Library › 11. Physics in karate
“From the hip!” – “Lock the joints!” – “Through the target!” – “Don’t push!” Every one of these shouts in the Dōjō is physics. No secret, no magic: Newton is on the mat too.
Five quantities are enough to see through almost any technique: force, pressure, momentum, energy and torque. Understanding them means training smarter – and hitting harder.
Formulas are written in simple notation, for example F = m · a. Units: newton (N) for force, kilogram (kg) for mass, metres per second (m/s) for speed, joule (J) for energy.
Physics and body structure belong together – see Body tension.