Your Fight Scene on Heat (FightWrite™)

Here, in Houston, Texas, and throughout the southern states of the U.S., we are at the wagging tail end of what the old folks called the “dog days” of summer: a 40-day stretch of the most humid and hot days of the year. Not only are these six weeks the most dangerous in temperature, they are the most criminally violent as well. While dogs may be man’s best friend, the dog days can be anything but.

(Breaking Down a Literary Fight Scene (FightWrite™))

In this post with FightWrite™ on the WD blog, we will look at how higher temps can impact the behavior of our punchy characters, as well as how they do violence.  

If you have ever heard a weather forecaster say that the hot temperatures coming to your city would be a killer, they were unfortunately right in more ways than one. There is a definite link between high temperature and hot temperament. One study found that for every increase in 1°C (about 1.8°F) of temperature, violent crime increases by nearly 2 percent.

While the connection between hot weather and violence has been proven, the exact reasoning for that connection isn’t so clear. It could be a matter of opportunity. When the weather is warmer, people are simply out and about more, especially at night. This provides greater opportunity for negative engagement between people in areas with decreased visibility. That’s not a great recipe for peaceful interaction.

It could also be a matter of biology. When our body attempts to cool itself, it diverts blood to the surface of the body, allowing heat to escape through the skin. Unfortunately, this cooling process alters blood flow to the brain which can impact our decision-making skills and executive function. Put simply: When you are hot, you are not at your best cognitively.

Sometimes, that increase of violence is a combination of both opportunity and biology. When people get together in groups, alcohol tends to consumed. When you add alcohol to public interaction on a hot day, you have an even greater chance for conflict. Because heat increases sweating, dehydration happens quicker which speeds up the effects of alcohol. Add that to a thought process already impacted by the body’s effort to cool itself and you have a major impact on judgment which can prove deadly. As many as 40 percent of convicted murderers report having consumed alcohol before or during the commission of their crime.

Now that we know hot weather impacts our characters’ behavior, let’s see how that temperature could also impact the actual fight. Outside of the fact that our characters are more likely to get into a fight, that heat will impact them biologically in a way that pertains directly to the brawl. Those steamy temps can influence fight strategy. 

I used to train in a jiujitsu gym that did not have an air conditioner. Yes, in Houston, Texas. On average, I would lose four pounds of sweat in class. The bigger men might lose as much as 10. I absolutely know the impact of fighting in heat. I have also trained to a level of overheating and suffered the repercussions.

Fighting in high temperatures is something to which your body can acclimate—to a point. There are certain temperatures that the body will not tolerate. We are not looking at that sort of heat. We are looking at a fight in temperatures that makes sweat trickle down your temple without exertion, whatever that heat is for you. Yes, I know that is a broad range and humidity will play a part as well. Also, the age and fitness level of your character will have an impact. Lots of variables here. Thankfully, we as writers have a fair amount of wiggle room with details such as these. We can write the heat without giving it a number.

Fighting enacts our body’s survival system which increases adrenaline. That adrenaline speeds up the heart which intensifies the impact of heat on the body. In response to the faster heart rate and heat, the body will demand more oxygen to help it not only transport more oxygenated blood but also cool down its core temperature.

What that equates to is your character breathing very hard and not feeling as if they are breathing enough. They may find themselves heaving through their mouth rather than their nose, which, ironically, brings more air but less oxygen into the body. Your character will tire more quickly and their body will feel heavy. Their head will throb and they may vomit in the midst of fighting. None of that is good for offense or escape.

Perspiration on the skin has a major impact on fighting and fight strategy. First, punches don’t “stick” as well on slippery skin. They tend to glance off which lessens their potency. Also, skin is less likely to split when it is warm and sweaty. If you are on the receiving end of a punch that is great. If you are the one throwing the strike, it can be a real pain.

It is also difficult to hold on to a sweaty opponent. If you are the one being grabbed, that’s great. You can more easily slip out of a grasp or hold. If you are the one trying to hold on to the slippery foe, you will need to use more anchors. Grabbing clothing is helpful but clothing can rip or slip off. Winding legs around limbs and using the arms to completely encompass rather than a hand to grab are more secure options. The more holds you can have on a slippery opponent, the better.

Speaking of clothing, people tend to wear less clothing when it is hot. This makes movement much easier which is great. It also means less protection against hot pavement which isn’t so good. Less and lighter clothing can also make it easier to spot bulky contraband. Your villainous character will need to be mindful of where they place their weaponry. And, if it’s hot, your character is more likely to use weaponry.

Choice of weaponry is dependent upon where your fight takes place in the world. Bear in mind that a grip is impacted by a sweaty hand. Because the efficient use of a knife generally requires a firmer grasp, one, for a longer amount of time, two, under the impact of an opposing force, three, it might be better for your assailing character to choose a weapon that achieves its goal faster without as much resistance. Of course, you can also use how sweat impacts grip to your defending character’s advantage.

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Sweat also impacts how blood flows. Sweat-mingled blood streams and slings all over the place. If you want more DNA in your crime scene, sweat will definitely be your friend. And, yes, apart from the blood, sweat can be a source of DNA. That is not because sweat itself contains DNA cells. It does not. Sweat can contain DNA because of the skin cells it can grab as it streams or collects on clothing.

As far as decomposition … oof. If you need your fight casualty to be around a while, heat is not the way to go. High temperature speeds up how the body breaks down. That rapid rate of decomposition increases putrescene production which attracts insect and animal activity. Putrescene is the gas the body creates when it breaks down. All of that means the mortality you write will need to be discovered more quickly.

Let’s say that, thankfully, your character has survived. Their first order of business after fighting in the heat is to cool off.  Have the character go into cooler temperature as quickly as they can, take off as much clothing as possible, especially shoes and hats, and sit down. They should sip water not chug it. If they drink too quickly that water may come back up. The medical reviews on how cold the water should be are mixed. Some say as cold as possible, others say that will cause stomach cramps.

My advice is that if your character has access to ice water, they should take a sip and then pour a little on their neck and chest. If you watch MMA or boxing, you will notice that when the fighter goes to their corner, the corner crew will put a bag of ice on the fighter’s neck or chest. These are areas where blood is near the surface. Ice packs can also be placed on the armpits and groin. And no matter how tempting it might be, your character should not jump into an ice bath or even a cold pool. That will cause the heart to beat faster and the body will be gasping for breath all over again.

If your character can’t stop sweating after taking time to cool down, they may have heat exhaustion. They may take a cool shower, dry off, then notice they have to dry off again and again because the sweat will not stop. Their body may ache, especially large muscles like the thighs. They may also feel dizzy and have nausea. Also, they may have diarrhea. Yes, a symptom of dehydration can be diarrhea. Bodies are weird. I cannot stress that enough.

If your character feels hot but notices that they are no longer sweating, they are at risk of a heat stroke. They may have a pounding headache and heartbeat, feel confused, and light headed. At this stage of overheating, they are at risk of convulsions and losing consciousness. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Muscles can break down, spreading toxins in the body, and vital organs can be irrevocably damaged.

Heat is an opponent every character fighting in it will battle. High temperatures have a cognitive and physical impact on fighters and the strategy with which they fight. Regardless of how much “dog” your character has in them, the dog days have sharper teeth. That is wonderful news for us writers. Heat is yet another way we can manipulate our scenes to best serve our stories. Because no matter how vicious the dog days of summer are in the real world, on the page, we writers are its master.

Until the next round with FightWrite™ on the WD Blog, get blood on your pages. And, stay cool out there!