Pressure Points 1: Going to the Heart Of Pressure Points - What They Really Are

By Bruce Everett Miller PA-! Intermittently there is a lot of talk about pressure points in different chat rooms and magazine articles. And true to form, there are always those who believe in them (passionately) and those who do not (just as passionately). oth camps have their reasons why they believe as they do and both tend to flame the other. !owever, if you actually look at what "#! camps are saying, you will find that underneath all the rhetoric there is an element that is shared by both groups. #hat element is trying to find something that works for self$defense. #hat fact is the e%act reason why many people study martial arts. "ne of the main problems with martial arts is the fact that, by itself, studying martial arts does not give you superior strength, speed, or make you invincible. #here is still the problem of dealing with an opponent who is bigger and stronger and faster that you. I will not discount the fact of your own strength or power here, and I will definitely give credit to a well$placed punch or kick, but sometimes the opponent is just too big. #herefore, at times we all could use an advantage. An advantage which allows us to disable the opponent who is stronger, faster and just plain bigger than we are. &e need that advantage when we are dealing with an opponent who could be high on drugs or mentally ill and thus does not feel pain. #he proponents of pressure points count on this advantage, but as I have said some people just don't believe they work. &hy don't they believe( I am sure that the people who do not believe in them aren't faking it. #hey don't consciously want to keep something from the rest of us. )or do they want to pass up on a legitimate tool that would help them. !owever, they (like all of us) have to be convinced that the tool is real before they would use it. #he fact is that some don't believe pressure points work probably due to the fact pressure points have not worked for them. #hey have tried the e%planation and the e%amples that have been given, but those e%amples simply did not work for them or the e%planation made no sense to their logic flow. #he real *uestion here is, +&hy(, )ow before you think this is simply going to be an article trying to convince you (or them) that pressure points do work, be aware that I hope for it to be far more than that. -y hope is that this will be an article that goes to the heart of what pressure points really are A). how to use them. I think it will help everyone understand and use pressure points better. #herefore, in this article I will be trying to tell you about the types of pressure points and in the ne%t article I will actually give you even more data on the types and e%amples of each type. ut back to why some people don't think pressure points work. I personally believe the real reason that pressure points are not convincing to many people is that pressure points have not been defined and e%plained correctly. I agree with most people who claim that simply knowing pressure points is worthless. (/es, you heard that from me correctly.) #oo many people think of the movie version when they think of pressure points. In the movies, every pressure point works $ every time, and with staggering effects. 0very pressure point is easy to get to and automatically disables the evil opponent with a simple touch of a finger at that magical point that only the hero knows. #his, of course, would be our ideal pressure point. 1nfortunately, as far as I know, they ." )"# 02I3#.

If you want a simile, then it is sort of like looking at a bank of switches. 3imply flipping switches may not get you anything. "r perhaps it may turn on light in another room or part of the building. 4ute, but what good does that do you at the location you are right now. )ot really helpful. 5urthermore, it wastes time. And in a fight, that wasted time could be dangerous or worse. "ther (and maybe better) e%amples of why someone might believe that pressure points don't work is that they have been given e%amples of these points, but without e%planation of how to use them correctly, or they were told they would always work. 5or e%ample, if you didn't know that muscle pressure points are useless if the muscle is tightly contracted, then you would think the entire theory was wrong or worthless. !owever, if you understood the complete theory, then you would realize the muscle was not going to respond and simply use a different level of pressure point. 67lease re$read the last sentence several times because this is very important.8 #hink of it as if all you had were punches that were to be delivered against areas of the body that were prepared for it and you tried to convince someone that a punch was a good weapon. ased on their observations or even their own e%periences, they may not believe a punch worked at all. In fact, they might be adamant that spending their effort learning to punch was a waste of time. #he same is e%actly the case for pressure points. /ou use the type of pressure point that is the best for the circumstance. #his of course re*uires a far deeper understanding of pressure points than the simplistic level 9 pain pressure points, which is why some people believe that pressure points don't work 3o again, I think the real problem here is one of not understanding the function of pressure points. #his is very different from understanding where a pressure point is located. (0veryone knows an e%ample of where a pressure point is located.) I have gone back to the chat rooms and articles on pressure points that I have read (or written) and there is one *uestion that should be asked, but it never seems to :0# asked. #herefore the answer is never defined. #hat *uestion is, +&hat e%actly A;0 pressure points(, <et's start with two of the common definitions that are out there. If you are like most people, then I bet you think that the *uestion, +what are pressure points(, is a dumb *uestion and the answer is obvious. It is a point that hurts, right( I am going to tell you that by my definition, that answer is wrong. #he real answer is far more than that. /es, some points do hurt, but the fact that they hurt is in itself worthless. If you touch, strike, punch or kick a point, then you very well may cause pain. ut in fact you should be able to cause pain if you touch, strike, punch or kick any point on the body hard enough. #hat only tells us that you can strike hard enough, it doesn't give any special advantage. 7ressure point !A=0 to mean more than simply points that hurt to have any value> "therwise those who say, +pressure points don't work, have a valid point. "kay, what about the concept of pressure points being acupuncture points( &ell, maybe then the answer is that a pressure point is an acupuncture point( -any people use the acupuncture charts as maps to where pressure points are located. #hese have to be the official?legitimate pressure points, don't they( #hat answer, by my definition, is also wrong. And )", the charts tell the locations of A4171)4#1;0 points )"# the location of pressure points.

