Kyusho Jitsu Down Block. What is the Real Purpose?

Kyusho Jitsu Down Block

The Kyusho Jitsu Down Block mechanically is the very same as any arts down or low block. But there is a a big difference in how it functions compared to the traditional interpretation. 

To the average person seeing the block their thoughts will go to the idea that they are blocking a front kick. Therefore this is what most people think when they hear the term or see the block.  However the Kyusho Jitsu Down Block has a very different interpretation!

Kyusho Jitsu the science of pressure point self defense exists in every martial art. It is an advanced part of all arts. However after WWII in particular the arts began to become watered down for consumption in the west.

Below is the traditional pattern Chon Ji from the International Tae Kwon Do Federation. Basic Kata with several Down or Low Blocks.

Kyusho Jitsu Down Block

Kyusho Jitsu Down Block

As you can see this is a nice clean simple beginners pattern. It is very easy to see how someone would assign a down block as being to stop a front kick. The trick is to begin to see other things within the limits of the Kata, then to learn to apply them.  So now let's take a look at a different Kyusho Jitsu Down Block interpretation.

As you can also see when the interpretation is done correctly there is no wasted motion! Now this is only one Kyusho Jitsu Down Block interpretation. 

What is the basis for interpretation?

First you need to understand that Kata is not a performance or a dance. This is a modern day idea used because of how sport oriented the martial arts have become. In their true form Kata is a representation of "battle" with many, most of the techniques within being "DEADLY."

You also need to understand the anatomy of an attack. There are ONLY 3 attacks possible and it is the escalation level that is different. 

Beyond that the weapon used is what changes. These are as follows.

  • 1
    Push - Someone comes up and pushes you.
  • 2
    Grab - The attacker will grab clothing, arms etc to stabilize and intimidate you.
  • 3
    Punch - when the attack comes to blows. The use of a weapon is the same as a punch because "impact" is the intent.

The Kyusho Jitsu Down Block - No Blocks!

The next thing you need to understand is that the word "block" is a BAD interpretation from the language of the root of the martial art trained in. There are NO BLOCKS only strikes. The brain will by reflex block someone come at it.  No training required.

It is instinct to either move out of the way or use the arms to protect. This does not need to be taught. Using a "down block" for a kick is like using a screw driver to change your babies diaper. 

Unless you are targeting something on the leg, like GB-31 as an example.

Here is an example of "bad translations or understanding."

My original Grand Master instructor, Mr Chung Oh was from Korea. While his English was OK, it was not great. In our foundation floor exercises he had an move called. Double Palm Downward Block, done in "back-horse." 

For years this was called "back-horse." It was his accent, he was saying "backwards."

GM Oh was an amazing martial artist and instructor. He passed several years ago now. He is always remembered.

* Grand Master Chung W Oh

But because people do not ask questions, and consider these men to be "Gods" things are taken at face value, and therefore often misunderstood! And the "Double Palm Downward Block" was not a block at all, but a strike to the spine of someone trying to take you to ground, attacking the Associated Alarm Points and Governor Vessel. Done correctly the attacker would NEVER walk again.

Do you see how much has been missed?

In Conclusion

Kyusho Article CONCLUSION

I do not teach Kata Interpretation, or technique interpretation the way most martial arts instructors do it.  The reason is that just "showing" someone what a movement can translate to or mean does not program the brain to use it. Instead I lead the student to see the meaning themselves!

Are there movement in your martial art or Kata you are wondering about? Leave a comment and I will help to lead you to the see the answer!

And if you would like to learn more about just how to do this. Follow THIS LINK now to my Kata Interpretation Course!


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Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar. How to advance your understanding.

Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar

Learning Kyusho Jitsu is almost a calling. Once you begin to see the way things work you want more and more. I know once I attended my first Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar I was hooked.

I could not wait for the next opportunity to attend again! But sometimes the seminars are not what they are supposed to be! And that can be an issue.

A Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar should be a learning experience! It should NOT be a venue for an instructor to book his next seminar! Yes we all hope that happens! But it does not happen as a result of putting on a demonstration, it comes from taking curious people and turning them into students!

Over the years I have traveled and taught many seminars. No where near as many as some of the high profile names. But with time I will get there! However the one difference I have heard time and time again is that I "really teach" the stuff! And this is very true! My focus is leaving students with things that can use afterwards. Not just showing them how good I am, but how good they can be!

Benefits of a Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar

Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar

For the school owner, the person hosting the seminar there must be a BIG benefit in doing so! I know one instructor in the USA who hosted a seminar with a very famous martial artists, and out of respect I will not say who as he has passed on, but it cost him students. The reason? A massive ego walking in the door of his Dojo, and a HUGE price tag causing disappointed students. That cannot happen!

The school owner or host is putting money on the line to do this! Yes he or she is looking for some financial gain, and this should happen. The event naturally needs to be well promoted! 

But when the presenter does the job correctly, giving a real learning experience the host benefits even more! 

Why is that? The excitement caused by the Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar motivates students to come to class and train harder! This was how i build a school in Canada of so many adult Black Belts who stay and don't quit!

Back in 2018 I did a seminar in Brasov Romania called the RMATC or Romanian Martial Art Training Camp.  This was a small intimate group of students from all over the world. Below is an excerpt from that Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar. 

Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar in Conclusion

Kyusho Article CONCLUSION

I cannot of stress the benefits of a Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar when it is actually a teaching experience and not a show!

Right now I am going to give you a chance to get a copy of that exclusive seminar I presented back in July 2018.

Here is a link where you can get a 4 video set of RAW footage from this 3 day seminar! Follow the link below and learn more! Thank you for reading Kyusho Pressure Point Seminar.


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Al vostru în arte,
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GM Art Mason

A Martial Artist is NOT a Self Defense Expert

Self Defense Expert

I am going to upset a few people today, but a Martial Artist is NOT a Self Defense Expert! In fact most know little to nothing about the topic. They pretend to because they either won a few street fights in their day or some tournaments. Sorry guys, self defense is not the same thing! Now a martial artist can be a self defense expert, but this requires a different type of training and knowledge!

Now I am not saying that these men and women cannot fight, that is an entirely different subject, with almost no relationship between them.

Self Defense Expert - The Fight

I have great respect for fighters. I was an amateur boxer in my youth as well as a full contact and point style TKD fighter. However I discovered one day when I got into a situation I could not handle that there was a big difference between the 2! Yes it did have a lot to with physical skills, but much more of it was mental or psychological than anyone realizes. 

* Right to Self Defense

Sample #1:

You are in a bar with your "significant other" and a problem arises with another person there. Words are exchanged perhaps because you choose to defend the honor of the person you are with. So you take it outside! Depending on whether there are drugs and or alcohol involved the average martial artist will do very well here. But this is a FIGHT. There will be a winner and a loser, because their ego dictates there must be one! And no one is trying to kill the other, at least not in this scenario!

Sample #2

A man is stationed at a military base that comes under attack via ground forces. Without a weapon in his hand he defeats and kills an attacker. This is not self defense, this is combat. In the real world he would likely succeed in most self defense situations. However he will likely end up charged with at least manslaughter and end up with prison time for excessive force. 

There is also a difference in the psychology of the attacker. In a military or combat situation the attacker is expecting a problem with the defender. On the street the attacker has chosen a victim! 

Sample #3

You are walking out of the movies with your wife and child. 2 guys approach you and demand your money. As you are about to comply, becasue you are smart the situation turns violent. You must SURVIVE not win, and protect your wife and child. You were chosen because you appeared to be easy. And with the right kind of training, both mentally and physically you could survive this! But not if you think the championship you won last year, or your knife fight training will help you.

This is a different UNIVERSE and it is not even a parallel one!

