Pressure Point and Vital Point Strikes should only be demonstrated with very light touch contact, and only under the supervision of an instructor

NB : The correct spelling for 'Chi' in the Korean context is actually 'Ki', which you will notice is the preceding letters in 'Ki-hap' . However, the spelling used within this website is as in the chinese form of 'Chi' to aid in the pronunciation and thus help to provide an easily recognisable term of reference.

Type of Pressure Points

All this information regarding pressure points and their applications should only be used to increase your knowledge of the body and of Tae Kwon-do, it is not meant to be used without the supervision of a qualified instructor.

In modern day Tae Kwon-Do there are several types of so called 'pressure points', each of which is applied differently, and each one creating different effects: Pain points; Tendon, ligament and muscle points; and Reflex Pressure points. Some pressure points produce pain when struck, pressed or rubbed (depending on the point itself). While the distraction of pain might offer sufficient advantage in a fight, additionally the body has a pain withdrawl reflex whereby it reacts to pain by moving away from it. Applying pressure to the collar from above will cause the opponent to move downwards, whereas poking them in the gap between the ear and neck will make their body want to move upwards. Pressure to the shoulder causes that side of the body to move back. A jab to the abdomen in the middle of the stomach will cause some people to twist around, away from the pain. A rub down the back will cause the body to move forwards. Some points react more violently to pain from changes in the pressure (rubbing) rather than constant pressure.

The brain is a very sensitive organ. It floats in a fluid and balances on a very flexible spine. These safety mechanisms allow the head to take substantial impact without resulting in concussion. However, Tae Kwon-Do techniques can be delivered in a way which effectively eliminates such protections, thus causing disorientation or instantaneous knockout.

Chi in Tae Kwon-do

Taking Tae Kwon-Do back to its origins, the word 'Chi' is used which is defined as the bodies life force energy. Many students believe that strength is only obtained from pure physical strength, and thus the fact that the opponent is physically stronger means that the opponent will automatically win any confrontation. All students are using Chi, without perhaps even realising it, in the form of a 'Kihap' as described in Fitness, Power & Stretching, however as a student progesses up the ranks of Tae Kwon-Do they become more and more knowledgeable of the fundementals and reasons for all the techniques, rather simply being able to perform them 'parrot fashion'. The students thus come to learn the science of Chi, and never lose their understanding of how to effectively access Chi, and the fact that correctly applied, this internal strength is more powerful than physical strength. Pressure Point Self Defence utilieses the knowldege of Chi, and how to effectively disrupt it within an opponent, and thus with little physical effort, overpower their opponent. The understanding and development of Chi has been documented, and taken place over many centuries, and can be seen in everyday life with such activites as Acupuncture. There are various medical explanations as to what Chi is, using the medical knowledge of the fact that our bodies have various receptors to transmit sensation - Mechancical and Thermal Receptors, Nociceptors, Electromagnetic Receptors, and Chemoreceptors. However, for a student it is not necessary to know the medical explanations as to why Chi energy works, it simply matters that it does.

In order to under the science of Chi, the student must first understand the physical aspects of the human body. Chi flows along invisible circulation channels known as 'Meridians'. There are a total of 12 primary meridians. 10 of these meridians are defined by and govern specific organs of the human body, which are, in no order of importance:

1) Gall Bladder
2) Liver
3) Lungs
4) Large Intestine
5) Stomach
6) Spleen/Pancreas
7) Heart
8) Small Intestine
9) Bladder
10) Kidney

The final two meridians are the Heart Constrictor which controls the flow of blood around the body, and the Triple Warmer which controls the energy of respitraion. All of these meridians possesses a location on both the left and right sides of the body, and Chi flow along these meridians is directed to specific regions of the body the meridian effects. There are also two other secondary meridians which do not posses a direct relationship with an organ, which are the conceptual meridian and the governing vessel meridian. Chi flows through each of the body's meridians either ascending or descending, thus either 'Yin' or 'Yang'. Breath is what links your body to Chi, with Chi being able to be brought into the body with ancient breath control techniques known as 'Chi Gong'. In order to consciously utilise Chi, a student needs to learn how to focus its energy precisely. The bodily location for the source point of all Chi in the body the 'Tan Jun', or the centre point of the human body, is located appoximately 4 inches below the navel. The Tan Jun defining excersie accurately defines the exact location of the Tan Jun in each student. After which all Chi orientated strikes and self defense applications are accomplished by initially focusing on this centre point. This focus of Chi and breath control techniques can be seem when masters perform breaking techniques on seemingly unbreakable bricks etc.

