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Les Bubka
Les Bubka's picture
Study finds that heel-down posture in great apes and humans confers a fighting advantage

One of my friends share this article with me, many people disagree with the method conducted for this study. I think it is interesting read.

https://phys.org/news/2017-02-heel-down-posture-great-apes-humans.html

Iain Abernethy
Iain Abernethy's picture

Interesting read! It would seem logical to me that having a more stable base to push from would result in a more forceful push. I’m not so sure that the pushing of a weighted pendulum really tells us anything about a ballistic striking advantage through. It’s also would seem much more likely to me that, in our case, it is primarily because we walk upright (so more foot in contact with the ground gives more stability) and it is the resulting evolution of our upper limbs is what truly gives us the combative advantage (ability to make and use tools). I’m also not so sure comparing humans with great apes is that useful in this regard seeing as they have a very different foot formation (can grip with their toes) and they generally walk / run on all fours. Our much shorter toes and our arched foot are said to help with our ability to run over long distances. So, we are not really comparing like with like and therefore suggesting a common reason seems to be a stretch to me. I’m no biologist though and it will be interesting to see how this hypothesis is received.

All the best,

Iain

Les Bubka
Les Bubka's picture

Hi Iain,

Many of people cleverer than me, debunked and took apart this study.

nonetheless interesting read.

Kind regards

Iain Abernethy
Iain Abernethy's picture

Hi Les,

Les Bubka wrote:
nonetheless interesting read.

Absolutely! Regardless of the conclusions ultimately reached, it’s always good to have “jumping off points” to think about these things. The more we understand about our physiology – and the potential reasons for why that physiology is the way it is – the better we know how to make use of that physiology combatively. Thanks for sharing!

All the best,

Iain