Fight Like a Physicist

An in-depth look into the physics behind martial arts.



Whether you are an experienced martial artist or a curious enthusiast, this book gives you an “unfair advantage” by unraveling the complex science of effective fighting techniques and examining the core principles that make them work. Did you know?




Momentum is for knocking people over
Energy is for breaking bones and causing pain
A haymaker travels 3.14159 times farther than a jab
You are only an “object” when you are rigid


Fight Like a Physicist blends inquiry, skepticism, and irreverent humor—all while punching holes in myth and mysticism. Highlights include




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
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 up Hollywood action clichés


Fight Like a Physicist reads like a manifesto on the rational practice of martial arts. It’s intelligent, fun, and dangerous—and nothing short of iconoclastic.