A Martial Artist is NOT a Self Defense Expert

Self Defense Experts - The Real Deal

Do I consider myself a self defense expert? That is a yes and no answer. I am still training and researching to discover the truth of our every changing world and the violence issues we face. They are not the same ones we faced 5 years ago even. Therefore while I am adept, I do not like the word expert. 

Can anyone be a self defense expert? It depends on several different things.

  1. Unless you have never been robbed, or attacked on the street it is pretty hard to relate to the situation. You need to have experienced the adrenaline when this happens
  2. You must be trained in a system that focuses on simple and solid movements. It ain't Hollywood and Bruce Lee's movies were pretend. 
  3. You need to research situations with people who have been there. Learn how they did, what they did and how they survived the threat!

This is the beginning, getting on the path to becoming a self defense expert. But the lessons never end.

Self Defense Expert in Conclusion

Kyusho Article CONCLUSION

Self Defense Expert: Becoming proficient at self defense or becoming an expert is a no ending journey. Situations change constantly and we must develop our skills accordingly!

Have you ever been in a life or death situation? Leave a comment and tell me about the experience!

Thank for reading Self Defense Expert. This is an important article.


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Also if you are concerned about learning as much as possible about self defense read the 13 Misconception of Knife Attacks and the 5 Misconceptions of Gun Defense!

If you have any questions please comment below in the comments section. Questions asked in public help everyone! Don't be shy! Questions are the stepping stone to excellence!


Thank you for reading Self Defense Expert once again. Remember to checkout the KJWA website and become a member! It is FREE! And you can use the Red Bell below to subscribe to new articles.

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

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Al vostru în arte,
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GM Art Mason

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes. How to Shock the Central Nervous System

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes: What is Kyusho Jitsu and it is simply just nerve strikes? The science of pressure point self defense is complex, so if it is really just nerve strikes then why is it not simple? The reasons are many and I will go into some of them right now.  

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes & Striking Action

The first part of this story is to talk about Striking Action. Just hitting something hard does not always yield the desired results! If hitting hard was the "final" answer then boxing matches and MMA fights would be over in seconds. But they last a very long time! The real object is to hit correctly! 

This requires some special training and understanding the principles of power vs force! They are not the same thing! Here is an article that will shed some light onto this subject or learning to strike correctly!

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes - What is a Pressure Point?

Next we need to look at exactly what a pressure point is, and how it relates to the nervous system. Please read the working of this carefully and ask questions if I am not clear. 

Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions

A pressure point is not some kind of mystical/magical location on the body. It is a place found in what are referred to a meridians or energy channels. These channels are not hardwired places or things like nerves are. They are energy pathways that result due to "inductance" because of electrical flow within the nerves themselves. Much like a transformer. 

Now a pressure point occurs on these channels at places near/where a nerve comes to an end. Where a nerve branches off like in a "Y" form, or where nerves cross or run over top of each other. These is the best description of a pressure point possible. I hope you can see the relationship here between the area [pressure point] and the nerve location.

With all of this being said when you strike a pressure point, if you do so correctly you will affect the energy flow in the meridian, which because of the Laws of Induction causes a reaction in the flow of electricity in the nerve itself. This causes a predictable result depending on the pressure point activated and the functions of the nerves and therefore the meridians also. 

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes - Pressure Point Locations

Part of this equation, and a BIG reason Kyusho Jitsu can be referred to as nerve striking is because of the physical location of the pressure points themselves. 

So lets take a look at 2 of the most effective pressure points with relation to their locations and therefore why they work so effectively! 

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes: Gall Bladder 20

The first pressure point we will look at is Gall Bladder 20. Because of its proximity and relationship to the fact it lies on the Greater Occipital Nerve is why this point is so effective. The point itself lies in the indentation at the base of the skull.

This nerve has a relation and control over the muscles in the back of the neck and skull that associate with the integrity of the skull to the spine. 

Striking in and up towards the other side of the head, using Two Way Action will cause the nerve to report potential serious damage to the brain and therefore cause a knockout. 

