#gymkata

Don’t make me get blood on my work clothes, Gymkata!

Well, this looks suspicious

Clearly making new friends during his first term at college and investigating criminal activities can't go hand in hand. How sad.

However... these foolish muggers have forgotten that not only is Dick a trained martial artist, but he is also knows...

Because when he DOES track these offenders down (by way of their unique orange sneakers) to the Kappa Zeta frathouse (Which is probably going on super secret double probation after this) he decides to do it by also putting on a bit of a show!

Dick clearly feels he has something to prove if he's going to make a name for himself as Hudson U's first actual superhero.

And when it's over....

Well, that would have been exciting to watch, wouldn't it kiddies?

Whilst I can't do that, I should explain the Gymkata reference, it's a fabulously awful movie from 1985.

And there is no way that this deeply, truly, wonderfully dreadful movie is not one of Dick Grayson’s guilty pleasure, as it concerns an Olympic gymnast turned martial artist is recruited by the Special Intelligence Agency for… reasons that are WAY too dumb for me to to explain.

Suffice it to say that a village in the fictional cliche-ridden country of Parmistan soon discovers how silly it was to put a pommel horse in their town square when a MASTER OF GYMKATA is present.

The lead actor was Kurt Thomas, a genuinely brilliant, Olympic competitive gymnast. Sadly his acting was... not so hot, but honestly, if ever there was a martial art which looked like I imagine Dick Grayson moves, it'd be this... case in point

And the fact I know this is also the reason that I remember being the only person to laugh out loud at this moment from The LEGO Batman Movie.

New Episode: Till the Last Gasp with Alex Roberts

IT'S A SHOWDOWN OF ULTIMATE COMBAT ON THE STREETS OF [Marketing, insert a fake European country name here. - Ed.] Two world-class gymnasts and masters of martial arts square off in the streets. Who will walk away on top???

So, in stories where a woman fights a man & is supposed to come out the victor, it'd be nice to see these women use methods that would IRL help a woman win in a fight.

Things that utilize a woman's natural strengths over men, such as flexibility, agility, balance, dexterity, & ability to change direction at a moment's notice.

Because of all these things, women are naturally better at gymnastics than men, so fighting styles that would flow well when paired with it would likely be best.

Also styles that involve using your opponent's strength & size against them. Something that allows women to escape or dodge holds.

I've seen Judo, Brazillian Jiujitsu, & Aikido recommended to learn how to throw people bigger & stronger than you. There's also Muay Boran, which I think is the self-defense version of Muay Thai.

I've seen someone recommend Jiu Jitsu as having the best technique to use in order to weasel out of a grab & then run.

Apparently in Judo, you learn a lot of powerful techniques to take someone out from the floor.

I've also seen someone say that, if you're looking for a good dojo, to not go with any that focus hard on competitions as, apparently, they're more likely to have removed so much from the actual arts themselves that they're all-but-useless in real situations.

Add all this to the typical Women's Self-Defense where it's recommended you go aggressive for the eyes, nose, windpipe, & groin. As well as several escape maneuvers.

Now, in a fictional world, I'd like to also say gymkata or Martial Arts Rhythmic Gynastics would be good things to learn. At the same time, I don't know if gymkata is even a real thing or if it's just an old comedy movie that was then referenced in a Lego movie.

However, I would like to think that if it did exist, it'd be the sort of martial art that would cater to a woman's strengths specifically.

That, plus Bellet Kenpo & Acro Ballet.