Library
The corpus, the sources, the data.
Everything the discipline rests on, in the open — the writing, the primary sources it draws from, and the datasets behind the Field. Nothing here asks to be believed on authority; all of it asks to be checked.
The corpus
The writing, and the literature beneath it
Eskirmology’s own papers, and the curated body of science the discipline is built on. Filter by field, search by name, sort by author or year. Every entry is a source you can chase down and check for yourself.
The Science of Fighting — the primer ↗
EskirmologyThe accessible introduction to the discipline. Nine chapters, free to read.
Eskirmology — the collected papers ↗
EskirmologyTwo decades of scholarship: the three relations, polarity, the risk models, the typology.
The Martial Arts Delusion ↗
EskirmologyWhy style-loyalty misleads, and the modalities that classify fighting.
The Cybernetics of the Martial Arts ↗
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2016). IQ Journal: Journal of the Institute of Martial Arts and Sciences.
Risk in Hand-to-Hand Combat ↗
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2015). Applying an operational risk assessment model to better understand the function of martial arts. IQ Journal: Institute of Martial Arts and Sciences.
Eskirmology: The Science of Physical Conflict ↗
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2013). The Eskirmology Society.
The COSTAC Method ↗
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2012). The information structure of martial arts. Academia.edu.
Unified Theory of Fighting (UTF) ↗
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2008). Book proposal for The Martial Arts Delusion. Academia.edu.
Fighting with First Principles ↗
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2025). Approaching martial arts from a first principles perspective. Academia.edu.
Contexts of Violence ↗
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2016). A typology of combat as a predicate for a typology of martial art. Academia.edu.
Experimental Martial Arts ↗
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2017). Academia.edu.
Fight-logic ↗
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2017). Recording martial arts as disembodied knowledge — a method for statistical analysis. Academia.edu.
Somatotype and its Relevance to the Martial Arts
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2012). Academia.edu. No public link available.
The Principle of Kinesthesis
EskirmologyAcutt, J. (2011). Its importance for timing in martial art. Academia.edu. No public link available.
The classification of the fighting arts
Classification & typologyDonohue, J.J. & Taylor, K. (1994). Journal of Asian Martial Arts, 3(4), 10–37.
Defining the martial arts: a proposed inclusive classification system
Classification & typologyBuckler, S., Castle, P. & Peters, D. (2009). Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 1–9.
The martial-civil dichotomy in Asian combatives
Classification & typologyDraeger, D.F. (1981). Hoplos, 3(1), 6–9.
Comprehensive Asian fighting arts ↗
Classification & typologyDraeger, D.F. & Smith, R.W. (1980). Kodansha International.
Meditative-religious traditions of fighting arts and martial ways
Classification & typologyMaliszewski, M. (1992). Journal of Asian Martial Arts, 1(3), 1–104.
The official martial artists handbook
Classification & typologyMitchell, D. (1984). Sphere Books.
Martial arts in the modern world
Classification & typologyGreen, T. & Svinth, J. (2003). Greenwood.
Weapons and systems
Classification & typologyArmstrong (1986). Hoplos, 5(1&2), 26–30.
The study of instinct
Ethology & behaviourTinbergen, N. (1951). Oxford University Press.
On aims and methods of ethology ↗
Ethology & behaviourTinbergen, N. (1963). Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie, 20, 410–433.
On aggression ↗
Ethology & behaviourLorenz, K. (2002). Routledge Classics.
Der Kumpan in der Umwelt des Vogels
Ethology & behaviourLorenz, K. (1935). Journal für Ornithologie, 83, 137–413.
Human ethology
Ethology & behaviourEibl-Eibesfeldt, I. (1989). Aldine de Gruyter.
Ethology: the biology of behavior
Ethology & behaviourEibl-Eibesfeldt, I. (1970).
The ethological approach to the study of human behavior
Ethology & behaviourKlein, Z. (1996). Int. J. Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Medicine, 8(Suppl.), 67–72.
The expression of the emotions in man and animals ↗
Ethology & behaviourDarwin, C. (1872). John Murray.
