Kyusho Jitsu or the art of using pressure points or vital points is the subject of this article. You can guess it from the title, huh? There are around 108 pressure points used in martial arts. The points may correspond to the Meridians of Chinese Medicine, Yin/yang, Shichen Times, theory of the elements, or they may be related to the location of blood vessels and nerve channels. Does it matter how you classify the location of the point as long as the technique works? Might be if you’re a martial arts purist. If you’re a brawler or street fighter, it might not be that important.
On the human body there are about eight magical points which, if hit correctly, can cause instant death. I am not going to discuss these points for obvious reasons. I don’t want to be responsible for some jerk trying to kill one of his teammates using one of these pressure points.
From what I’ve learned from various sources, pressure points can be divided into two basic categories: rub points and impact points. Some points are both. You also need to understand the angle and direction the tip must be struck in order to be fully effective. It also matters how much penetration is required to activate the point. With some points, just a touch will activate the point where others require a substantial amount of force to use.
Locating the points is relatively simple. Find where blood vessels or nerve channels cross a bony area or are close to the surface and that is where a Kyusho point is likely to be. Using an acupuncture chart is also helpful in locating the points, but it is somewhat overwhelming. There are several good books available that show the points. One of the best I have come across is The Art of Striking by Marc Tedeschi. There are excellent pictures and diagrams of the points in this book and various other texts by Mr. Tedeschi. He also does a good job of comparing various different arts and their respective techniques. Another excellent reference is The Bubishi, the Bible of Karate by Patrick McCarthy. They should be in his library for points reference only.
Now that you have a pictorial reference and a good description of the points, how do you go about learning them? You can get a list and a magic marker along with a willing subject and start drawing dots in strategic places. This is a very difficult way to learn the points and remember them and it makes your partner look like they have some kind of smallpox. I’ve been there, done that. It doesn’t work that well. A better way is to get a list of his techniques, perhaps from his kata, or perhaps jujutsu technique lists if that’s what you’re studying. For self defense like Krav Maga or Haganah you have lists of the techniques used. With the techniques in hand and a willing partner not so covered in points, you can proceed to learn the points. Select a technique, see where that technique hits or grabs, and find the corresponding pressure points. Use that method to learn as many points as practical. I found that we use pretty much the same points doing all the techniques that are basic to our system. We use Dan Zan Ryu technique lists, Shotokan karate katas and Haganah lists. Around 4th kyu and above, the techniques are practiced with immense control but full speed and endurance. It allows you to figure out what works in a fight.
For a basic introduction to the techniques, grab your partner, or punch or kick as you have been taught and note where those places are on your partner. Easy in contact. Getting hit in the nose really reduces enthusiasm. Once you have located half a dozen points, you can begin to memorize their location using the techniques as an indicator. You may need to do some digging to figure out the angle and direction of the hit or pressure, but now you’re off to a good start to score the points. Note: don’t hit the dots just to see if they work; They can be lethal or incapacitating. Pressure point practice should be done no more than 15 to 20 minutes per week.
I once had an instructor. I respect him a lot for his achievements and his abilities. But once he mentioned that the pressure point didn’t work. Then he started teaching pressure point punches. With around 600 to 700 pressure points located on, on, or near the surface of the skin, it’s hard not to grab or hit a pressure point. The question is will that point produce an effect if hit or pressed? The trick is to hit the specific points in a fast-paced and dynamic situation, such as a fight. Not all pressure points work the same for everyone. Some people are more sensitive, others are less sensitive when you hit or take a pressure point. It is best to have a backup plan and use it. I teach 1-5 punches, throw the opponent to the ground as hard as possible, and then finish with some kind of constriction.
A friend of mine whom we’ll call Al is a long time judo player. He recently discovered that if he modified the entrance of his O-soto gari (mountain storm or outside major harvest shot) he could throw his uke with such force that uke was knocked out upon landing. When we started discussing his technique, we found out that he was, at his and kazushi’s entrance, hitting the stomach 9 and 10. his uke was knocked unconscious before the throw started. Stomachs 9 and 10 are located in the carotid sinus on either side of the neck. It can now be argued that there are several mechanisms that can cause a person to lose consciousness. The first is the meridian theory, where if he hits two points on the same meridian at the same time, he can cause unconsciousness. Another is that below the carotid sinus is a rod receiver that monitors and regulates blood pressure. Touching this point sends a message to the brain that the blood pressure is too high and that the heart momentarily stops causing unconsciousness. Another theory is that hitting the carotid sinus forces blood to the brain through the carotid artery. The brain being the sensitive organ that it is, can’t handle the overpressure and causes uke to pass out. Now, does it matter what the mechanism is while Skippy hits the ground?
