FIGHT SCIENCE: Fight Like an Animal

February 1, 2010

It can strike 5 percent faster than a snake, kick with more than a ton of force, and fly nearly 20 feet through the air. It’s the most complex weapon known to man — the human body.

Fight Science brings together a team of technical engineers, physiologists and computer technicians to uncover the secrets behind some of the world’s most elite fighters. The series shifts its focus to martial artists in the February 4th episode "Fight Like an Animal".  

For centuries, martial artists have been inspired by the animal kingdom.  But can a human strike as fast as a snake, be as nimble as a monkey or as powerful as a tiger?  The Fight Science team tests whether kung fu experts stack up against their animal counterparts.  High-speed video cameras compare the striking speeds of human fighter and rattlesnake.  A martial artist uses a crane technique to test his balance on a set of steel poles, while pressure sensors in his shoes show how his weight is distributed.  A mantis kung fu expert is challenged to catch flies like his insect inspiration.  Finally, we see a demonstration of the fearsome, flesh-tearing Tiger Claw attack. 

The series continues to explore martial arts and the human body in the following episodes.  

Fight Science: Stealth Fighters 

Thursday, February 11, 2010, at 9 p.m. ET/PT

The Fight Science team explores the art of stealth fighters, from attacks and hidden defenses to infiltration and escape skills — and discovers some results that defy science. 

Watch as experts in Brazilian capoeira, karate, tae kwon do, and muay Thai kickboxing execute hair-trigger techniques that push the limits of human ability with their speed, agility and force.  Watch as a martial artist demonstrates evasive maneuvers combining balance and dexterity while moving through a laser beam obstacle course and a Shaolin warrior breaks a steal-tipped spear aimed at his throat, allegedly by manipulating the body’s powerful energy.

Fight Science: Human Weapon

Thursday, February 18, 2010, at 9 p.m. ET/PT

What techniques can the average person use to survive a life-or-death confrontation?  To examine methods of turning victims into victors, a team of self-defense experts employ a variety of advanced biomechanical sensors, high-speed photography and 3D animation in the custom-designed Fight Science lab.  You’ll see how experts predict an attack before it happens, and how they prevail in a fight even when they are outmatched by their opponent’s physical strength by applying force to vulnerable points on an assailant’s body.  

Thirty-two infrared motion-capture cameras, three high-definition cameras and three ultra-high-speed cameras outfit a custom-designed Fight Science lab to give a glimpse into details on how the human body works.

The new five-part series premieres today on the National Geographic Channel (NGC) at 10 p.m. ET/PT before moving to its regular night and time Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Watch a clip from the series below. You can also check out a Fight Science online game based on the series.