&hy is this wrong( &ell, first off, as a person (clinician) who has been practicing acupuncture for almost thirty years, I can tell you that acupuncture points were designed to cause their effects &I#!"1# causing a lot of pain. Also, if you measure out 4un and 5en (the actual 4hinese acupuncture measurements) you will find that the points most people assume are pressure points are not the points listed on the charts. #he points which hurt and that they assumed were the pressure points (shown on the chart) may be close to, but in fact are )"#, the e%act points shown on the chart. 5ind a book that gives you the actual 4un and 5en measurements and check it out if you don't believe me. 3econdly, while the -0.I4A< effects of acupuncture are very real, they are not usually of such magnitude that a single point can stop a person who is attacking. #he proof of this is not only in the observed effects but also by the fact that professional practitioners of acupuncture use a combination of points to create a healing effect. In almost all cases, a series of @ to A points or more are used and the points have to be stimulated for @ to @B or more minutes to obtain their desired effects. 3o, if professional practitioners of acupuncture need several points and sometime several treatments at these points to cause their effects, how do you e%pect to stop an attacking person with a single (or even a couple) of acupuncture point strikes( ()"#0C #his in no way discounts acupuncture's use in medicine. #hat is a completely different subject> /ou can find out more about the real effects and reasons why acupuncture ."03 works in my book on acupuncture.) 3o back to the main *uestion. I ask you, then, how can it be said that pressure points work if they are not based on simply causing pain or acupuncture point theory( 7ersonally, I cannot say they are valid for combat based on either of these e%planations (pain or acupuncture). )"#0C I will say that those who use #raditional 4hinese -edicine as their basis for strikes and defense use a lot more than just simple acupuncture theory as their means of causing an effect. 7lease contact someone who can e%plain these theories in detail if you want to pursue that path. <et's go back to the basic *uestion, +&hat is a pressure point(, Instead of saying that our definitions don't work let's, define a pressure point as a point that causes a known reaction. ased on that definition, I think you will shortly see that the realm of what is a pressure point and how to use pressure points effectively becomes far more useful for both combat and self$ defense. 5urthermore pressure points become far more objective because either it causes an observable effect or it does not> ut to make pressure points work (objectively) you have to understand some details. #he first thing you have to understand is that you can actually divide pressure points into three categories. ")</ one of these categories (the category called ;efle% 7ressure 7oints) is always going to work D every time, on everybody. #he other two levels work sometimes based on rules. &e are going to talk about the different levels here so that you can understand the differences, then we are going to give those rule and some concrete e%amples in the ne%t article. #he first level or type we are going to study is a level 9 or 7ain #ype 7ressure 7oints. #his type of pressure point is what most people think of when they think of a pressure point. #his is the typical point, that when stimulated causes pain. #hese type of pressure points do work, sometimes> 7<0A30 note here that I said nothing what so ever about level 9 pressure point's always causing a reaction. (3ee -iller's book +7ressure 7ointsC #he .eadly #ouch, for further details about the types of body structure, which can be stimulated and cause a