The naked ape ↗
Ethology & behaviourMorris, D. (1970). Bantam.
Beast and man: the roots of human nature
Ethology & behaviourMidgley, M. (2002). Routledge Classics.
The adapted mind: evolutionary psychology and the generation of culture
Ethology & behaviourBarkow, J., Cosmides, L. & Tooby, J. (1992). Oxford University Press.
Evolutionary game theory
Ethology & behaviourHolland Jones, J. (2008). Dept. of Anthropology, Stanford University.
Contest dynamics: general biomechanical theory of the contest sports ↗
Biomechanics & physicsSacripanti, A. (n.d.). University of Tor Vergata, Rome / ENEA, Italy.
Biomechanical classification of judo throwing techniques (Nage Waza) ↗
Biomechanics & physicsSacripanti, A. (1987). Int. Symp. of Biomechanics in Sport, Athens.
Biomechanical classification of wrestling standing techniques
Biomechanics & physicsSacripanti, A. (1988). Int. Symp. of Biomechanics in Sport, Bozeman.
Karate strikes
Biomechanics & physicsWalker, J.D. (1975). American Journal of Physics, 43, 845–849.
The physics of karate
Biomechanics & physicsWilk, S.R. et al. (1983). American Journal of Physics, 51, 783–790.
The physics of karate strikes
Biomechanics & physicsChananie, J. (1999). Journal of How Things Work, 1.
The physics of forces in aikido: making the weak equal to the strong
Biomechanics & physicsChananie (1980). Scientific American.
The physics of forces in judo: making the weak equal to the strong
Biomechanics & physicsChananie (1980). Scientific American.
How things work: the physics of everyday life
Biomechanics & physicsBloomfield, L.A. (1997). John Wiley & Sons.
Kinematical movement evaluation of the straight-line karate techniques
Biomechanics & physicsBardosi, Z. (1990). Proc. 8th Int. Symp. Society of Biomechanics in Sports, Prague, 23–30.
Biomechanical analysis of the front kick in the Shito-Ryu style of karate
Biomechanics & physicsAndrzejewski, X. & Elbaum, L. (n.d.). Florida International University, Miami.
A biomechanical analysis of taekwondo front-kicks
Biomechanics & physicsPark, Y.J. (1990). University of Oregon.
Analysis of the kicking leg in taekwondo
Biomechanics & physicsHwang, I.S. (1987). In Biomechanics in Sport III & IV, 39–47.
Biomechanical analysis of the Chinese martial arts forward snap kick and heel kick
Biomechanics & physicsLiu, Y., Chuang, L. & Lang, D. (1995). Chinese Martial Arts Research, 8, 45–72.
Biomechanical analysis of punching different targets in Chinese martial arts
Biomechanics & physicsChuang, L.-R., Ho, W.-H., Liu, Y. & Shiang, T.-Y. (n.d.). Chinese Culture University.
On the dynamics of karate
Biomechanics & physicsDiacu, F. (n.d.). Martial arts and mathematics.
The physics of martial arts: classical mechanics
Biomechanics & physicsMcGonagill, B. (2004).
Karate motion efficiency analysis
Biomechanics & physicsArus, E. (n.d.). Sendo-Ryu Karatedo Federation.
Caloric cost of martial arts training in novice participants
Physiology & conditioningGlass, S., Reeg, E.A. & Bierma, J.L. (2002). Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 5(4).
Aerobic and anaerobic power responses to the practice of taekwon-do ↗
Physiology & conditioningMelhim, A.F. (2001). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 35, 231–235.
Telemetered heart rates recorded during karate katas: a case study
Physiology & conditioningSchmidt, R.J. & Royer, F.M. (1973). Research Quarterly, 44, 501–505.
Heart rate and oxygen uptake response to performance of karate kata
Physiology & conditioningShaw, D.K. & Deutsch, D.T. (1982). Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 22, 461–468.
Oxygen uptake, heart rate and blood lactate responses to the Chito-Ryu Seisan kata
Physiology & conditioningZehr, E.P. & Sale, D.G. (1993). International Journal of Sports Medicine, 14, 269–274.
