Street Fighting Techniques - Use of Pressure Points

Street self defence relies on simple and direct techniques to get the job done. So is there a place of pressure point fighting in street self defence?

Over the past 15 years I have trained with many fantastic martial artists from a variety of arts including aikido and ninjitsu. Many of these use pressure points on the body to attack or shock an attacker but I would argue they have no place in real street self defence.

Firstly, all people react differently to different pressure points. I remember one class where a line of guys were dropped to the floor by the master applying pressure to a nerve at the back of their neck. The same technique was applied to me and it had little effect. This isn't because I am some tough guy! All our bodies are 'wired' differently and react in different ways to pain. If you were faced with a violent attacker in a real street fight would you want to take the risk here?

In my view direct strikes to points like the nose, throat or groin are have much greater benefits than pressure points. Firstly, everyone will react to them! Know anyone who won't react to a kick in the groin? Secondly, you have far less chance of missing an target like the nose or groin than a small nerve point on the neck or wrist.

In the heat of a fight you need simple techniques that you will be able to use under pressure. There is a place for targetting sensitive areas or soft targets but these don't have to be obscure or hard to find. The most effective fighting techniques which I would say include krav maga do not rely on pressure point fighting.

Let me be clear pressure points do work but there place is perhaps more to 'lock down' or secure an attacker once the situation is under control. If you rely on them as a first line response you have a real danger of coming unstuck.

In aikido the lock or technique Yonkajo is fairly common. I have been on the receiving end of a good Yonkajo and it can feel like someone's holding a lighted candle to your wrist! But I wouldn't use the technique on the street and would rather strike or kick as a response. If you want to study martial arts and gain a real understanding of the heritage of everything from Choi Kwang Do to MMA there is an argument to learn some pressure point techniques.

To read more about martial arts and street self defence visit my free resource site at http://streetselfdefence.net or my recommended street fighting blog at http://howtostreet-fight.blogspot.com/

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