Full Description
WINNER SPORTS USA Best Books Award 2015 Fight Like a Physicist provides an in-depth, sometimes whimsical look into the physics behind martial arts for sport and self-defense. Whether you are an experienced martial artist or a curious enthusiast, this book can give you an "unfair advantage" by unraveling the complex science of effective fighting techniques and examining the core principles that make them work. In addition to breaking down the principles behind the punches, Dr. Thalken, a computational physicist with a long history of martial arts across various styles, applies the mind-set of a physicist to a number of controversial topics in the martial arts: *Making physics your "unfair advantage," in the ring and on the street*Examining center of mass, pi, levers, wedges, angular momentum, and linear momentum for martial artists*Protecting the brains of fighters and football players from concussions*Reducing traumatic brain injury in contact sports*Exposing the illusion of safety provided by gloves and helmets*Overturning conventional wisdom on compliance during an assault*Busting Hollywood action myths*Giving the mystical side of martial arts a much-needed reality check Dr.
Thalken invites readers to take a scientific approach to training and fighting, and provides all the tools necessary to get the most out of their experiences and make their training count.
Contents
Introduction: Fight Like a Physicist Section 1: Internalize the Basics Chapter 1: Your Center of Mass Chapter 2: Energy, Momentum, and the Hit Points" Myth Chapter 3: The Number Pi and Glancing Blows Chapter 4: Levers, Wedges, and Free Lunches Section 2: Protect Yourself with Knowledge Chapter 5: Knockouts and Brain Damage in Athletes Chapter 6: Foam or Knuckles: Navigating the Illusion of Safety Chapter 7: Brain Damage: Do Helmets Even Help? Chapter 8: Guns, Knives, and The Hollywood Death Sentence Chapter 9: Chi and Pseudoscience in the Martial Arts Conclusion: You're Only Getting Started Works Cited