Heart rate response to taekwondo forms and technique combinations
Physiology & conditioningPieter, W., Taaffe, D. & Heijmans, J. (1990). Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 30, 97–102.
Heart rate and blood lactate responses to Chang Quan and Daoshu forms of modern wushu
Physiology & conditioningRibeiro, J.L. et al. (2006). Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, CSSI, 1–4.
Respiratory functions in kalaripayattu practitioners ↗
Physiology & conditioningKesava Chandran, C., Harikumaran Nair, R. & Shashidhar, S. (2004). Indian J. Physiology and Pharmacology, 48(2), 235–240.
The dynamics of aggression: biological and social processes in dyads and groups
Violence & conflictArcher, J. (1994). Routledge.
Physical aggression as a function of perceived fighting ability and provocation
Violence & conflictArcher, J. & Benson, D. (2008). Aggressive Behavior, 34, 9–24.
Sources of conflict between young men in the context of the night out
Violence & conflictArcher, J. & Benson, D. (2002). Psychology, Evolution & Gender, 4(1), 3–30.
Mate value, entitlement, physical aggression, size and strength among young Indian men
Violence & conflictArcher, J. & Thanzami, V. (2009). Evolution and Human Behavior, 30, 315–321.
Dying for control: men, murder and sub-lethal violence
Violence & conflictBrookman, F. (1999). British Society of Criminology Conference Proceedings, 3.
The anatomy of human destructiveness ↗
Violence & conflictFromm, E. (1973). Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Aggression and the self: high self-esteem, low self-control, and ego threat
Violence & conflictBaumeister, R.F. & Boden, J.M. (1998).
Culture of honor: the psychology of violence in the South ↗
Violence & conflictNisbett, R.E. & Cohen, D. (1996). Westview.
The neurobiology of violence: an update
Violence & conflictVolavka, J. (1999). Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 11(3), 307–314.
Violence: six sideways reflections
Violence & conflictŽižek, S. (2009). Profile Books.
Habit(us), body techniques and body callusing: an ethnography of mixed martial arts
Violence & conflictSpencer, D.C. (2009). Body & Society, 15, 119–143.
The pugilistic point of view: how boxers think and feel about their trade
Violence & conflictWacquant, L.J.D. (1995). Theory and Society, 24(4), 489–535.
Boxing and society: an international analysis
Violence & conflictSugden, J. (1996). Manchester University Press.
Les techniques du corps ↗
Violence & conflictMauss, M. (1936). Journal de Psychologie, 32(3–4).
Combat sports in the ancient world: competition, violence and culture ↗
Violence & conflictPoliakoff, M.B. (1987). Yale University Press.
Theorizing Bruce Lee: film-fantasy-fighting-philosophy
Martial arts studiesBowman, P. (2010). Rodopi.
The globalization of martial arts
Martial arts studiesBowman, P. (2010). In Martial Arts of the Modern World (2nd ed.).
Enter the Zizekian: Bruce Lee, martial arts, and the problem of knowledge
Martial arts studiesBowman, P. (2007). School of Arts, Roehampton University.
The institutionalization of martial arts
Martial arts studiesCynarski, W.J. (2006). European Journal for Sport and Society, 3(1), 55–61.
Perception, understanding and adaptation of Asian martial arts in the West
Martial arts studiesCynarski, W.J., Sieber, L. & Litwiniuk, A. (2005). Archives of Budo, 1, 13–18.
Some questions accompanying the acculturation of Japanese martial arts
Martial arts studiesShishida, F. (2008). Waseda University, 5, 197–211.
Trattato di scientia d'arme ↗
Historical treatisesAgrippa, C. (1553). Milan.
The martial arts of Renaissance Europe ↗
Historical treatisesAnglo, S. (2000). Yale University Press.
The secret history of the sword: adventures in ancient martial arts
Historical treatisesAmberger, J.C. (1998). Hammerterz Forum.
Schools and masters of fencing: from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century ↗
Historical treatisesCastle, E. (2003). Dover.