pressure point reaction D available in 5ightingArts.com e$store under +7ressure 7oints, in the + ooks, section). If you stimulate a level 9 pressure point you may (if the person can feel it) cause pain but that may or may not cause a reaction. <et's take the e%ample of the classic kick to the groin. )ow most people understand that this 4A) be a very effective strike but they also understand that such is not always true. &ith the right training or certain drugs in your opponent's system (more common), a kick to the groin will not drop the person. 0%amples of this are a person high on 747. Another classic e%ample of level 9 pressure points not working is on the subset of people called non$responders. Appro%imately 9B to 9A E of the general population are partial non$ responders and with training just about anyone can learn to be a partial non$responder to level 9 effects. (5or more information see -iller's book, +#he -ental &arrior, in 5ightingArts.com e$store under +7ressure 7oints, in the + ook, section). In both of the cases above we have caused pain but have not had an effect> &ell that is the reality of level 9 pressure points. #hey cause pain but only work against those that feel the pain. If you follow me then you are beginning to see why there can definitely be some confusion about whether pressure points work or not. 3ome people judge A<< pressure points by level 9 pressure points alone (because that is all they have been taught) and when they see that they do not always work, they discount pressure point theory. If you are a pressure points believer then please do not discredit this viewpoint simply because you have e%periences that prove to you that pressure points work. I can personally understand why someone would not want to put their faith in a system that works only part of the time. In fact I would not waste my time on pressure points either if level 9 pressure points were all that there was to the system. "ur original concept was that we need a tool that works. !owever like the punch it may not always work but it is a useful tool and a needed part of your arsenal. !owever unlike the punch there are levels of pressure points to learn and the other levels do have the ability to work sometimes even when level 9 points do not. #he second level of pressure points are -uscle 7ressure 7oints. -uscle pressure points only work on muscles and are useful when you stimulate muscle to stretch in certain directions. 3timulated correctly muscle pressure points cause an e%tremity or the entire body to respond. #he problem is that the muscle cannot be e%cessively tight when you try to apply the pressure or it won't work. And it is important to note that (9) they don't rely on pain to cause their reaction, but (F) as I said above they have the weakness of being able to be nullified. -uscle pressure points are used a lot in #ai 4hi and are very effective. #he main reason why they are so effective using #ai 4hi techni*ues are because of hidden principles in the techni*ues that cause the person to unlock or rela% the muscle you are attacking. #his is done with techni*ues that are beyond this article, but for those who understand the combat applications of #ai 4hi, they can use these principles all the time. #he third type of pressure point is called ;efle% 7ressure 7oints. #his type of pressure points is the most interesting subtype of pressure points to my way of looking at it. ;efle% pressure points are different from both level 9 and level F pressure points because pain is definitely not re*uired for them to work. I call refle% pressure points <evel @ type pressure points.

)otice that I said that these refle% pressure points do not cause much if any pain when stimulated. #hat makes them different than the usual type of pressure points that most people think of when they think of a pressure point. )"#0C I will freely admit that stimulation of a refle% pressure point most likely will cause an uncomfortable feeling, but the feeling is definitely not what one would call pain. !owever, the important thing is that stimulating these points causes a 5I20. reaction that is hardwired into the body and the person thus !A3 to respond. #hus there is no such thing as a non$ responder. #hat includes people who are high on drug or mentally ill. #he fact is ")</ level @ pressure points work all the time. 1nlike level F pressure points they do not re*uire pain to do their action and unlike level F pressure points they cannot be blocked. )ow before you think +well, why bother with level 9 and level F pressure points at all when level @ works every time,, there is a fact you must know. #hat fact is that the number of available pressure points in the body decreases with each level. #hus there are far more level 9 pressure points available in the body than there are level F points. 1nfortunately there are even fewer level @ pressure points than there are level F pressure points. #here are some other limitations too, but we will cover those in the ne%t article. !owever I will let you know that there are several different types of level @ refle% pressure point that e%ist. I hope this helps define what I see as some of the confusion in pressure points and why some people don't believe that pressure points work. 5urthermore I hope that you will be able to use this new definition to better understand and use pressure points on the street. #he second article in the seriesC 7ressure 7ointsC 3ome "bservations "n #heir 1se

Pressure Points ": #o$e O%servations On Their &se

By Bruce Everett Miller PA-!
Editors Note: This is the second article in a series by Bruce Miller that describe different types of pressure points and their effectiveness as well as how to use them. Article 1 was Going to the Heart !ressure !oints" #hat They $eally Are.%

In our last article we talked about some of the reasons why there is confusion about whether or not pressure points work and why, in my opinion, some people probably legitimately believe that pressure points do not work. I broached the subject of the three different types of pressure points and I promised to provide more e%amples of these different types of pressure points and how to tell them apart. I also promised to talk about some of the limitations of each type and why you would not simply focus on level @ refle% pressure points. "kay, here goesC

