A Practical Approach to Pressure Points

[Wastelander]

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community.

Most, if not all, people involved in martial arts have heard of pressure points in some fashion - kyusho, dim mak, poison hand, death touch, etc. There are entire books and DVD series on the subject, and a wide array of seminars where you can "learn the secrets of pressure point fighting." On the other hand, there are huge numbers of combat sports competitors, martial artists and scientists, who believe that there is no such thing as an effective pressure point. It is a controversial subject but, as is usually the case, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. This article will briefly cover how to approach pressure points in a practical manner.

What Are "Pressure Points"?

What most people call "pressure points" are really more accurately described by the terms "vulnerable points" or "weak points." They are places on the body that are more susceptible to injury, or the introduction of pain, than the rest of the body. An example that everyone is familiar with is the "funny bone" point — the spot where the ulnar nerve passes through the elbow and is unprotected by muscle. While many of these points are nerve-related, there are also many that are not, including the knee joint, the iliotibial band, the liver, the carotid sinus and the temple. It is necessary to learn where pressure points are on the body, what effect they can have when attacked and how they should be attacked.

The Effects of Pressure Points

When used against a healthy, non-resistant person, quite a large number of pressure points can be effective, and studying their effects can be very educational. Some points can cause a temporary loss of consciousness or motor control, some can cause the legs or arms to weaken, some can cause pain, some can cause muscles to cramp, some can cause breathing inhibition, and some can cause vision disruption. All of these points may also be more susceptible to certain types of attack, such as striking, pushing or rubbing. While the locations of these points can be found in books and diagrams, much practice is required to get a feel for where they are and how to attack them to get the greatest effect. It is important to remember that not all of these points will work on everyone, and they will work even less often when used on a person who is resistant and fighting back. For this reason, it is important to focus on training pressure points that you can safely and reliably access in a self defense situation, that produce the desired effect a majority of the time.

Incorporating Pressure Points in Training

While there are a great number of pressure points on the body, only a small number of them are likely to be readily accessible in a fight. These are generally points that do not require you to be behind your attacker and do not require them, or you, to be in any awkward or unnatural positions in order to access them. They should also not compromise your defense; utilizing both of your hands to attack the pressure points while your attacker has one or both hands free, for example. These criteria will allow you to keep your training focused on practical targets, and your exploration of their effects should have taught you how much force is required when attacking them. This means that, in your training, you can strike, push or rub the vast majority of the pressure points available to you, at a level that is safe, while still receiving feedback. Some targets, like the eyes, may require protective gear for safety reasons, but most will not.

The Reality

Pressure points cannot be relied on to end a fight and should not be the only attacks that you use in your training. You might miss, the attacker may not be susceptible to a particular attack, or factors like cold, layers of clothing or the influence of drugs might diminish the effect. The successful use of pressure point attacks should be treated as extra credit, rather than the end goal or you can end up in deeper water when you try to use them. When training, it is helpful to incorporate pressure points, but to train as if they will fail to produce their intended effect. This will help keep you grounded in reality, as non-compliant training will quickly reveal the unintended consequences you may face when utilizing impractical pressure points. If you consistently fail to affect a point in training, or you consistently end up on the losing side of your engagements when using a point in training, then that point should be dropped. Martial arts training is meant to be a process of constant improvement of self and of technique, so evaluate yourself and your material as objectively as possible, as often as possible.

[Patrick]

Thank you for the submission, Noah.

Patrick

[sensei8]

Nice article, thank you for it!! It's a general description of Kyusho jitsu, imho!!

Your last paragraph, "The Reality", seems to approach pressure points as a naysayer of its effectiveness. There, you've lost faith and when you lose faith, then you've lost the altercation before its even started.

"The successful use of pressure point attacks should be treated as extra credit, rather than the end goal or you can end up in deeper water when you try to use them."

I'm a proponent of Kyusho jitsu, and its effectiveness. I believe in it. That means, if I want a altercation to end with a pressure point, I WILL END the altercation with the pressure point of my choice!! Now, I understand that not all pressure points are easier to manipulate than others, but nonetheless, these pressure points are medically proven to exist, and these points can be easily researched in many medical books and the like; these pressure points are there. One has to find them.

If a point can't be manipulated, there are reasons as to why, but, imho, I believe that the core problem isn't if said points are effective or exist, but that the practitioner is why success isn't easily ready. If one doesn't study, train, and/or understand why a point isn't able to submit to any given manipulation, then the battle of the pressure point is already lost before given any chance to succeed.

When one point doesn't work, find another one, quick, or resort to something else, quick. You point out valid reasons as to why a point might not be given, but not all valid reasons can be applied to each and every point. Some points will surrender regardless to what prohibits other points; they are there!!

I use points equally in and out of the dojo with great success. Why? Because I know exactly what I'm doing in the area of Kyusho jitsu. Why? Because I've trained and studied and been taught how to effectively apply each and every point to what it's meant to be for close to 50 years.

However, some points aren't designed to end an altercation, but only to set-up for follow-up techniques that will end said altercation. Release points are not the same thing as debilitating points, and these are not the same as control points either; they're not suppose to be!!

[Wastelander]

Thanks for the feedback!

I wouldn't say I approach pressure points as a "naysayer," exactly, but I am an eternal skeptic. I just take the "better safe than sorry" approach, I guess . Perhaps, once I've amassed as much experience as you have, I will change my tune. Until then, though, I will train to expect the worst and hope for the best!