Posted on 05/20/2011 7:34:35 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Carrier's findings may also shed light on another mystery: why multiple studies have amply proven that -- statistically speaking, at least -- women find taller men more attractive. If downward blows strike harder, as Carrier's punching experiment suggested, a tall male has the advantage over a shorter contender. "Early in human evolution, an enhanced capacity to strike downward on an opponent may have given tall males a greater capacity to compete for mates and to defend their resources and offspring," he said. "If this were true, females who chose to mate with tall males would have had greater fitness for survival."
(Excerpt) Read more at history.com ...
What happened to the reliable kick in the balls?
Another “just-so” evolution story.
If the “researchers” had ever boxed they would realize that the “study” is risible.
It’s well known that early humans stood upright to drink punch better.
Spills made om those animal skins were hard to remove so humans stood up and invented bars to lean on.
Taller men may seem to have an advantage over the shorter ones in a brawl. That is a myth, a tall guy HATES brawling with a shorter guy, once he has experienced the situation. I am not talking about Marquis of Queensbury rules here, I am talking about survival. All of the points that can kill a man are more easily accessible from below, than from above. Testicles, liver, kidneys, sternum, esophagus, any one of these struck properly, and the guy is going down. Ever watch Joe Frazier work inside? WOW, that smarts.
He should've experimented with George Foreman's uppercut.
This is one of the stupidest theory I have ever heard.
Note to self, after changing “the” to “one of the”, remember to correct grammar.
Great analysis in the article. Except for the fact that 95% of all fights end up with two guys rolling around on the ground. I doubt that has changed much. Being tall isn’t much of an advantage on the ground. Being strong is.
Did Early Humans Stand Upright to Punch Better?No.
You are absolutely correct, plus there is the psychological factor.
“If this were true...”
Res ipsa loquitor.
And they *loathe* bananas.
Few fights I’ve seen ever stayed upright for more than the first 10-15 seconds. Wrestling is more an advantage than boxing.
This researcher is likely a metrosexual.
Bobby Sherman, David Cassidy and Davy Jones ended this in the 1970s.
I did quite a bit of scientific research on this very topic back in the day.
All my data proved it was virtually impossible for me to punch an opponent from a position of all fours on a barroom floor.
Not only was I at a disadvantage, the opponent looming above also had the ability to kick the living shoot out of me.
The cumulative data received is why I’m have some scrambled brain neurons today.
LOL
;’)
Makes more sense to me that humans stand so they can carry things in their arms...and modifications to allow that made other things beneficial as well, like long-distance running, and throwing.
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