14 DAY TRIAL // In a bid to understand how karate practitioners can put so much force in their punches, British researchers conducted a series of brain scans on novice and expert karatekas. Their study revealed significant differences in the amount of white matter in the brains of participants.
White matter is responsible for ensuring that all brain regions are tightly connected to each other. Scientists at the Imperial College London (ICL) and University College London (UCL) believe that this is where the force of the amazing punches lies, PsychCentral reports.
Past investigations established that a karate practitioner's muscle mass was not the main factor determining the strength of the blow. This suggested that the way in which the brain controls the muscle may play an important role.
In the new study, karate experts were found to have more white matter in the cerebellum and the primary motor cortex. The force of their blow came from how well they synchronized the movements of their wrists and shoulders, the team explains.