Here is a link to an in-depth study of Neurological Knockouts

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes: Spleen 11

Now in this image to the right you can see the pressure point Spleen 11. This pressure point lies on the femoral nerve. Striking this pressure point straight across like an arrow, using Two Way Action compresses the nerve against the bone, which causes great pain! Now this nerve also protect the femoral artery, which if ruptured, which is possible in a leg break, will result in death from internal bleed out. 

So striking this pressure point correctly can also result in a knockout. As well as with sufficient power break the femur.

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes -Spleen Meridian

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes in Conclusion

Kyusho Article CONCLUSION

Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes: This should help give you an understanding of why Kyusho Jitsu is really about striking nerves, but also why it becomes more complicated that just saying "nerve strikes."

When you use the principles of Kyusho Jitsu you will increase the effectiveness of the strikes because you will be hitting the correct way, for the correct area! 

And the results are well worth the effort! Thank you for reading about Kyusho Jitsu Nerve Strikes.


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Pressure Points on the Body

10 Best Pressure Points for Self Defense

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This video will give you all the information you need to find and correctly strike these Top 10 pressure points! And for a limited time you even get FREE charts to help you locate the Pressure Points.



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Al vostru în arte,
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Self Defense Escalation Levels. Knowing when things HEAT UP!

Self Defense Escalation Levels

Self Defense Escalation Levels: It still surprised me today how many martial artists do not understand what self defense actually is. For some reason many glorify it in to some kind of epic combat or great battle.

All the while saying they understand the difference between "sport" and "street." You see this most often in the form of bad questions and answers as to which art is superior for street defense.

They do not know or understand Self Defense Escalation Levels

Self Defense does NOT occur when 2 or more people agree to fight.

Understanding Self Defense Escalation Levels is critical for success on today's streets. Every day the streets become more intense, and more dangerous as more and more people become upset with the current status of their existence. From dissension to mental illnesses there is a lot going on today.

Mass Hysteria

Update March 15th 2020. Today we face a problem. And the problem is NOT Covid-19 killing us all. The problem is the mass panic / hysteria created by today's media for self serving interests. This is one reason the deescalation teaching of Humane Pressure Point Tactics are so critical! At the very least enroll in Level One and Level Two and learn how to see the signs of trouble, and the things you can do to calm bad situations before they escalate to violence. On our current path people will die fighting over toilet paper. BE VIGILANT! ACT NOW!

Self Defense Escalation - Eye Contact

Eye contact is an important beginning to see what is happening in a conflict. You can see from the potential attackers eyes a lot about his mental condition. As an example you can tell quickly if the person is stoned, drunk, confused or angry. This information helps you assess how much potential trouble you are in.

Plus your eyes will reveal at lot about you. You must make eye contact but do not stare. The attacker can also interpret a lot of information from you also. Especially nervousness and fear levels.  Training to remain calm is important!

And never stare, look and glance away like you are thinking about the situation and you should be.  Assessing the situation is critical to survival if and when things go bad. 

Self Defense Escalation - Low Level

* All Inclusive Self Defense

Seeing the warning signs of coming violence is a life saver! These skills will not just protect you but also anyone else in the area!

The first level of Self Defense Escalation we look at is the low level. This is the interview or prelude to violence. And this will occur 95% of the time. Being blind sided does happen, however it is not as common as most people think it is. 

Violence is a very psychological event, and the need for the attacker to dominate and scare is part of this picture.  This model applies to from simple assault all the way to the horrific mass shootings.

Low Self Defense Escalation requires a certain skill set, which includes a physical element. You need to learn and possess certain verbal skills, as well as physical skills to preemptively hand bad situations. 


Self Defense Escalation - Medium Level

Now the term medium level may confuse you a little bit, so let me explain. At the Self Defense Escalation Medium Level the situation has now escalated to violence with the first punch or gab having happened. Once at this point the negotiations have ended and the physical threat must be met with "reasonable force."

However no threat of the taking of life has been made, no weapon introduced or suspected.

