With A Little Help From My Two Little Friends!

[sensei8]

Also, these "two friends" are NOT for first initial engagements, no, these "two friends" are there for whenever an attacker drops his/her guard and/or leaves an opening unattended. Then, my "two friends" while my attacker and I are grappling/wrestling, can reach in, around, behind, through to help me.

Remember, ones a simple pinch to the skin just under the chin/jaw and the other is a simple grip to either side of the jaw, AND WITH THIS, my "two friends" are not finishers, no, they just redirect the engagement so that I can have the upperhand for just long enough, while my attacker is distracted, just enough for me to initiate my next counter-attack! My "two friends" have the ability to give my attacker a slight pause in their attack by giving my attacker something else to think about for a moment, kind of like the attacker going...."Hey, what gives and stop that!" When that happens, they forget about their initial attack by either lessen the attack or stopping it all together. Either way, I'm no longer fighting their fight, even if for a milli-second and that's all I want/need.

Many techniques in the martial arts aren't designed to finish the attack, but, to simply change the current flow into something that will allow the finishing technique to occur. A feint or a jab, either one will cause a disruption in my attackers flow so that I'm no longer fighting their fight, but, I'm fighting my fight. This is what my "two friends" can do.

Is it full proof? Well...nothing is....but it's a start.

That's it. Simple, direct, and to the point!

Edited November 22, 2009 by sensei8

[Kuma]

Pressure points are just too risky IMO. They're small targets, most require direct pressure so the opponent needs to be controlled in some way, and they're unreliable. There's some pressure points that have no effect on me whatsoever, and then there's one or two that have a good effect. Everyone's different, so what works well on me might not on someone else and vice versa. Now you have the problem of where to attack first.

Actually, one of the points you mentioned, the hypoglossal, is one of the ones that doesn't bug me much at all. It's uncomfortable, but not enough to temporarily incapacitate me. Points are tough to rely on.

[sensei8]

Pressure points are just too risky IMO. They're small targets, most require direct pressure so the opponent needs to be controlled in some way, and they're unreliable. There's some pressure points that have no effect on me whatsoever, and then there's one or two that have a good effect. Everyone's different, so what works well on me might not on someone else and vice versa. Now you have the problem of where to attack first.

Actually, one of the points you mentioned, the hypoglossal, is one of the ones that doesn't bug me much at all. It's uncomfortable, but not enough to temporarily incapacitate me. Points are tough to rely on.

You're right. Pressure points are risky, but, something is better than nothing to try. I've trained in pressure points my entire martial arts life, but, even then, I know that it might or might not work. That's when it's time for a new plan...quick!

You mentioned that the hypoglossal is UNCOMFORTABLE and this is all I want for that milli-second for my attacker. I don't expect it to end the attack nor do I expect it to have my attacker wet his/her pants. I just want to distract my attacker just long enough for him/her to release or lessen the attack.

A sneeze is quick and simple enough, but, boy, a sneeze can cause a pause. That's all I want....to cause a pause in my attackers plan...so I can have a turn.

[RichardZ]

Pressure points are just too risky IMO. They're small targets, most require direct pressure so the opponent needs to be controlled in some way, and they're unreliable. There's some pressure points that have no effect on me whatsoever, and then there's one or two that have a good effect. Everyone's different, so what works well on me might not on someone else and vice versa. Now you have the problem of where to attack first.

Actually, one of the points you mentioned, the hypoglossal, is one of the ones that doesn't bug me much at all. It's uncomfortable, but not enough to temporarily incapacitate me. Points are tough to rely on.

I agree. And this is what I am alluding to.

Somewhere, I had posted, people react different.

Also, after 40 years in martial arts, experiencing and observing street confrontations, brawls, etc., there is no time, no premeditative thought to execute any pressure point. It is more improbable than impossible.

[Jay]

Interesting, however is it not just easier to hit them.

[sensei8]

Interesting, however is it not just easier to hit them.

Sure, one would think so. But, sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. Why? The summation of 'why' is to the summation of 'because'!

[Kuma]

You mentioned that the hypoglossal is UNCOMFORTABLE and this is all I want for that milli-second for my attacker. I don't expect it to end the attack nor do I expect it to have my attacker wet his/her pants. I just want to distract my attacker just long enough for him/her to release or lessen the attack.

I consider "uncomfortable" different from "painful" though. Uncomfortable means I'm aware of it but I can block it out because it doesn't mean anything. Think of it as if you take a light punch from someone in the stomach. You know it hit, but it didn't do anything to hinder you from your own offense. Painful is where it gets recognized as something that is actually injuring you and you can't help but react to it.

[RichardZ]

You mentioned that the hypoglossal is UNCOMFORTABLE and this is all I want for that milli-second for my attacker. I don't expect it to end the attack nor do I expect it to have my attacker wet his/her pants. I just want to distract my attacker just long enough for him/her to release or lessen the attack.

I consider "uncomfortable" different from "painful" though. Uncomfortable means I'm aware of it but I can block it out because it doesn't mean anything. Think of it as if you take a light punch from someone in the stomach. You know it hit, but it didn't do anything to hinder you from your own offense. Painful is where it gets recognized as something that is actually injuring you and you can't help but react to it.

I agree. And the reaction of uncomfortable or pain tolerance varies upon each individual. The probable of it doing what one may think it should do, will have one to a rude awakening to how nearly it was impossible, and a waste of time, and could be their demise against one who has much experience with strong threholds. I put little faith into such "magic bullet", "little friends", pressure points from my expereince and observations.

[sensei8]

My point is this. I'm not trying to convince anybody of the effectiveness or the ineffectiveness of "my two friends" in this venue because we can't experiment with our differing opinions through seeing our words come to fruitition.

I just believe in them and they work because I make them work! Why? How? I know myself and what IS probable and possible because I know of my own resolve and my own resolve is undeniable. If I don't believe in myself and in the things of Shindokan, others won't either.

Again, the summation of 'why' is to the summation of 'because'!!!!!

[RichardZ]

Be truthful here. Has anyone really used these two friends or said pressure points as a means in a actual streert confrontation? Anmd I am not talking about highschool, or weak college types.

Believing in oneself is one thing. Being complacent in such tactics is another.