English martial arts
Historical treatisesBrown, T. (1997). Anglo-Saxon Books.
Medieval combat: a fifteenth-century illustrated manual of swordfighting ↗
Historical treatisesTalhoffer, H. (2000). Trans. M. Rector. Greenhill Books.
The art of combat: a German martial arts treatise of 1570 ↗
Historical treatisesMeyer, J. (2006). Trans. J.L. Forgeng. Greenhill Books.
The academy of the sword (L'academie de l'espee) ↗
Historical treatisesThibault d'Anvers, G. (2006). Trans. J.M. Greer. Chivalry Bookshelf.
The art of defence on foot with the broadsword and sabre ↗
Historical treatisesTaylor, J. (1804). T. Egerton, London.
Trattato di scherma
Historical treatisesMarchionni, A. (1847). Dai Tipi Federigo Bencini.
Trattato in materia di scherma ↗
Historical treatisesDocciolini, M. (1601).
Japanese swordsmanship: technique and practice
Historical treatisesWarner, G. & Draeger, D.F. (1982). Weatherhill.
Kata and the transmission of knowledge in traditional martial arts
Kata & transmissionRosenbaum, M. (2004). YMAA Publication Center.
Kata: the folk dances of Shotokan
Kata & transmissionRedmond, R. (2008). 4th ed.
Kata: the key to understanding and dealing with the Japanese
Kata & transmissionDe Mente, B. (2003). Tuttle.
The way of kata: a comprehensive guide to deciphering martial applications ↗
Kata & transmissionKane, L.A. & Wilder, K. (2005). YMAA Publication Center.
Hidden karate: the true bunkai for the Heian katas and Naihanchi
Kata & transmissionHigaki, G. (n.d.). KIAI, LLC.
Classical kata of Okinawan karate ↗
Kata & transmissionMcCarthy, P. & Lee, M. (1987). Black Belt Communications.
Shotokan's secret: the hidden truth behind karate's fighting origins ↗
Kata & transmissionClayton, B.D. (2004). Black Belt Communications.
Karate: the art of 'empty hand' fighting ↗
Kata & transmissionNishiyama, H. & Brown, R.C. (1990). Tuttle.
The logic of scientific discovery ↗
Philosophy of sciencePopper, K.R. (1959; orig. 1934).
From being to becoming
Philosophy of sciencePrigogine, I. (1980). W.H. Freeman & Co.
Axiology: the science of values
Philosophy of scienceBahm, A.J. (1993). Rodopi.
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Primary sources
Where the history is kept
The Company of Masters of the Noble Science of Defence ↗
historicalThe 1540 institution that named defence a science — the discipline’s lineage.
Wiktenauer — HEMA treatises ↗
archiveThe primary-source manuscripts of historical European martial arts.
Open data
The datasets behind the Field
Released under CC-BY 4.0, upstream source licences honoured. Every figure in the Field is generated from these.
rear-hand-cross.datums.csv ↓
datasetAll sourced data points for the rear-hand cross, with tier, method, sample and citation.
rear-hand-cross.datums.json ↓
datasetThe same data as structured JSON, for reuse.
rear-hand-cross.comparison.csv ↓
datasetThe cross-system comparison matrix (boxing / karate / fencing).
Method
How to read the evidence
Every datum in the Field carries an evidence tier, so a laboratory measurement is never mistaken for an expert’s judgement or a contested claim.
MeasuredDirect instrumentation — force plate, motion capture, EMG.
EpidemiologicalInjury surveillance and clinical studies.
Expert-elicitedStructured practitioner judgement — labelled opinion.
TheoreticalDerived from principle or model, not yet measured.
HistoricalFrom primary sources, with interpretive caveats.
Contested / gapAuthorities disagree, or standardised data is lacking.
Authority here comes from the convergence of many disciplines and transparent sources — not from any one voice. Where the literature is genuinely divided (the psychology of killing is the standard example, its foundational firing-rate data long discredited), the Field shows the dispute rather than resolving it.