Pressure Points Revie' Ty(e 1- Pain: most common, but not always reliable. Ty(e " - Muscle: may not

cause pain, and can be nullified. Ty(e ) * Refle+: least common, do not necessarily cause pain, but most reliable. If you remember I gave the fact that the number of available pressure points in the body decrease with each level. #hus, there are far more level 9 pressure points in the body than there are level F points. 1nfortunately, there are even fewer level @ pressure points than there are level F pressure points. 3till, even with that limitation (of numbers), why would anyone waste time trying to use level 9 or level F pressure points that may or may not work when one can simply use a level @ (refle% pressure point) and guarantee the end to the fight( &ell, a major reason to learn the entire system is because the location of level @ refle% pressure points are such that it is not always easy to get to them. 5or e%ample, many refle% pressure points are located on or close to the center line of the body. And most (real) opponents will not simply let you walk up and stick your finger or fist into their centerline. 3o, when faced with a real situation, you might initially have to use other pressure points or other techni*ues so that you are able to get your hands to the refle% pressure points you are targeting (to be able to control your opponent or end the fight). "nce you get there, the reality of the fight is all overG but again it still takes more than one simple answer to end the fight, which is the reality of pressure points. 3o let's back up a bit. <evel @

refle% pressure points are often located on the center line making it harder to get to them, while level 9 and level F pressure points are located all over the body. )ow this would seem to feed into the rationale of those emphatically opposed to pressure points. I can hear it now D mostly because I have had this conversation beforeC +&hat if the person is a non$ responder or high on drugs( /ou could be in situation where you can't get to level @ refle% pressure points. -eaning your whole system is invalid., &ell, this would be very true e%cept for how we described pressure points to begin withC as points where you get a reaction. I said that level F pressure points don't always work, but in this case I think you will see that if they don't work, it is okay also. "ne of those several special case pressure points that can force the person to open up their center$line (there are more, this is but one e%ample) is a kick to the knee> If done 4";;04#</, a kick to the knee (with follow$ through) will cause the person's knee and butt to move backwards and their face to move down and forward. )ow again, be aware that this is a level F type pressure point and it can be nullified. !ow( y tightening the knee. !owever, the knee has to be really tight to prevent this from working and frankly it is hard for your opponent to walk or to move after you when both knees are being held at ma%imum contraction. #his concept is =0;/ important. &hile level F pressure points can be nullified, this is usually because there is so much muscle tension that they cannot be rolled. And if there is that much

tension, the use of that muscle group is hard to accomplish soH you get the point (no pun intended). 5urthermore, the reverse is also trueC once you have unlocked the muscle tension (classically with a level @ pressure point strike), the muscles 4A) be rolled and level F pressure points now work again. .oes it work with a person high on 747( /ou bet it does> I have had personal e%perience. In this case the person (patient) was very high, agitated and out to destroy anyone who got close. &hen he grabbed me, his arm was very tight but a tap to the gag refle% (usually a finger *uickly pressed into the notch at the base of the throat just above the sternal notch) loosened up everything allowing me to rake across his brachioradalis (the muscle just below the elbow on the thumb side through which runs branches of the radial nerve) and take away his balance. "nce I owned his balance, it was easy to guide him, face down, to the floor in a controlled situation where no one had to get hurt. As I have said before, there are no magical answers. #here are just good tools to be used. In my opinion pressure points, used correctly, are simply such a tool. In part three in this series I will provide some e%amples of each of the three types of pressure points that are used to show you the underlying principles.

Pressure Points ): Ty(es Of Points

By Bruce Everett Miller PA-!

Editors Note: This is the third article in a series by Bruce Miller that describe different types of pressure points and their effectiveness as well as how to use them. Article 1 was Going to the Heart f !ressure !oints" #hat They $eally Are%& and article ' was !ressure !oints '"(ome bservations n Their )se.%

In our first article we talked about some of the reasons why there is confusion about whether or not pressure points work and why, in my opinion, some people probably legitimately believe that pressure points do not work. I broached the subject of the three different types of pressure points and in my second article I made some observations about their use. In this article we will cover e%amples of the @ different types and particularly we will show at least one e%ample of each type. 7lease be aware that I have chosen points which will show you the underlying principles. #herefore don't just take this one e%ample of each type as the only point. Instead, use that principle to unlock the other points of the body. I will also talk about some of the limitations of each type and why you would not simply focus on level @ refle% pressure points. ,evel 1 Pressure Points <evel 9 pressure points are the most common pressure points there are. #hese are the types that people generally think of when they think of pressure points. In short, <evel 9 pressure points are those pressure points that ;0I1I;0 pain (their effect) to make them work.. )"#0 that does not mean that every pressure point that you stimulate which hurts is a level 9 pressure

