Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is the practitioner of the fictional martial-art of baritsu. His skill as a fighter is based not only on his martial-arts knowledge but his
The character of Sherlock Holmes is an endearing one, first appearing in 1887 in the story “A Study in Scarlet”, he survives today as one of the most portrayed film characters. Holmes is most famous as a detective for his intellectual prowess and the use of his powerful skills of observation, reasoning and forensics to solve the most difficult of criminal cases. But what is little known are his skills in the martial arts.
discount generic viagra online canadian pharmacy.
Holme’s Fighting Skills
Sir Doyle recounts Holmes’ skills in the martial art and weaponry during various adventures. For example, in the second novel, “The Sign of the Four”, Holmes is introduced as a formidable fist fighter and engages several of his adversaries with favorable outcomes and his skill as a martial artist is revealed to his companion, Dr. Watson, while recounting the events of his final battle with Professor Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls; Holmes uses his skills in the fictional martial art of baritsu to throw his adversary to his death.
This fictional martial art form is based on the real-life martial art of bartitsu, a form develop in England during the late 1890’s by British engineer, Edward William Barton-Wright. This portmanteau art form of Barton-Wright’s name and Jujitsu draws upon various Asian and Western martial art forms.
The Rescue of Lord Blackwood’s Sacrificial Victim
In the 2009 movie Sherlock Holmes by Guy Ritchie, focuses on many of the detective’s more negative eccentricities which guide his brilliant mind and martial-arts skills. In the first scene of Holmes runs to rescue Lord Blackwood’s victim as the police race through the streets of London. In true heroic fashion, Holmes arrives first to the scene and encounters a sentry. Holmes, played by Robert Downey Jr., takes the audience into his mind and gives them an insight into his analytical thought processes. Our hero uses his powers of observation, knowledge of the human body and martial-art skills to quickly dispatch and take down his opponent.
It must be noted that all the moves featured in the movie are very dangerous and must not be used unless your life or that of another is in jeopardy.
Step 1: “One: Head Cocked to the Left. Partial Deafness. First Point of Attack…”
The pinna or the outer ear collects audio waves and sends it down the external auditory canal to the tympanic membrane, as seen in Figure 1. A blow with a cupped palm to the ear is a vital striking point as it can send a pressure wave down the canal to press against this membrane with great force and cause pain; if forceful enough, it may even rupture this thin sheath. According to (Tegner), a moderate strike to the ear can cause pain while a more sever blow may lead to hearing impairment(Tegner)
Behind this sheath are three bones that lead to three fluid-filled semi-circular canals that are the center of a person’s sense of balance. By striking this area, Holmes knows that he can disorient and unbalance his opponent. But he also knows which ear to strike. His opponent’s head cock indicated that he may only have one functional ear, possibly to an already damaged hearing system.
Step 2: “…Two: throat; paralyze vocal chords, stop scream…”
Sherlock Holmes knows that a strike to the ear and his opponent’s subsequent disorientation is only temporary; he must act quickly to neutralize his opponent who is likely to cry out in pain from his initial attack and alert Lord Blackwood to his presence. A moderate strike to the throat will result in pain, gasping and choking thereby making it difficult for the guard to cry out for help.
This blow is particularly dangerous and should never be done except in a life threatening situation. A strong enough blow can crush the airway and cause someone to choke to death.
Step 3: “…Three: got to be heavy drinker. Floating rib to the liver.”
The floating ribs, or false ribs, refers to the ribs that are attached to the spine but not the sternum as seen in Figure 2. This area is particularly effective as most people are very ticklish there and hence very sensitive; jabbing just below this last rib will cause pain. This position is particularly efficacious as the ribs are only connected to the body by one point.
The liver is protected by the rib cage, as seen in Figure 3. But as Holmes has noted, his opponent is a heavy drinker. This may result in a damaged liver, possible enlarged and sensitive to touch. It is little wonder that he would choose to attack this area.
Step 4: “Four: finally, drag in left leg, fist to patella.”
In the movie, we see the detective drag his opponent’s leg forward and and punch the inside of the knee. The patella or knee cap, as seen in Figure 3, is a thick bone that protects the knee joint. There are also some ligaments that connects the bones to the joint and a strike here will affect a person’s ability to remain standing; Tegner says a strike to the side will cause an opponent to be unbalanced. After this move, Holmes’ opponent has been knocked down quickly and quietly.
“Summary prognosis: unconscious in ninety seconds, partial efficacy quarter of an hour at best. Full faculty recovery: unlikely.”
It is highly unlikely the techniques shown in the movie will be as effective but it does highlight how our hero’s awareness, knowledge of the human body and his keen powers of observation helps make him a formidable on-screen fighter. As any experienced martial artist will tell you, your greatest weapon is your brain and that is something Sherlock uses to his advantage.
Tags: adversary, affe, airway, area, art, artist, attack, audience, auditory, balance, baritsu, bartitsu, Barton, Barton-Wright, battle, blow, body, bone, brilliant mind, british engineer, cage, canadian, canal, cap, center, character, cock, Cocked, companion, Deafness, death, detective, discount, disorient, disorientation, Dr. Watson, drag, drinker, ear, Edward William Barton-Wright, engineer, England, example, Falls, fashion, favorable outcomes, fighter, fighting, Figure, film, film characters, fist, force, form, guard, guide, Guy Ritchie, Head, hearing, help, hero, Holme, Holmes, impairment, insight, intellectual prowess, jeopardy, Jujitsu, knee, knowledge, Left, leg, life, liver, London, Lord Blackwood, martial art forms, martial arts knowledge, membrane, mind, movie, name, neutralize, novel, observation, online, opponent, pain, palm, paralyze, Partial, patella, person, pharmacy, pinna, point, police, portmanteau, position, practitioner, presence, pressure, Professor Moriarty, prowess, race, reasoning, Reichenbach, reichenbach falls, Rescue, rib, robert downey, Robert Downey Jr., rupture, Sacrificial, sacrificial victim, Scarlet, scene, scream, sense, sentry, sheath, Sherlock, sherlock holmes, sign, Sir Doyle, situation, skill, someone, spine, step, sternum, story, streets of london, strike, Study, study in scarlet, system, Tegner, thought, throat, today, unbalance, use, viagra, Victim, wave, weaponry, Western, western martial art, william barton