H.P.P.T Humane Pressure Point Tactics

This is the level that most martial artists wrongly feel comfortable in. However many many times the martial artist overestimate their own skills or underestimate the attacker. Medium Level can go to High Level in heart beat and therefore there is much to consider! And many martial artists get in trouble here for "excessive force" as well! 

This level of Self Defense Escalation also requires verbal skills as well as physical skills. 


13 Misconceptions about Knife Attacks

Self Defense Escalation - High Level

This is the "oh shit" moment when you realize that:

a) Your attacker is not alone.

b) That your attacker has a weapon

Both of these High Level Self Defense Escalation points are seriously life changing and life threatening! 

At this point the only thing that matters is getting out of the situation with your life still intact! There is no win or lose here, there is only survival! Plus there needs to be an understanding that a lot has gone wrong for you to be at this point! 

Escape from this situation requires very special skills and a very special mindset! All of the "self defense vs weapon" dreams do not apply here! That is fantasy! This is reality! One such example is the countless misconceptions of what happens in a knife attack, or the believe that somehow you will disarm the attacker and save the day!

No you need the skills to get out and get out fast! You also need to understand why you are still alive and how to proceed from that point! 


Self Defense Escalation Levels n Conclusion

Kyusho Article CONCLUSION

Understanding all of this is key to success in personal self defense and protection and also teaching it.

These 3 courses are called Humane Pressure Point Tactics are linked. Thank you for reading Self Defense Escalation Levels.


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Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

GM Art Mason

Kyusho Close Quarters Combat. What are the keys to survival?

Kyusho Close Quarters Combat

Kyusho Close Quarters Combat: I will tell you from the beginning I am not a fan of the term "combat" when it comes to self defense. It in my mind can be somewhat misleading. The majority of people who will read this post are not military men and women.

They are civilians like me. What is the difference? Combat is a different mindset. Self Defense another. But, for the sake of the way people view things, lets talk today to see if there are Kyusho Close Quarters Combat solutions.

For the get-go I will state emphatically YES, there are Kyusho Close Quarters Combat Solution

We also have to remember that in the science of pressure point self defense, Kyusho Jitsu is implemented into a martial art style or system to enhance it! So depending on the style you train in, will come the direct techniques to handle close quarters fighting.

Now my root art is Hapkido, and so there is a lot of in close techniques we have for use in these kinds of situations. But today I am going to address a question I saw on Quora about Kyusho Close Quarters Combat. The question is "Which fighting style is best in enclosed spaces such as in buses or planes?"

Kyusho Close Quarters Combat

My own personal experience teaching this comes from a law in Ontario which greatly restricts the right of self defense to "public servants." People in this category are teachers, firemen, civil servants, ambulance paramedics etc,etc.  In their great lack of knowledge, understanding and common sense and because of a fear of "law suites" the government of the province implemented a course called "non violence crisis intervention." 

Kyusho Close Quarters Combat

A patient turning violent inside an ambulance is one of the most dangerous situations a medic can face. They deal with many different potentially dangerous situations such as drug abuse and serious mental disorders. Are you in a similar job?

Humane Pressure Point Tactics offers real solutions!

Not only is this non violent crisis intervention total garbage, but it is dangerous to the defender! Yes I have seen the course! But someone, someday will get killed because of it! I can certainly understand the idea of reasonable force, but this is ridiculous! 

I was because of the program asked to teach a class of people who were in school to become paramedics. Now there is a "hole" in the law because when the patient is in the ambulance and turns violent the government regulation no longer applies! Therefore I was able to teach them "real" Kyusho Close Quarters Combat techniques to defend themselves.

This leads to the question, "what did I teach?" I taught them the Level One and Two Humane Pressure Point Tactics [H.P.P.T]

Kyusho Close Quarters Combat in Conclusion

Kyusho Article CONCLUSION

Read the information below! Realize that self defense is not the package being sold to you in many instances today.

You need a solid root art systems and then other information and training to enhance your knowledge. Thank you for reading Kyusho Close Quarters Combat.