point. 3ometimes level F type pressure points will also hurt when they are stimulated. !owever, the difference is that level 9 pressure points ;0I1I;0 pain to work whereas level F pressure points do not re*uire pain to work but may hurt when stimulated. A perfect e%ample of level 9 pressure points is an arm bar or wrist lock. #hese can have dramatic effect on your opponent but in some non$responders you can actually break the bones before they will feel much if any pain. )ow I will freely admit that the real effect of a level 9 pressure point is the reaction the opponent's body e%hibits when he feels the pain. 3uddenly he stops trying to attack you by other means and tries to deal with the pain that is being produced. In fact, this is the intent of level 9 pressure pointsC to cause this body reaction. ut please be aware that the pain itself is only a vehicle to get you to the point that the opponent concentrates on the pain or cannot function due to the pain. Also be very aware that if the person does not feel pain, then you are not going to be able to do what you want. In our last article we gave an e%ample of a kick to the groin. &e admitted that it caused pain in most people but in a small subset it does not. In those people who do not care about the pain whether from training, drugs or mental illness, level 9 pressure points are close to worthless. 3o how can you tell( &ell, mostly you find out by e%perimentation. ecause level 9 pressure points are very common and located all over the

body, you can try striking a point on the way in. If the person responds, it tells you something, if not it still tells you something important. Another level 9 type of pressure points are the edges of bones. A classic e%ample is the shin kick. -ost people know this already but most have never stop to think about the fact that you only have to run your foot down the edge of the shin (or any other bone edge) to cause sharp pain. If the person is not drugged, high or mentally ill, then they are most likely going to have a very pronounced reaction. Again, though it is the reaction you are looking for, your end goal is not simply the painG for the pain will go away *uickly once you stop. e prepared to use the reaction in advance and you will have a great tool. #here are ways to make the bone pain last longer. And there are also organ (more than you would e%pect), tendon, muscle, nerve and other types of organs that can be stimulated to cause level 9 pressure point reactions. #he full rules of level 9 pressure points are laid out in my book 7ressure 7ointsC #he .eadly #ouch (sold in 5ightingArts.com's 0$store). ,evel " Muscle Pressure Points Instead of hitting, try this oneC 1se a knuckle fist to run downward (*uickly) on the muscles just lateral to the centerline of the chest. &hen you simply punch people, what you will notice is that they back up, but most of the time they still hang on with most of their strength. !owever, when you run a knuckle fist or eye of

the phoeni% (a fist with the first knuckle e%tended) *uickly down their muscles, they not only back up but also move their hips backward, bend their knees (a little) and drop their weight downward. &hile most of the time they still have their hands on you there is very little strength in their hands. y the way, it also brings their face closer to you. I will freely admit that this effect may not last long in a determined opponent and you can only count on about 9?F of a second before they will begin to regain their composure (and strength in their arms), 1# a half second is a relatively long time if you are prepared to use it. Another classic effect of level F pressure points is the carving motion found in a lot of #ai 4hi moves which causes the whole body to swing and works even if the person does not feel pain (meaning it works in most non responders). !owever, this carving effect is )"# a level @ response because it can be blocked by tightening the muscles of the forearm. (3ee my upcoming works on advanced subject class for more on carving and slipping H e%pected release date "4# FBBJ.) #he fact is that done correctly, you can stimulate most muscles to have an effect. !owever, it can be tricky knowing how to do so. 0ven more important than knowing how to stimulate the muscle is knowing in advance what reaction you are going to get. ;emember we said you only have about 9?F second. If you spend that time observing the reaction, you are not going to be able to capitalize on it. If you know in advance what is going to

happen then you can make the most of it. ,evel ) Refle+ Pressure Points !ere is a perfect e%ample of a level @ pressure point. )ot only does it work every time (I5 you do it correctly) but it does not cause pain. 7lease be aware that it does cause an uncomfortable feeling but if you e%amine the feeling you will find it is not pain, instead it is a combination of *ueasiness and an%iety. y the way, first I am going to give you the level @ refle% pressure points and then I am going to show you how to combine a level 9 pressure point and a level @ pressure point at the same time to get ma%imum effect. &hy waste your time on <evel 9 pressure points when I have said that level @ refle% pressure points always work( &ell, that is true but (9) I am trying to teach you a principle here of how to +unlock' an opponent (a term we use in Iuan <i K'An which means taking away the resistance that people use to fight the effects of level 9 L F pressure points) and (F) I am trying to teach you how to think about combining points and principles for ma%imum effect. "kay, the refle% we are going to use is the gag refle%. )ow many people know about this refle% so the knowledge of its e%istence is definitely not earth shattering or some kind of secret. !owever, with a bit of knowledge here we can make this point a lot more effective for you A). teach you some principles that apply to many other points. "kay, the gag refle% point is

