National Geographic Channel recently aired Fight Science which showcases many different martial arts and the physics behind their incredible skills. I have this on tape, but I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. I know several of you have, so please feel free to comment on the show's best and worst moments. I'd love to know what you thought of the show and the way they presented the skills. I should get a chance to watch my copy over the course of the next few days. (3-Day weekend coming, you know!)
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Fight Science
National Geographic Channel recently aired Fight Science which showcases many different martial arts and the physics behind their incredible skills. I have this on tape, but I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. I know several of you have, so please feel free to comment on the show's best and worst moments. I'd love to know what you thought of the show and the way they presented the skills. I should get a chance to watch my copy over the course of the next few days. (3-Day weekend coming, you know!)
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6 comments:
It was very very cheesy and unrealistic.
Well, my copy turned out to end suddenly after the first hour. I missed all the weapons demonstrations.
I did see Glenn Levy the "Ninjitsu expert." The less said about his "ninjitsu" the better -- though clearly he is an excellent athlete.
The show was promoted as proving the skills through "Science." Unfortunately, the "experiments" did not live up to the Scientific Method I learned at my Liberal Arts college. Repeatable and reproducable results being favored, and the isolation of variables being important. Having some Wu Shu guy who weighs a buck fifty match against a Heavyweight boxer who looks like an unholy love child of a side of beef and an anatomy chart for punching is not isolating the variables. The Boxer, especially wearing his gloves, has several magnitudes more mass than the Wu Shu guy.
However, the level of anecdotal evidence was still pretty good. Measuring the force and velocity of techniques was a cool idea. I kinda liked the reaction time drill, but I also had to smirk about it at the same time.
I really want to see the weapons segment.
Well, then I won't ruin it for you. Suffice to say that I certainly hope that all modern day ninjas don't look like ren-fest rejects or civil war re-enactors making some extra money in the off season.
Sword Demo on show Fight Science
Katana vs pistol Very cool.
Hmmm...
Questions:
1.) Why did they have the Tae Kwon Do guy demonstrate the katana?
2.) Did I miss something or... Why was there no head on the ballistic gelatin dummy?
3.) Would it have made a difference if there were "bones" inside the gelatin?
4.) Was the katana a nihon-to, and would it have made a difference?
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