The Power of Speed

I'm a professional watercolor artist, not a physicist.  But back there in a dark, dusty corner of my brain I can still find a couple of equations that I learned half a century ago in my high school physics class.  I'm not certain that either equation is the right one for today's discussion, but they're all I've got.  If you're a physicist reading this post, please feel free to set the facts straight.
     The two equations are:
        -- F=ma.  Force equals mass times acceleration.
        -- p=mv.  Momentum equals mass time velocity.
     Now what do these two physics equations have to do with self-defense for seniors?  To my non-physicist mind they help explain why a trained martial artist can sometimes defend himself or herself successfully against a larger, stronger, and younger attacker.  Stated differently, they suggest that you and I as seniors can learn techniques that will help offset the physical advantages enjoyed by a younger opponent.
     You'll notice that in both equations -- one for force, the other for momentum -- a key factor is speed.  In one instance speed is represented by acceleration, and in the other it's represented by velocity.  Without splitting hairs over the differences between acceleration and velocity, I simply note that speed is directly related to a form of power.
     The importance of speed is something martial artists learn early in their training.  A fast strike, whether with a hand or a foot, generates more power than a slow one.  And, yes, there are lots of other variables -- your size and strength, the crispness of your technique, your stance, and such -- that we won't examine in today's post.   All the variables matter, but the key ingredient for senior self-defense is speed.  It can be a great equalizer if you are assaulted by a larger and stronger opponent.  I'll leave it to the short video at the end of today's post to demonstrate why speed is really important.
     An issue closely related to speed is the size of the striking surface.  Suppose you punch an attacker in the midsection.  If you strike with the entire flat surface of your fist, you'll generate less stopping force than if you strike with only two knuckles, which is the technique that is used in taekwondo and many other martial arts.  Concentrating all of your power on a smaller striking surface maximizes its effect on your opponent.
     A few posts ago I demonstrated two effective hand strikes that you can use in a self-defense situation.  You should review and practice those strikes.  But you should also keep today's post in mind: speed is critical to the effectiveness of your strike. 
     Next up is the short video.  Before you click over, take a look at this single blurred frame from the video, because you won't be able to see it at full speed . . . and I have no idea how to build slow motion into a YouTube
video.  Something else to learn.


    
     For the video, please click to The Power of Speed