QiGong: Science fiction or real but unexplainable for the time being?

Shoe Lace · #1 06-22-2007, 08:54 AM

Some of the things in the video linked below look quite real. I'll admit I'm pretty skeptical, and I'm sure everyone has seen that video where the guy who claims he can throw people around without touching them gets mauled by a "real" fighter.

This stuff however seems quite different, and after slight research it doesn't seem THAT improbable. I went from thinking "99% bs / tricks" to about 50/50 undecided.

Logical thought says bs, but perhaps it's not. I remember not too long ago in a different forum someone linked a 5 part series of this kid who was ridiculously gifted with math and is able to assign patterns to numbers/letters by thinking of them as shapes and colors.

Pretty much unproven by science, yet extremely unlikely to be fake. Why would this be different?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co6G-vyAlII

What do you think?

pzhon · #2 06-22-2007, 10:54 AM

If I had supernatural powers, the best way to demonstrate them would be to pull rabbits out of hats, and to make selected cards appear in funny places. That way, everyone would be sure to believe me.

If they have something substantial, why are they demonstrating it using the same tricks as street performers who make no claim to be anything but entertaining? The show they are on has even mentioned explanations for some of the tricks in other episodes. The show is about telling a nice story, not testing the people they show.

Wubbie075 · #3 06-22-2007, 10:59 AM

I didn't see anything there so incredible as to require anything supernatural...

note that I'm not saying its easy and would certainly require lots of training and I definitely would not be attempting most of those stunts... but really they are just doing things they know they are capable of in a controlled environment...

there are tons of similar demonstrations done by plenty of ppl without QiGong training... don't underestimate the toughness of the human skin if you are controlling the stress applied to it... I guarantee I could slice that dude who was bouncing the sword off his chest with a standard steak knife

React1oN · #4 06-22-2007, 03:59 PM

THEY TOOK THE CHI FROM HEAVEN.

This is stupid.

Duke · #5 06-22-2007, 07:00 PM

It's about as unexplainable as David Blaine.

Shoe Lace · #6 06-22-2007, 07:12 PM

[ QUOTE ]
don't underestimate the toughness of the human skin if you are controlling the stress applied to it

[/ QUOTE ]

I can see that, but what about when he puts the poles directly onto his eyes?

I'm not a pro when it comes to anatomy but I'm pretty sure you can't toughen up or train your eyelids from taking this amount of pressure. There's no muscle/etc.

Maybe it's just misleading camera angles (majority of the pressure is on the side of his nose?).

CallMeIshmael · #7 06-22-2007, 07:23 PM

DannyOcean_ · #8 06-23-2007, 01:58 AM

There are magicians in vegas who regularly do the pole tricks. They're nothing special, really.

knowledgeORbust · #9 06-23-2007, 02:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
There are magicians in vegas who regularly do the pole tricks. They're nothing special, really.

[/ QUOTE ]

THEN LETS SEE YOU DO THEM

But seriously, what's the trick? I want some Chi.

DannyOcean_ · #10 06-23-2007, 04:05 PM

I've seen two different magicians on tv shows do the pole on the throat tricks, as well as other fun pole related bendings. A cousin of mine saw it live in veags. Just saying that anything a magician does on tv probably does not have a mystical 'chi' force as its real explanation.

As for the sword stuff, that's just an acquired skill. I'm no expert but i'd imagine with years of training you could learn to hit someone without cutting them with a very sharp sword easily. angles/momentum changes/skin toughness and so forth.