located on the middle of the lower, anterior neck, just above the sternal notch. )ow some people will be hesitant thinking that this area is weak and that you are going to damage the throat by pushing here, but let me assure you that while pressing here will feel uncomfortable, you are not going to damage the neck at this location. #hat is because underneath the point are rings of thick cartilage. In order for this to work, though, you !A=0 to press *uickly. If you press slowly, then the person can resist because the gag refle%, which is part of the breathing system, is only stimulated e%ternally by sudden changes in stimulation (3ee Advanced 7ressure 7ointsC #he 3ystem of 7ressure 7oints for more on the A different systems D available in 5ightingArts.com's 0$store) I suggest that you press with one supported finger in the middle of the neck at this location. If you have done this correctly you will see the person back up *uickly. !ow far he backs up is in direct proportion to how hard and how fast you push. It is possible to have him launch himself into the wall behind him with all his muscles. In order to get even more effect, this time I want you to run your fingers on the bone edge of the top part of the sternal notch (hard) so that you are rubbing bone as you press the gag refle%. #he bone part is the level 9 pressure point stimulation and the sharp pain will take away any resistance he may have had from your finger or thumb entering this area. .one correctly you should see an

enhanced effect. #his is a classic e%ample of how I use pressure points. I fre*uently use a combination of such points knowing full well that if the level 9 pressure point doesn't work, then the level @ will. If both points work, then I am even better off as my opponent is not. !ere are some typical types of ;efle% pressure pointsC 9 $ 4ardiac 7ointsC they drop the blood pressure. ()o, they don't stop the heart). F $ <ight force knockout points (vascular and ;A3 stimulation D see #he 4omplete ook of <ight 5orce Knockouts for more on this subject $$ available in 5ightingArts.com' s 0$store). @ $ reathing 7oints (points that cause a dramatic decrease in the ability to breathe). J $ alance disruption points. A $ rain protection points (points that cause hard$wired reaction designed to protect the brain and have nothing to do

with pain). "kay, several times in this and the previous article we talked about muscle points being invalidated when you contract the muscles too hard. &ell, how about a techni*ue that makes a tightened muscle weak and unable to tighten fully( &elcome to 7oison !and muscle attacks. In the ne%t article we will compare the muscle attacks of poison hands and those of pressure points.

-ital Points or -ital Princi(les.

By /eith Morgan -any -artial Arts have changed in the twentieth century, particularly the Mapanese systems, especially since the end of &orld &ar II. I would even suggest that the majority practiced today are closer to N<eisure ArtsN than -artial Arts, and for many reasons. I can only comment from the perspective of Mapanese systems, as it is a Mapanese Art that I practice, but the principles, hopefully, should reach across the full spectrum of systems practiced today. #he perspective of N.oN rather than NMutsuN has seen a decline in combat effectiveness of many systems, be it through sporting or spiritual developments. !istorically however, it was the military class, or ushi and 3amurai, that practiced the various combat arts, and it was only after their abolition in 9OPQ that the arts were e%posed on a

wider scale to the public and civilians. #he criteria for learning, however, was different from that of feudal warriors. #he techni*ues had to be altered, watered down, or abandoned altogether. -any ;yu did in fact die out rather than e%pose their teachings to non$ military practitioners. #hen the &est was introduced to these systems, which further altered, changed, NmodernizedN and generally lowered the standards of tuition and training. #his has resulted today in the arts being a world wide multi$ million pound (dollar) industry, with the arts being constantly fragmented, re$packaged, and re$marketed to not only a gullible public, but even more gullible practitioners, always looking, I believe, for the easy fi%, or that ever elusive NsecretN of the arts. #here is only one secret in the artsC 7ractice> 7ractice> 7ractice> #he latest craze, (secret() now is 7ressure 7oint 5ighting, or Kyosho Mutsu, or .im -ak, or whatever label you wish to use. And boy, has this been marketed by some individuals and organizations, to the point of even re$naming certain basics> N7layers to the gameN I do not understand, but :ensoku, or basic principles, I do. #his is what is missing in todayRs modern practice. 3tudents are too eager to want everything today, the short cut, and there are many NteachersN only too eager to pass on certain dubious knowledge. 3tudents, in fact modern practitioners, are now collectors of techni*ues, and a clutter of theoretical reasons of why it should work , even if the theory cannot be practiced because it is so dangerous> &ould you like to defend yourself

on a theory( 3tudents no longer study the basic principles in their art, the very essence of what makes it work and why. #he most important principle that I could teach my students is SanshinG basically N#otal Awareness,N although it does have deeper connotations. It could be said that if your zanshin is true and complete you will never get into a fight, be it defensive or offensive. &hen it comes to teaching self$ defense techni*ues, then this is surely the greatest of them all. A student can learn a myriad of techni*ues, yet never have the confidence to e%ecute themG but with zanshin should there be a need( #he majority of attackers in the street are looking for victims, not adversaries. 3o teach students the importance of posture, body language, assertiveness , avoidance , observation , and basic common sense C where would you park your car( !ow would you park it( &here would you sit on a train or a bus ( !ow to enter?e%it buildings . &here to stand in a lift. !ow to walk down a sidewalk?pavement. #he list is almost endless. #each your students the three NAN Rs C Awareness Assessment (Appropriate) Action #each this and instill confidence and not paranoiac fear. As students become more e%perienced, so principles of 3en (timing) !eiho (tactics) -a$ai (distancing) #ai$sabaki (body movement) are introduced and e%plained. asic 5undamental 7rinciples that have to be utilized before any techni*ue can work ,