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Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

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Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

GM Art Mason

Can Pressure Points Kill You? What makes this possible?

So Can Pressure Points Kill You?

Updated Article! Can striking a pressure points result in death? In this article I am going to address this age old question with a truthful and factual answer! Can Pressure Points Kill?

From the onset of the question there are NO PRESSURE POINTS  alone that when just activated result in death. There are some very dangerous pressure points.

And there are some who claim it is true, but there is much more to it then just a simple strike. And there are also other factors involved! Therefore what I am going to tell you is - Yes there are pressure points that can kill you, but NO you will not hit any by accident and get death as a result! 

What Can Pressure Points Kill You?

In the ancient art of Dim Mak as an example they speak of "delayed death" as a result of a strike. Now is this even possible?

Yes it is, but not for the reasons that the practitioner thinks, and there is NO WAY to predict this result accurately without knowledge of the attacker.  I have a course available on Dim Mak that goes into details as to how this all works. Follow this link for more information on the Dim Mak Project.  

What Pressure Points Can Kill You?

This is an image of a concussion in the early stages. It is falsely believed that wearing a helmet can prevent a concussion.

This is dead wrong. A helmet protects against a skull fracture, not a concussion.

Now one place we can look to get a good idea of how all this works is boxing. Over the years there have been many deaths because of being involved in a boxing match. MMA is going to have a huge death and disability tole also! 

Now when someone is punched HARD in the head, or punched in the head at all, the brain will smash against the side of the skull. This will result in a concussion.

Now depending on how fast the brain swells, and how much it hemorrhages death can result! However the reason for death is not the punch, it is the concussion that comes because of the punch. Therefore you cannot say that a punch to the head results in death! Do you follow me?

Let us now look further into Can Pressure Points Kill?

Can Pressure Points Kill - Looking at Pressure Points

There are many dangerous pressure points! However to say they are deadly is really not an accurate term. If you know how to correctly strike one of these "pressure points" the resulting damage can lead to death. However there is no way to predict this kind of event. And death will occur for other reasons! And if the person struck seeks help from an acupuncturist then the result of the strike can be nullified. 

Now everything in the body is connected to everything else. As an example there is really only one meridian in the human body. A meridian is simply a complex energy path that is created due to inductive reactance [Chi] that is association with nerve functions. These path then have predominate characteristics in Chinese Medicine and in Kyusho Jitsu that relate to an organ. The reasons are very complex and far beyond the scope of a single article. However you can certainly find this information easily

Now if we take a look at a pressure point, one that falls into the category of "Can Pressure Points Kill You?" we can talk about GB-20 [Gall Bladder 20].

Can Pressure Points Kill - Let's look at GB-20

Pressure Point Knockouts

In this image you can see this pressure point lies on the greater occipital nerve. This nerve is tied into and protects the muscles that keep the skull in place as it relates to the spine. 

A good HARD clean strike to this are will result in a knockout. The brain will shut down to protect this integrity. You can also use the science of pressure point self defense to setup this pressure point for an easier knockout.

But can this pressure point cause death?

Can Pressure Points Kill?

Directly, no it cannot. However if it is struck hard enough, which will cause the muscles to fail, the resulting blow can dislodge the skull from the spinal column resulting in sever injury to the nervous system. Therefore permanent paralysis or death is possible! This is similar to a whiplash. 

However death is possible but not probable! This is the reason this pressure point can be used for knockout demonstrations without much to worry about. 

Can Pressure Points Kill? [Dangerous Points]

Which Pressure Points Can Kill, let's take a moment and look at a more dangerous set of pressure points. Now I always strongly advise against using these points for any kind of demonstration due to what happens to the body when they are stimulated. 

This is ST-09,10 [Stomach 9&10]

What Pressure Points Can Kill You?

You can see the relative position of ST-9 and 10 with regards to the neck and jawline. In the image below you will also notice the proximity to the caroted artery(s).

