How'd He Do It?

[Johnny Y.]

So, I was watching the National Geographic show Fight Science, episode Stealth Fighters, and there's this Shaolin-dude who, allegedly, had a spear point on his throat, and put enough pressure onto the spear's bamboo shaft to bend it to the breaking point.

I saw it happen, but I suspect funny business was involved. I don't accept the claim that "chi" is real, nor do I accept the scientist-on-the-show's opinion that this feat isn't currently scientifically explainable.

If the feat was real, how did he do it?

I've been watching the Fight Science specials since '06,
but I feel like the show has jumped the shark a bit with this one. The show didn't claim "chi" was real, and none of the martial arts guys--except Shaolin-dude--claimed to believe in it, but heretofore the show has explained how the martial artists do their thing.

[jnp]

This forum, MABS, is for investigations into martial arts frauds. It is not here for members to pose questions about martial parlor tricks.

That said, I can't remember the explanation for this particular trick, but it is a trick.

[Mtripp]

Well, it's simple physics. No way a legit science guy wouldn't know that.

[Sley]

I saw some pretty cool **** when I was visiting their. Those monks really have some awesome tricks.

[PRC4Eva]

Use of a dull spear point and a very flexible wood (har har) spear shaft.

What I'd like to know is, how the hell does that thing where they get propped on on a couple of spears work. Can't be nearly enough points to distribute the guy's weight.

Or that thing where the one guy gets mounted on a trident-looking apparatus, and you can see the imprint from the thing's point on his stomach afterwards.

[poker]

I'll believe it when they allow me to stick a spear point of my choice in them (they can even choose where I stick it).

[DdlR]

YouTube- Shaolin Wing Chun Nam Anh Kung Fu - Spear on Throat

Dull spear point + very flexible shaft, but most of the trick is in the timing and the actual direction of the pressure. They're both bearing downwards, so the actual pressure isn't "spear point directly into his throat", it's "flat part of the spearhead downwards into the top part of his sternum".

[Johnny Y.]

Well, it's simple physics. No way a legit science guy wouldn't know that.

Yeah, but if trickery is involved, scientists aren't always the best to notice.

Scientists work in a field of mutual trust. They throw rocks at each others' work, to make sure their peers have indeed discovered a new truth about the universe, but they rarely encounter downright fraud.

They don't expect it in the scientific community, because if you're caught falsifying data, etc., your career in science is pretty much over.

[Ungjaevel]

I saw something like this on Discovery way back. Their explanation was that the man performing in their demonstration put the point of the spear against the zipper of his jacket, which prevented the point from actually stabbing him.

[Kuma]

I used to wonder about this one myself, but the trick is quite obvious once you see it. DldR's vid is very illustrative.