Where to strike right to get an advantage against your attacker?

Pressure / vital / striking points are those areas of the body where a strike will have a most effect on. It is in the best interest of those who want an extra advantage over their opponents or where you may have a low chance of winning the battle. Using these techniques can help you overthrow the opponent and rescue yourself.

There are around forty vital points that are taught in karate where properly struck can render the person unconscious or even death. Here are some of these pressure points which are easy to locate and hit.

Facial Areas

Temple: Opposing to popular belief, the skull is not thin in this area, it is only flatter. A strong blow on the temple can cause disorientation or unconsciousness. It is because the direct shock to the brain which causes unconsciousness, intense pain, seizures, and in extreme cases, death. The best way is to strike with your palm heel, hammer fist, elbow, or knee.

Eyeballs: any strike to the eyes can do a lasting injury. You can use this as your last resort if your life is in danger or under serious body harm. You need to be careful and not use this target when playing with someone or with casual fight. This can easily cause permanent blindness for your opponent. The best types of strike are clawing, finger jabs, or stabbing.

Base of nose: The base of the nose meets the forehead between the eyes. There are several popular myths about this strike. Striking someone on the base of the nose does not shove his brain to the brain. The benefit of striking at this point can be your opponent to draw back, eyes water or swell, nose bleeding profusely can be a very good psychological advantage. Exceptionally strong blow can fracture the nasal bone and lay the person unconscious.

Base of the Jaw: this is a easy to hit target and has several desirable effects. Ranging from snapping the head back and get him unbalanced and fall to breaking the bone or teeth and can make the person unconscious in severe cases. Boxers often use this technique for their knockout blows. Use palm heel, straight on punches, upper cut, elbows or chicken wrist for best effects.

Hinge of the Jaw: A cluster of delicate nerves flow near each ear and the hinge of the jaw. You can use your fingers with a sharp jabbing motion. It wont cause any lasting injury but it will cause your attacker enough pain and loosen his hold on you.

Under the jaw: straight under the jaw you can find a ‘V’ shaped area which too has a cluster of nerves that can cause intense pain if hit with force. Squeeze and push up against the bone. Use this technique while rescue, it would have similar effect to the previous one.

Front Of Torso

Larynx (Adam’s apple): this part of the throat is very vulnerable; it is at the front of the throat and easy target to hit. When hit properly with average force this strike can cause serious injury. Power blows can cause difficulty breathing, damage the windpipe, bleeding or even death. Almost any solid strike can be effective in this area, but ridge hands, punches, four finger punches, chop, elbow and kick might hurt more.

Base of throat: This area is also very delicate. This spot is a ‘V’ kind of notch located where the collarbones come together. Pressure can be applied on it using fingers or thumb. For sharp attacks use finger fists, finger jabs and spear hands.

Zyphoid process and solar plexus: zyphoid plexus is the small tip which extends ahead the bottom of breastbone into what is generally known as breadbasket (solar plexus). When struck with powerful blow, it can break off and cause injury. Besides pain, there can be a possible puncturing of lungs if struck right and hard. Try using knees, kicks, palm heel, elbows and forward punches.

Inguinal area: This area is highly sensitive and is at the upper, inside thigh halfway to the knee. There are bunch of nerves at this place which makes it an ideal striking point. Pinches, kicks and punches can be used to cause pain or even make the leg go numb. This technique is very useful for tackling situations where you get caught from behind. Move your hips slightly to a side and pinch hard. Even a light pinch can cause bruising and make the opponent jump away loosing you and start rubbing the area to relieve his pain.

In total, there are more than fifty pressure points in human body which are termed very vulnerable. For a complete resource for all the hit points, you may consider reading:

Karate-Do Kyohan – The Master Text by Gichin Funakosi.

Though it is an old book, it is very informative and worthwhile.