no matter how fanciful your knowledge is of the NeffectN of pressure points. A sound knowledge of awareness is far superior than an academic knowledge of pressure points. #his is not to disparage pressure points or their alleged effectiveness. &ithin my own system higher grades learn the meridian system, In$/o (/in?/ang) theory, 5ive 0lement #heory, #subo location, as well as anatomy and physiology. ut this is to enhance their base line techni*ues, not to replace them. I have seen many believe that a cursory knowledge of where to hold, touch, stroke, brush or hit will have dynamic results. ut this is not the case. #he physics of the techni*ues, angles, leverage, and body mechanics have to be understood, applied and mastered first. It is this knowledge that makes a techni*ue work, not pressure point knowledge.

What0s The Point.

#(eculations On the 1irst Move 1ro$ Pinan /ata T'o Pressure Points An2 The Reality Of The 3eath Touch
%y Ronal2 van 2e #an2t

In todayRs martial arts community there is always discussion about pressure points, vital spots, nerve strikes, dim mak techni*ues *1+, etc. #he age old *uestions of whether these points are real, are contained within katas, and are effective in combat have been a cause of great controversy. "ne often hears heated discussions among martial artists concerning meridians, chi flow, time tables of when to strike and such. 7erhaps the answers to these *uestions can be found through the analysis of just one such techni*ue which can be found in a common karate kata called 7inan (!eian) )idan (3hodan in my style). *'+ &hile reading a jujitsu book one day, which describes jujitsu techni*ues of the 9OBBRs (NMapanRs 1ltimate -artial ArtC Mujitsu efore 9OOF #he 4lassical Mapanese Art "f 3elf .efense,N by .arrel -a% 4raig), I was startled to find many pressure point strikes (atemi waza) that were very similar to moves and techni*ues within katas of my own style. "ne such Natemi wazaN techni*ue is very similar to the first move in 7inan )idan

(two). !ere I have drawn my own interpretation of this move.

*,+

#he opening move of the kata typically consists of a left outward side block, and a simultaneous right upper block, as you step to the left into a cat stance (in my style a horse stance) simulating a defense against an attack coming from your left side. "ne common e%planation of this move is a block of two incoming strikes (from the left and from the front). "thers suggest this first move is a set up for the following move of the kata (not shown) that it is a throw or take down, or some variation thereof.

!owever, the jujitsu book I was reading showed a similar techni*ue that in karate could be interpreted as the upper arm blocking or controlling a punch or an attempted grab, while the other arm strikes (spear hand) upward to the armpit. According to the book, a successful spearhand strike into this area would create immediate pain and swelling in the armpit, and a hard lump would appear within about 9A minutes. "ther symptoms would include a bitter taste in the mouth, a dry throat,

and nausea. #he ne%t day the victim of this attack would e%perience a loss of appetite, have difficulty breathing, and e%perience a sharp pain running from the affected arm, down the rib cage, to the hips. )e%t would come coughing, the pain in his side would move to the chest, and he would begin to vomit a frothy, white fluid, similar to potato broth in appearance. 5inally he would e%perience overall weakness, leading to death. I decided to do some research. I began looking for modern medical reasons why this techni*ue might be deadly. I was also e%amining it for combat effectiveness. )ow, IRll state right off the bat that IRm not a medical e%pert, nor have I had any medical training outside of basic first aid and 47;. ut being of the curious sort, I looked up !enry :rayRs 9T9O publication of NAnatomy "f #he !uman odyN to see what was

anatomically located in that area that could possibly cause this to be a fatal strike with these types of symptoms. I learned that the armpit is a major junction of thickly packed arteries, veins and nerves leading to the arms which are largely unprotected by muscle mass or bone. #he following

