For a normal person, if you lean at a 45 degree angle, the Earth’s gravity will definitely make you fall face down on the floor immediately. So how does the king of pop perform this dance skillfully?
Michael Jackson is known as a talented singer, dancer, actor… In 1988, the king of pop surprised the world with his gravity-defying dance in the MV ”Smooth Criminal”.
In one scene, Jackson and several of his dancers lean forward 45 degrees, backs straight, feet flat on the floor, holding the position until they return to an upright position with ease.
Michael Jackson and his 45-degree dance that defies gravity. Photo: Internet.
Not only in that music video, even on stage, Michael Jackson could also perform this dance skillfully, surprising the audience below. Many people have exclaimed: ” It’s unbelievable, normal people cannot lean forward 45 degrees compared to the ground, because the Earth’s gravity will make them face down on the floor immediately. ”.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Nishant Yagnick, a veteran neuroscientist who works at the Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, claims it’s really impossible to do that: ” He must have a trick to do this. You can bend 25 or 30 degrees forward, at most, before you fall .”
His colleague Dr. Manjul Tripathi, another fan of Jackson also said ” I tried to do it and I fell down “.
Bending at a 45 degree angle for a normal person is compared to Michael Jackson’s amazing bend. Photo: Internet.
Doctors have explained, when the human body bends forward with a straight back, the muscles of the pectoral muscles that run parallel to our vertebrae “act like cables” and support the body as if center of gravity change. But the center of gravity when bending is transferred to the ankles, those erector muscles are not the main support. Instead, stress is placed on the calf and Achilles tendon, which aren’t really built for that role.
Most trained dancers with strong core strength will achieve a maximum of 25 or 30 degrees of forward bending while performing this action. Even though he had a special body, Michael Jackson couldn’t do it without help. So he and his team invented a special shoe that could keep him from falling to the floor while tilting.
The world has unveiled Michael Jackson’s dance and discovered that the shoes were one of the key points. Photo: Internet
Patented on October 26, 1993, the shoes have a specially designed heel slot that can be removed with a hook (like a nail) that projects through the stage surface by simply sliding the foot. of the person wearing the shoe forward.
However, experts confirm that even with such shoes, it is difficult for normal people to lean at a 45-degree angle. Dr. Yagnick asserts: ” Normal people, even with shoes, probably can’t do that. It takes a lot of practice to develop muscles, abdominal muscles… to get strength Only then can we do it like Michael Jackson .”
Many viewers have watched Jackson and his dancers perform beautiful choreography on videos and in concerts. To them, the dances look like “magic”. ” When Michael Jackson released the video and then made waves on stages around the world, people didn’t know he had these ‘magic’ shoes .” Mr. Yagnick smiled and said.
In fact, they discovered Michael Jackson mostly kept his balance on his heels. Scientists have shown that the success of the leaning dance in “Smooth Criminal” mostly comes from Michael Jackson’s ability to control his muscles and spine. The sole of the shoe is also important, but it’s mainly just a fulcrum!