Pressure Points - (Hyel)

Pressure Points are precise access sites along a meridian. Pressure point impacts, strikes or simply pressure application, is applied to these hyel in a precise and specific manner to hamper the flow of Chi in the opponent, which is where the pressure point self defence eminates from. A good anology of Chi type interuption like this is when you have been resting on a bodily part for a long time, resulting in reduced blood circulation and this bodily part felling like its has 'fallen to sleep'. Striking some hyel will cause a very definate and immediate reaction in the opponent, however striking a hyel does not necessarily immediately knock a person out, or cause bodily harm.

Meditation - (Mun Yum)

Training the mind is a fundemental, but often a missed or not properly addressed aspect of Tae Kwon-do. It becomes more and more importatnt as a student progresses up the senior ranks. Meditation is an essential element in any martial arts training to calm and focus the mind. In many ways, simply training in Tae Kwon-do leads the student down the path of meditation. For example when a strudent begins training, they are taught a new technique and practice and practice it until it is mastered. Without realising it, the student used their mind to meditate on this technique, in order to master it. Meditation therefore focuses your conciousness upon a single object, for a period of time. Advanced students take this to the next level, by focusing on one technique not only to come to a new mastery of it, but to come to a deeper understanding of their own body mechanics.

Training body and mind in seated meditation takes a more focused effort. For the advanced student to truly develop the ability to not only calm but also to acutely focus their mind, formal meditation is necessary. This is most effectively practised in a quiet serene environment, since periodic noise tends to distract. In meditation the body should be kept in a firm upright position, with the spine kept erect. To begin with you should sit on the floor with their legs crossed, and eyes closed, allowing a few moments to settle into this seated position. Once comfortable, you should begin to observe your breath, but without trying to control it, simply letting it enter and exit naturally through your nose. Once your mind has grown accustomed to this process, begin to attach the number one to each in-breath, and number two to each out-breath, mentally repeating 'one', 'two', 'one', 'two'. Your mind will tend to wander when your first begin to practice meditation, but this counting will help to bring back your concentration to the life giving force of breath. You do not want to think or visualise about anything else when practising meditation. Meditation should be performed for 10 minutes to start with, then increasing to 20 minutes.

For most of your life, you have allowed your mind to rapidly move from one thought to the next. The purpose of meditation therefore is to still your mind.

Pressure Point Strikes - Beginner

Following is a list of some basic, easily accesible strike point locations, which will sucessfully interupt the flow of Chi in the opponent. However, they are not designed to cause perminent injury to the opponent such as a break to the bones etc.. There are alot more locations throughout the body which are more advanced and thus more difficult to locate and access. In more forceful situations, you may want to rapidly strike your opponent in order to disrupt their intake of breath which will then immediately interupt the flow of Chi into their body. The primary breath interuption points are the groin, the tan jun, the abdomen, the kidneys, the side of the ribs, the solar plexus and the throat. By delivering a powerful strike to any of these locations, the opponents flow of Chi into their body will be instantly disrupted and will induce a state of disorientation in them, allowing a further self defense technique to be applied to them.

Top of the Skull - (Tugol)
This is a hyel of the gall bladder, liver, bladder and governing vessel meridians. Striking it disorientates the opponent by interupting Chi circulation to the brain.

Central Forehead - (Apima)

This is a hyel of the gall bladder, bladder, triple warmer and governing vessel meridians. By striking it , the opponent will be substantially disorientated. This disorientation will last for several minutes.

