A Superhero With An Arrow

    One show I've got into lately was the CW superhero TV series Arrow. It's been one of the best shows I've seen in a while and because of the rise of Superhero films the last few years, it's only fitting to put them on TV as well. This was on Netflix so I really had a chance to get into it, no commercials so I loved learning about the characters and the stories that unfolded. If you haven't read or heard of the Green Arrow, it's about a rich kid who becomes an Archer much like Robin Hood but with a twist. One thing hit me with this show is not just the action, the drama or him shooting these kick ass arrows but the training scenes; they're very unique in the way where you never see this type of training on practically any TV show, we're talking Ninja Warrior type stuff, Handstand Push-ups, Win Chun, Combat Training it's very unusual but awesome.

 
    The training scenes bring a different element to a show where it's not like a Rocky montage but what a hero literally does in his time while going after the bad guys. Normally you'd see anything close in a cartoon which exaggerates everything but in a full on TV show with real people it's practically realistic maybe not completely but it's there in some form. A lot of what this guy does on the show is mainly bodyweight and handles his strength in a very unique way. The way he was taught to train his hands before he even pulled a bow was similar to what shaolin monks would use in their training. Archery is a very old school skill set that dates back to the Remote Past where guns didn't exist and the Bow & Arrow was the number 1 weapon of its time, forget swords and spiked maces, the arrow was a weapon for elite fighters of war. To even train for the strongest bow takes years of not just practice but also pure hardcore strength that needed exact progression otherwise in battle if you missed too many times you would be kicked out. You had to learn how to handle a target from practically every angle, not just straight into a bulls eye like in a contest, you needed precision and accuracy from as many targets as possible. Some of the strongest men of the time couldn't pull back a heavy bow, those that could, had powerful tendons, super strong shoulders and an incredible pull back that envied many men.

 
    The way to sum up Green Arrow is if Robin Hood had Batman's money and unique tools. Although in the cartoons those two are part of the Justice League only one of them has actually killed. Batman is one of the top superheroes of all-time period but he also doesn't have the warrior's side to kill if needed and that part of him can be argued, however with Arrow; he's got some legit reasons in the show and comics and like the story of Robin Hood, steal from the rich and give to the poor. Each person that he has taken a life from has a purpose to it and although I don't condone superheroes killing, I could understand the need to.

 
    I love some of the training Stephen Amell does on the show and although he did a completely different type of training for the role, the fact of the matter is, he's not this overly muscle bound looking bodybuilder, he looks like a real athlete that can do some pretty gnarly stuff. He looks like what a superhero should be, athletic, strong, agile and flexible. It's an inspiration to see a realistic physique and not something grotesque like Ronnie Coleman. I'm not surprised if there were things he used to help build his body and I don't care, fact is he's got something awesome to use and I much prefer a physique like that with the strength and athleticism to back it up. Check out the show on Netflix if you haven't yet or get the first 2 seasons on DVD. It's worth a watch.

 
Happy Halloween everyone, have a blast, dress up with your most kick ass costumes and get some great candy for the night, watch a horror flick. Be awesome