MA and Physics: the thread to end all threads.

[Equipoise]

Man, this is like giving groups of children an assortment of firearms and marching them on to the battlefield.

[j416to]

Okay, to prevent this from degenerating into all the rest of the bullshit physics threads, I want to see some credentials.

1) How many physics classes have you taken at the University level.
2) How many physics classes have you taught at the University level.

otherwise its just a bunch of ninjas teaching Muay Thai and BJJ techniques.

[Ronin]

otherwise its just a bunch of ninjas teaching Muay Thai and BJJ techniques.

You say that as if it was a bad thing.

[Equipoise]

If I get into this discussion (hopefully not an inevitability)

1.) 3 classes. Intro to Physics, Physics concepts and Theoretical Physics.
2.) 0 classes taught.

[MaverickZ]

Okay, to prevent this from degenerating into all the rest of the bullshit physics threads, I want to see some credentials.

1) How many physics classes have you taken at the University level.
2) How many physics classes have you taught at the University level.

otherwise its just a bunch of ninjas teaching Muay Thai and BJJ techniques.

can you define "physics" please?

[Sh0t]

Is the premise here that physics does not apply to Martial Arts?

[Nid]

Physical science, sophomore year of high school.

[IzzyDaHedgehog]

AP level physics, and a Modern Physics course that did some things with special relativity, quantum mechanics, particle stuff, and touched on string theory. I guess they were university level, but in high school.

Is the premise here that physics does not apply to Martial Arts?

No, the premise is that simply applying "F=MA" to the power of a punch is simplistic. You can't say that just because someone is bigger and stronger that they'll automatically punch harder. There's a lot of anatomy (slow twitch and fast twitch muscle) determining what the speed will be, body mechanics, etc.

[Beatdown Richie]

Okay, I've taken more physics classes than I care to count, and I admit that I don't have a clue how the body mechanics play out in detail.

But I'm pretty sure of the following: F=mA cannot be applied in a straightforward fashion, given that the body is a rather complex system of coupled muscles, bones, joints, and tendons. How much impact a punch has depends not only on its speed, but also on how much of the body weight is behind it and how the body is connected to the ground. That much should be obvious to anyone who's ever hit a heavy bag.

Also, it is not obvious what determines the effectiveness of a punch. Clearly, something like a shoulder check transfers more energy and momentum than a hook; presumably, a finger poke will generate more pressure (force per area) than a smack with a boxing glove. This tells us that the KTFO factor lies somewhere else, probably in a rapid acceleration of the skull from particular angles.

In other words, don't worry about physics, just hit the ************ hard.

[Ronin]

F=MA is just that: Force = Mass X Acceleration.
It means no more or no less.
It is ONE of MANY variables and is no more or no less important than the rest of those variables:
Kinetic energy transfered to/from target
Stable base
Ridgidity of striking limb
Compression
Impulse
Weight transfer
tensing/relaxing of muscles
Surface area of impact
Surface area of striking weapon
Angle
Etc, Etc , ETC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!