Behind the Ear - (Kwi Hori)
If you place a finger behind the back of your ear, you will feel a slight protrusion of the bone. This is a hyel for the gall bladder and triple warmer meridians. This pressure point also affects the functioning of the inner ear. Because the inner ear directly affects balance, striking this location will cause the opponent to lose balance and become disorientated.

Jaw Bone - (Tok)
The hyel to access on the jaw bone is located at the point where the jaw arches, exactly at the point where the jaw bone curves and extends out towards the chin. This pressure point also affects the function of the inner ear, and thus, the balance of the opponent. It is also a hyel for the stomach, the small intestine, and the triple warmer meridians. Striking it disorientates the opponent and affects their balance.

Central Upper Chest - (Kasun Chungsim)
This hyel is located on the sternum, the long flat bone proceeding vertically, joining the ribs. Its exact location is 1 inch above the solar plexus. It is a hyel of the kidney and conceptual meridians. Due to its close proximity to the heart and the lungs, striking it sets the opponents breathing off balance. This sporadic breathing will remain constant for approximately 2 minutes or longer depending on the power of the strike.

Ribs - (Kal Pitdal)
Take the tips of your fingers and follow your ribs from the central portion of your body to the side, while applying slight pressure. You will immediately feel a pressure point when you come to the lower side of your ribs. This the hyel you should locate in combat. This is a hyel of the gall bladder, stomach and spleen meridians. All of these meridians, in one form or another, affect the flow of blood throughout the human body. A strike to this location significantly interrupts the opponents blood flow.

Top of the Hand - (Son)
Located at the exact centre of the top of the hand, in between the hand bones leading to the middle and third fingers. This is a hyel of the triple warmer meridian. When you strike this pressure point, your opponents hand is numbed and its proper function is disrupted.

Pressure Point Strikes - Advanced

Inside Elbow
The inside of the elbow possesses a hyel for the heart meridian. To interrupt Chi flow along this meridian, you can reach it by taking a firm grip of the opponents elbow, and using your middle finger place substantial pressure on this hyel. This technique may be performed when an opponent attempts to punch you. When you block Chi flow along the heart meridian, the proper beating of the opponents heart is interupted. Because all bodily functions are highly reliant on proper blood flow, this causes an interruption in the opponents overall aggressive energy, thus controlling the attack becomes much easier.

Inside Wrist
On the wrist there is a hyel located on the bottom portion, approximately 1 inch from the wrist bone. This hyel accesses the heart and lung meridians. Through this hyel not only can the opponents blood flow be interupted, but also their breathing patterns. This technique may be performed when an opponent attempts to punch you. Once the punch has missed you, by you deflecting it, you reach your hand in and take hold of this pressure point, using your middle finger. You would perform this grabbing technique at the same time as grabbing the opponents elbow as above. From this poisition you can maintain control of your opponents entire arm.

Foreward Base of the Neck - (Ap Mok Hyel)
To locate this hyel take your middle finger and follow the front of your own neck downward, just slightly off centre, until it meets your clavical or collar bone. Just before this bone ends, apply pressure downwards, as if you were pushing inside, behind this bone. This hyel is equally located on both sides of the foward neck. Hold pressure on this hyel for a few moments and your breath will begin to be interupted. Holding pressure for longer periods will result in substantial interuption of breath and thus Chi.

Side of the Neck - (Yup Mok Hyel)
This hyel can be located at the base of the jaw bone, just at the point where the jaw bone arches and moves downwards towards the chin. This hyel accesses the triple warmer, gall bladder and small intestine meridians. By applying pressure to this hyel you will substantially disrupt the flow of Chi to two organs of the opponents body, as well as their respiration patterns, which ar domnated by the triple warmer merdian.

Forward of the Ear
This hyel can be located by tracing your ear from back to front, where the front portion of your ear meets your face. By grabbing the persons nose with your fingers, at the same time as pushing a thumb there causes pain, or striking it also affects the functioning of the inner ear, which then directly affects balance, and causes disorientation.