Pressure Points - Guide (part-3)

4-3. SHORT PUNCHES AND STRIKES

During medium-range combat, punches and strikes are usually short because
of the close distance between fighters. Power is generated by using the entire
body mass in motion behind all punches and strikes.

a. Hands as Weapons.
A knowledge of hand-to-hand combat fighting
provides the fighter another means to accomplish his mission. Hands can
become deadly weapons when used by a skilled fighter.

(1) Punch to solar plexus. The defender uses this punch for close-in fighting when the opponent rushes or tries to grab him. The defender puts his full weight and force behind the punch and strikes his opponent in the solar plexus (Figure 4-2), knocking the breath out of his lungs. The defender can then follow-up with a knee to the groin, or he can use other  disabling blows to vital areas.

(3) Thumb strike to shoulder joint. The opponent rushes the defender and tries to grab him. The defender strikes the opponent’s shoulder joint or upper pectoral muscle with his fist or thumb (Figure 4-4). This technique is painful and renders the opponent’s arm numb. The defender then follows up with a disabling  movement.

(4) Hammer-fit strike to face. The opponent rushes the defender. The defender counters by rotating his body in the direction of his opponent and by striking him in the temple, ear, or face (Figure 4-5). The defender follows up with kicks to the groin or hand strikes to his opponent’s other vital areas.

(5) Hammer-fist strike to side of neck. The defender catches his opponent off guard, rotates at the waist to generate power, and strikes his opponent on the side of the neck (carotid artery) (Figure 4-6) with his hand clenched into a fist. This strike can cause muscle spasms at the least and may knock his opponent unconscious.

(6) Hammer fist to pectoral muscle. When the opponent tries to grapple with the defender, the defender counters by forcefully striking his opponent in the pectoral muscle (Figure 4-7). This blow stuns the opponent, and the defender immediately follows up with a disabling blow to a vital area of his opponent’s body.

(7) Hook punch to solar plexus or floating ribs. The opponent tries to wrestle the defender to the ground. The defender counters with a short hook punch to his opponent’s solar plexus or floating ribs (Figure 4-8). A sharply delivered blow can puncture or collapse a lung. The defender then follows up with a combination
of blows to his opponent’s vital areas.

(8) Uppercut to chin. The defender steps between his opponent’s arms and strikes with an uppercut punch (Figure 4-9) to the chin or jaw. The defender then follows up with blows to his opponent’s vital areas.

(9) Knife-hand strike to side of neck. The defender executes a knife-hand strike to the side of his opponent’s neck (Figure 4-10) the same way as the hammer-fist strike (Figure 4-6, page 4-11) except he uses the edge of his striking hand.

(10) Knife-hand strike to radial nerve. The opponent tries to strike the defender with a punch. The defender counters by striking his opponent on the top of the forearm just below the elbow (radial nerve) (Figure 4-11) and uses a follow-up technique to disable his opponent.

(11) Palm-heel strike to chin. The opponent tries to surprise the defender by lunging at him. The defender quickly counters by striking his opponent with a palm-heel strike to the chin (Figure 4-12), using maximum force.

(12) Palm-heel strike to solar plexus. The defender meets his opponent’s rush by striking him with a palm-heel strike to the solar plexus (Figure 4-13). The defender then executes a follow-up technique to his opponent’s vital organs.

(13) Palm-heel strike to kidneys. The defender grasps his opponent from behind by the collar and pulls him off balance. He quickly follows up with a hard palm-heel strike to the opponent’s kidney (Figure 4-14). The defender can then take down his opponent with a follow-up technique to the back of his knee.

Continued on part-4.....