Striking isn’t always a decisive technique, but it’s easier to do than trying to jointlock an opponent who doesn’t want it. Joint locks are always decisive (locks are for breaking, holds are for control. Yes, they are interchangeable depending on your intent) when applied correctly. Now wouldn’t it seem prudent to “short circuit” an opponent with a punch to the side of the nose or below the ear or carotid sinus before applying the joint lock? Even a quick kick to the muzzle can buy you time to apply some joint locks. It’s best when your opponent can’t resist your attempts to inflict pain and discomfort. Joint locks also use pressure points.
Consider that your opponent is always at your 12:00 o’clock position. As he or she attacks, come hard to the 11:00 position and, without hesitation, hit the 9/10 stomach. You will have ½ to ¾ of a second to do whatever you want, from continuing to hit, to locking a joint, to throwing, or a combination of all of the above. It doesn’t matter if it’s an oi-zuki karate or a right cross. Timing is everything and if you hit hard enough, Skippy will be in dreamland.
So how big is a pressure point? In acupuncture they use sharp needles to stimulate and work the points. So the points are not very big. Accuracy is everything. So if Skippy in a drunken state tries to turn off your lights, can you hit that pencil tip sized sweet spot to take him to dreamland? Probably not. First of all, Skippy’s attack will give you an adrenaline rush and you will lose most if not all of your fine motor skills. Even if you have trained yourself to wait for the adrenaline rush, your abilities will be somewhat degraded. Therefore, his techniques must use gross motor skills and would work better if he dealt some mechanical damage to Skippy. It is in those gross motor techniques that you must find the location of the pressure points and train to hit them under pressure. It has an area about the size of a quarter (0.25 cent piece) to hit. Presses need to be more precise. How you train is just as important as what you train. The training is specific and under stress you will do exactly what you have trained to do.
Let’s check out removing Figure 4 from my system [also known as tekubi shigarami in jujitsu] and count the pressure points used in this simple but effective technique.
Step 1: The attacker delivers a straight cross right or right punch to the face.
Step 2 – Advance to the 11 o’clock position and do a sweep lock [ne gashi uke is not really a block but a deflection]. Timing is everything, so if you wait too long, you’ll get hit with your opponent’s other hand. As you deflect, grab the attacker’s right wrist with your right hand. In fact, slide your hand up the arm as you proceed to grasp the wrist and pull the arm to the rear right.
Points used: Heart 6 and lung 8 on the wrist. As you slide your hand up the attacker’s arm, you are also stimulating the fire and metal meridians of the arm. The fire meridian is on the little finger side of the arm. The metal is on the thumb side of the arm. There are points along these meridians, but we won’t go into them too much.
Step 3: While grabbing the attacker’s wrist with your right hand, squeeze hard and use your left hand to palm into the corner of the attacker’s right eye. Strike in an upward and inward 45 degree direction toward the front of the head.
Points used: Triple Burner 23 and Gallbladder 1. In fact, it is a double blow to the meridian and, if done forcefully, it will cause unconsciousness. If hit from back to front, the eyeball can be knocked out of its socket. Be careful during training.
Step 4: Immediately strike the inside of the elbow with the left radial bone. Use this punch to bend the attacker’s arm over his right shoulder. Reach out to your left hand and grab your own right wrist to make figure 4.
Points used: Lung 5. Hitting this point will cause a cross reflex and prevent the defender from hitting you with their left hand.
Step 5: Swing your left foot in a wide arc toward your right rear. This will create a void into which your opponent will fall. Remember that nature abhors a void and will seek to fill it. Accommodate nature with Skippy.
Points Used: As you begin to move, use your right forearm to strike the brachial plexus between the opponent’s biceps and triceps.
Step 6: With the attacker on the ground, keep him on his left side to restrict his left arm so he cannot hit you. Place your left knee along his jaw line and your right knee on his floating ribs. Put his elbow directly on your stomach. Press down with your knees and pull back with your hands. Go slow with this in practice because it hurts like hell and could dislocate your partner’s wrist.
Points used: locate them and count them, there are a lot.
When submitting, move into a defensive position.
Using pressure points or Kyusho in a fight is doable but requires study and practice.
Train hard.
