Iron....Anatomy

[Bikewer]

I'm reading Mary Roach's new book about sex research, "Bonk". Hilarious and informative.
I'm on the chapter about "erectile disfunction", and she mentions the Chinese kung-fu (or perhaps Quigong) "discipline" rendered as "iron crotch".

This involves (apparently) training one's...bits to withstand blows, perform feats of lifting and pulling, and similar feats. She mentions that there is at least one instructional DVD available, and there are a number of YouTube videos up.

Like this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x7-gHCLPcA

Just search for Iron Crotch or Iron Anatomy. A number of "feats" are depicted...

Roach relates this information with great humor, obviously rather bemused by the whole idea.

I've been rather a student of the Asian fighting arts for a long time, and I admit I've never heard of this. The videos are extremely suspicious. Apparently for the sake of modesty, one never sees the tow rope or whatever actually attached to the appropriate organ. Instead, we see the assistant and the practitioner fumbling around under the fellow's rather bulky garment. Fairly easy to conceal a harness under there, I'd think.
Another bit of footage shows an assistant apparently hanging by a rope attached to the practitioner's...Anatomy. Again, the fellow has his back turned, and you can't really see anything.
This all reminds me of the popular "geek" sideshow attractions that have toured the country in recent years. Very similar things are shown; lifting weights and such...

The utility of such "training" seems rather suspect, as well. According to the blurb for one of the DVDs, one can not only withstand blows, but the practice improves one's health and "vitality".
And I thought that the Japanese had some odd things going on....

 

[Wudang]

Context: a lot of these tricks were to rope in punters for itinerant teachers - much like old US medicine shows. Same with other stunts like "here is a stack of bricks, you sir, tell me which brick you want to break when I strike the pile".
Some are probably related to the various stunts regarding skin elasticity and tensile strength that some Indian skeptics have shown duplicate various guru's "magic" powers. Link, anyone, my google-fu is weak today?

 

[uk_dave]

I tried this once, but never progressed past 'wood'.

 

[Bikewer]

I forgot to mention that according to Roach, this particular practice is part of the "Nine Mysterious Kung Fu" methods. (again, something I've never heard of) According to her, #6 is a technique whereby certain liquids are drawn back up into the body via a soda straw inserted into.... Well, no further explanation seems necessary.

I must do more research on this; I'm dying to find out about the other seven.....

 

[Wudang]

You could also google on "Ryan Parker kiko" - he does/did(?) demoes where he'd invite people to punch him in the throat, kick his yarbles etc. At least one person on the forum has seen him. Anyhoo he has written fairly clearly about his training methods which don't involve straws.

 

[Beerina]

Apparently for the sake of modesty, one never sees the tow rope or whatever actually attached to the appropriate organ. Instead, we see the assistant...fumbling around under the fellow's rather bulky garment.

"It's not quite attached properly. Can you re-adjust it?"

(A few more minutes of fumbling...)

"Ok, that's better, but it's a bit pinched. Can you adjust it again?"

(A few more minutes of fumbling...)

"Oh yeah, it's almost perfect. Now just twist it around a bit so I don't have an issue with the actual lift."

(A few more minutes of fumbling...)

"Oh geeze, almost there. Now just test yank on the rope a few dozen times to make sure it's solid. Yeah. Don't stop. Keep yankin' the rope. Don't stop until I tell you, ok?"

 

[Starthinker]

I'm not sure about pulling, but I could push a truck with my erect organ.

 

[Lynx2174]

When I saw the title, I immediately thought "balls of steel". I just had to be right...

 

[The Atheist]

Try these guys.

Their forum operates a little like this one - but debunking myths in martial arts rather than everywhere. Good, fun people there, they'll love it.