found ironic), because they are moving around freely and not tensed up like a deep stance.

There are those who would say that Shotokan is also Modern Karate.

I think the Karateka was chosen because of his pretty red dogi.