illustration shows some of these elements, but is limited since arteries, veins and nerves overlap. In yellow is the brachial ple%us (a comple% web of nerves that start in the lower neck, go down under the collar bone) as it branches into the a%illary, radial, median and ulner nerves which innervate the arm.*-+ In red is the a%illary artery, the thick root of much of the armRs artery network. #he brachial vein which runs through this area and is fed by a major part of the armRs return blood system is not shown. )either are the lymph glands that are also found in this area. #hus, a concentrated sharp upward strike to this region could cause damage, shock, impede function, cause swelling or rupture one or more of these systems. *.+ In order to get at this junction, the arm must be raised, which e%plains the position of the other arm (upper block). #he other arm?hand would block an incoming punch, then grab and slightly raise the opponentRs arm, e%posing the normally protected vital spot to a devastating strike. y looking at the pictures, and reading where and to what the junctions are connected, I surmised that sufficient damage to these arteries and nerves could very well kill a person by internal bleeding caused by the rupturing of arteries, interruption of blood flow, interruption of nerve signals to the brain and by swelling, etc. .eath could probably occur in minutes or several hours depending on the accuracy and strength of the strike. A hard strike in that location could immediately eliminate the use of the arm struck, and I imagine the pain would be very intense, effectively eliminating the opponent from the battle. !ow

fast the rupture bleeds would determine the amount of time before death occurred, and it appears that ruptures such as these are difficult to repair, even with todayRs technology. In addition, the stimulation and damage of the various nerves would cause one to feel nauseous and dizzy corresponding to the description stated in the jujitsu book, and could also account for the frothy vomit. In the days when most katas were formed, there was not the medical knowledge and surgical techni*ues readily available to correct the damage, and therefore the damage could have been fatal, effectively eliminating a potential future opponent bent on killing you, or one of your allies or family. In addition, since your enemyRs family probably depended on him for survival, his death could reduce their chances of survival as well, effectively reducing potential future enemies. #his does not sound like the philosophy of pacifist monks, but goes along *uite well with the philosophy of professional soldiers and warriors, especially among -ongol tribes and the like. In a life or death battle for your, or a family memberRs, or a fellow soldierRs, life, would you prefer to merely block, or deal an effective, killing blow to the attacker( "ne strike, very fast, very painful, very deadly. If I were preparing a student, a son, a fellow soldier, on how to survive a Nbattle to the deathN, this definitely would be one techni*ue I would include. ItRs not fancy, itRs not complicated, it does not take a great deal of practice to perfect, and it gets the job done *uickly and with finality. Ideal

traits for a battle techni*ue, are they not( I concluded that this techni*ue in particular was based on medical fact. &hen I subse*uently compared various martial arts Npressure pointN and Nmeridian chartsN with medical anatomical charts of nerves and arteries, I was surprised to find out that the majority of the points are really junctions of nerves and arteries. #hen when I compared the Nblocks and strikesN of my styleRs katas, I was amazed how often the block or strike was in the pro%imity of one of those junctions, usually one of the major ones like the one described in this article. #his alone brings new meaning to the concept of kata, and provides a motive to study human anatomy and apply what you learn to kata practice. And in reflecting on the history of 4hinese based martial arts, one realizes that the 3haolin -onks, and the other martial arts masters, were also often asked to be the medics and doctors of their society. 3o, are pressure points, vital spots, nerve strikes, etc. real and effective(

1ootnotes: *1+ #he 4hinese science of attacking the body and?or its acupuncture points or centers so as disrupt internal energy (ki in Mapanese or chi, or *i depending on the translation in 4hinese), organs, or blood flow to cause injury, or death $ immediately, or hours, days or weeks later. *'+ #he first two katas in the 7inan series of five where changed in the early FBth century when karate was brought to mainland Mapan from "kinawa where it had been developed. #hus in many karate organizations the original 7inan 3hodan (7inan one) was switched with 7inan )idan (7inan two). In my style the kata discussed here is

7inan 3hodan (one), but realizing that most systems practice it as 7inan )idan, it was so named in the title of this article. *,+ -y illustration does not e%actly depict the techni*ue as shown in the jujitsu book. Instead it is an interpretation of how it might have been adapted to karate. *-+ #he brachial ple%us begins at #9 and includes spinal segments up to 4A (roots) with some contribution of 4J. #he initial roots turn into trunks and various divisions which become the a%illary, radial, median and ulner nerves. *.+ #raditional 4hinese -edicine too assigns this area importance. It is the beginning of the heart meridian that starts in the armpit and terminates on the inside of the little finger ne%t to the top of the fingernail. A strike to this area is thought to be able to shock or stop the heart.

Links of interest
Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 1976 XXXI(1): ! 16" doi:1#$1#9 %&h'as%XXXI$1$

A !hinese !oroner0s Manual an2 the Evolution of Anato$y

45E6 -7O,8 O05E7,, an2 GERA,3 ,9 !HA5

Also in

JS()*

1orensic Me2icine in Pre-7$(erial !hina .erk odde /ournal of the American riental (ociety, =ol. 9BF, )o. 9 (Man. $ -ar., 9TOF), pp. 9$9A (article consists of 9A pages) M3#";