Comments on: Esoteric Fight Science

By: Spike TV’s Deadliest Warrior: Your Thoughts?

Spike TV’s Deadliest Warrior: Your Thoughts? — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:54:27 +0000

[...] dedicated to all things manly, has created a new show in the same vein as the moderately popular “Fight Science” and “Human Weapon” series. Like those other shows, it uses modern scientific equipment [...]

By: Precognition and Psychic Martial Arts: A Scientific Perspective

Precognition and Psychic Martial Arts: A Scientific Perspective — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:28:01 +0000

[...] From National Geographic Channel’s Fight Science [...]

By: ramirez

ramirez — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 03:14:48 +0000

too much flash…not enough science

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 05 May 2007 05:14:34 +0000

Stanford researchers record Tai Chi master

Jessica Rose, an orthopedic surgery professor at Stanford, could not believe her eyes. Tai Chi master Chen Xiang, sensor balls taped to key body joints, was demonstrating palm, elbow and fist strikes so fast - and with such force - that the sensors kept flying off his body. Chen's demonstration, conducted at the Motion and Gait Analysis Laboratory at Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital, will serve as another example of a human performing at its peak and it will be used by Rose and her colleagues to paint a more detailed picture about how the body moves, and why.

By: Can Qigong Soothe These Savage Beasts?

Can Qigong Soothe These Savage Beasts? — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 07:38:35 +0000

[...] Actually, such experiments have already been conducted, to varying degrees of formality. One of the most entertaining demonstrations I’ve seen was performed for the Japanese TV show Amazing Animals. Mr. Kanzawa, a Japanese kikou (qigong) expert, visited a local zoo and…well, see for yourself. [...]

By: chenquestion

chenquestion — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 20:37:43 +0000

My comment got cut off, I think there’s a web-wide monitor set for “chenquestion” to make me keep it short. Anyway I just agreed with your take on battling environmental stress and its harmful effects on us who’re stuck in stressful modern environments. Time and life beat us up worse than fights do, too often. Thanks for an interesting post.

By: chenquestion

chenquestion — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 20:31:16 +0000

How do you measure the results of your practice?

By: The Legend of Bagua Chang

The Legend of Bagua Chang — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 23:34:18 +0000

[...] Separating martial fact from fiction is a perilous task. If you are too credulous, you may be tricked into joining a fraudulent kung fu cult. On the other hand, if you are too skeptical, you will cut yourself off from real high-level skills. “Common sense” is an unreliable guide, because it is grounded in your own limited experience, and odds are you’ve never met a legitimate master. [...]

By: Qigong is the New Yoga

Qigong is the New Yoga — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 04:36:06 +0000

[...] Even more troubling is the inevitable decline in teaching standards. The qigong field already suffers from a few naive instructors who perpetuate falsehoods, such as the claim that qigong skills cannot be measured. Such claims are unlikely to be corrected by forthcoming corporate chain instructors, whose credentials consist of a short 40-hour training course. [...]

By: jd

jd — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 02:03:59 +0000

Ah yes, before I forget, there are a bunch of problems with their analysis of the swords used in the show. First and foremost, the chinese jin, or straight-sword, is NOT as fragile as they make it out to be. A real jin is nowhere near as flexible or fragile (or even as light in weight) as the wushu tournament or taiji tournament “sword”. The tournament blades are not chosen for durability but to showcase the whiplike motion of the competitor by flexing. A real combat jin is heavier, though still light in general, and thicker. It will not splinter or break from a normal stab. Although flexible, it is not insubstantial. It holds more in common with a rapier, being primarily a thrusting weapon, although in general it will be wider and slightly thicker to better accomodate slashes.

The samurai sword is remarkable and probably my favorite sword design, but it is not predominantly a stabbing weapon. Yes, it may be used to thrust and stab quite effectively, but its best use is in draw cuts and slashes. This is because of its geometry–curved design and most importantly its single edge and asymmetric blade design/cross section.

The most confusing thing to me though was that they chose the tae kwon do practitioner for the samurai sword (as well as so many other weapons). I disagree with this. I would much rather have the cutting specialist use the weapon. Just my opinion.