The slow motion punch is a trope often seen in boxing movies. Time recedes as a fist shoots up into the air, making contact with the other combatant’s face. Sweat gushes out and the boxer’s cup gets deformed. The Slow Mo Guys on YouTube rendered their own version of this footage on Sunday with an extremely slow-motion look at a soccer ball (soccer for you Brits) impacting a face.
The Slow Mo Guys first tackled this kind of stunt in a video from 2010, but the latest version uses the latest camera technology and comes in at a much slower speed, giving us an even more visceral look at the impact. Co-host Daniel Gruchy is the semi-willing recipient of the ball, which is delivered to his noggin by fellow idle guy Gavin Free.
The Slow Mo Guys fill the balloon with water to exaggerate the impact. We see the waterfall in slower and slower motion, and finally witness the event at the incredible speed of 1,120 times slower than in real time. The ball crashes. Gruchy’s face smashes. You can’t look away.
Despite sacrificing her face for YouTube views, Gruchy seems to be doing well. We also find ourselves with a deep appreciation for using air-filled balls in games, rather than water-filled ones.
