Lever/fulcrum principles in using joint locks

[bushido_man96]

In the April 2009 issue of Black Belt Magazine, Mark Hatmaker wrote a column titled "What would Archimedes do?" It was about joint-lock and fulcrum/levering principles. I liked the example that he used, with the fulcrum and lever that Archimedes was known for. This example has given me something to visualize when performing joint locks in Hapkido, Aikido, and even with the little bit of ground work I have gotten to do recently.

I liked the approach that Hatmaker took to the article, and really put the physics of the Martial Arts into perspective for me. I guess some people would see this as obvious, but since this kind of thing is not really my specialty, and gave me lots of fits early on in my Hapkido training, this kind of analogy really helps me out.

Thoughts?

[ps1]

I firmly believe that a functional and fundamental grasp of the sciences (biology, physics, anatomy, and physiology) are a must in order to be good at any martial art. In addition, it teaches us be a little more skeptical in regards to some of the things people teach out there.

[bushido_man96]

I agree, ps1. It has been easy with the stand-up training, because we always end up going back to equations like power=mass x velocity squared, or technique + speed = power. I like to see this in line with the joint-manipulation techniques, as well, to help tie things together as far as the physics go.

[tallgeese]

Agree, understanding, at least at a basic level, the principles of leverage as well as physiological factors is highly important in any ma. Espically the ground game, where success can be determined by very minute movements.