Chuntian Academy International

Martial arts applications

There are several types of pressure points, each of which is applied differently, and each one creates different effects. Some of the principles are discussed below:

* Pain: Some points are painful, because of the prevalence of nerves in the area. For example, being prodded in the throat is painful. The body has a pain withdrawal reflex, whereby it reacts to pain by moving away from it. Martial artists make use of this, sometimes without being aware of it. Applying pressure next to the collar bone, from above, will cause the person to move downwards (away from the pain), whereas poking them in the gap between the jaw and neck (just below the ear) will make their body want to move upwards. Pressure to the shoulder causes that side of the body to move back. A rub to the back down will cause the body to move forth. Some points react more violently to pain from changes in the pressure (rubbing) rather than constant pressure. All pressure points can cause pain but that may not be their true purpose.

* Muscular: Here a direct attack is made on a muscle, which will contract. Examples include: (I) a punch to the solar plexus, which impacts the diaphragm and thus affects the person's breathing ("getting the wind knocked out of you"); and (II) an attack to the outer thigh, which could cause the person to fall as their leg loses power (a "dead leg" or "charley horse").

* Pressure: The baroreceptor in the carotid artery is pressure-sensitive, allowing the body to control the bloodflow into the brain. Pressure against this region will 'trick' the body into thinking that blood pressure is too high, and thus will constrict and lower blood pressure - which can cause blackout. Striking veins and arteries can also cause them to shut or tear, both of which will definitely cause black-out and possible death if not treated immediately.

* Break: There are certain areas which are likely to lead to a break if struck properly. This includes the "loose rib", the philtrum and the top of the skull (soft-spot).

* Hyper-Extension There are joints that, when struck, can be hyper-extended and even completely torn apart. This is a technique which can cause permanent damage and disfiguration to one's opponent, usually focusing on the elbow and the knee. There are two types:
o brute force: This takes advantage of the vulnerability of the strike point, thereby causing the damage; and
o Golgi organs: A relatively gentle strike to the Golgi tendon at the back of the elbow, for example, causes a reflex which immediately relaxes that tendon, allowing the elbow to more easily bend in the wrong direction. If this is immediately followed by a solid strike to the elbow joint, the elbow can be broken with significantly less effort than through brute force.

* Brain shake: The brain is actually a very vulnerable organ, which is why it is encased in the skull. The brain floats in fluid and balances on a very flexible spine. Certain techniques can actually shake the brain in a way which causes black out. The most commonly taught technique involves a strike just below the occipital ridge, at the correct angle in the correct direction. Other areas that are succeptable to such techniques are the temples and the top of the skull.

* Energy: There are energy channels which flow around the body through acupuncture meridians, and an attack will impact the flows, and thus impact the body. This is called "chi", "ki" or "qi" in East Asian cultures. These techniques can be deadly. If used correctly a strike to an opponents arm or leg can cause black-out and two consecutive strikes along the arm(s) or leg(s) can kill an opponent. A skilled martial artist can master the death touch which is a single strike or grab in the torso or the head and neck that can instantly kill their opponent.