Lesson 77 Television Day: Karate
TV Commentary:
Have you ever wondered how some people can break bricks with their bare hands? People who can do this kind of thing are experts in Karate. They are called "Karatekas". In our programme today we tried to find out how Karatekas could do such things. Ww wanted to learn if they were especially strong and we got some surprising answers! Believe it or not, Karatekas aren't stronger than ordinary people-they just have more courage! A Karate expert strikes hard objects like bricks or plates with the small bone in his wrist, opposite the thumb. Speed is the essence of this sport. But the strange thing is that untrained men can break hard objects in the same way just as well as Karatekas. Of course, Karatekas practise a lot and they have a layer of hard skin round their wrists. Though they have this advantage over ordinary people, it's basically just a question of will-power-at least, that's what you tell your mother after you've experimented on a few dinner plates! |