Kyusho Jitsu Secrets

This area is governed in part by the vagus nerve. When these point are struck there is a resulting drop in blood pressure. This is called a "vassal faint" or Reflex syncope.  This is a brief loss of consciousness due to a neurologically induced drop in blood pressure.  This will not however cause death under normal circumstances. 

Can Pressure Points Kill

However the impact can result in arterial damage and in extreme cases it is possible when the blood pressure returns to dislodge any plaque in the artery and end up causing a stroke.  Therefore under training conditions why would you risk striking these pressure points? Odds are in your favor of nothing happening, but then there is Murphy's Law!

Here is a little more information on ST-09 from my book Kyusho Pressure Point Anatomy! Click the button to trigger the popup with the information in it. 


Can Pressure Points Kill in Conclusion

Kyusho Article CONCLUSION

So, can Pressure Points Kill You?

 Directly there are none. Indirectly, with a deep understanding of how the body works, and serious in depth training, years of practice it is possible to have death as a result.

But directly, answering the question the answer is there are no pressure points that can kill you.  If you wish this deep a skill you must do the work!

What Pressure Points have you heard can kill you? I really have only touch the surface of death pressure points!

And if you follow this LINK you can read about another Top 5 Deadly Pressure points! Thank you for taking time to read this article Can Pressure Points Kill.


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Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions. What makes an effective strike?

Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions

What are Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions? Are they different and how do they differ from the standard strikes of other martial art systems? Let's take a look at this one in some details!

Have you ever seen a person who is about to strike someone?

Especially if they are angry? The fist is clenched very tight, to try to create a strong object to do as much damage as possible, 

Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions

Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions

You can see the tension in the fist. While is does do lots of damage. The results are much slower to appear. This only affects the surrounding tissue and not necessarily the nervous or vascular systems of the body.

Swelling does occur from the use of a fist. But it takes time. This makes it very ineffective!

Actually when you look at someone in any kind of high negative emotional state you will see them with clenched fists, and a clenched jaw too! Because of the adrenaline flow in the body, it becomes very tense, and constricts energy flow. 

Even in competitions you will see this! There is a belief that harder is better. If this was the case most ring fights would end after one or two punches. But they don't, they last for a long time! 

Brain Trauma

Is damage being done? 100% yes! If you were to perform an MRI Scan on someone after taking few good head shots you would see an fast amount of damage! But they keep coming. In the street that is a BIG PROBLEM! A reason why Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions are so important!

Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions

Therefore the importance of understanding the basic Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions. These are all related to the elements of the body and when understood are very effective

The major difference is they are all in a relaxed state. When the body is relaxed it then projects energy. When it is tense it conceals energy. And if you understand the Yin-Yang Theories you will know the attacker conceals energy because of his emotional state!

Here is a breakdown of the Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions

  • Slapping Action for Fire
  • Vibrating Action for Metal
  • Chopping Action for Wood
  • Penetrating Action for Earth
  • Grasping Action for Water

These are all pretty straight forward and not difficult to learning. Plus they are effective with or without Chi development. With Chi development is always better, but not everyone dedicates time to the work! If you are curious about Chi Development follow this link and learn more. 

Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions in conclusion

Kyusho Article CONCLUSION

What makes striking actions so important? When we first begin our martial arts training our movements are very "constipated."

But often times rather than going back to a natural way of moving we just keep adding power for effectiveness.

And this is not very efficient! Kyusho Jitsu study is all about "Natural Movement."  Are there any hand positions or types of strikes you are curious about? Ask below!

And if you would like to learn more about Kyusho Striking Actions you can read my articles on Advanced Kyusho Striking Actions here. Thank you for reading about Kyusho Jitsu Striking Actions.


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Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

GM Art Mason

Kyusho Jitsu Black Belt

Kyusho Jitsu Black Belt

For the last 100 plus years a Black Belt has been the symbol of excellence in the world. Today it still holds this very high meaning! And obtaining a Kyusho Jitsu Black Belt is no exception to this rule.

There are people who are very "negative" at the idea of people being promoted to various levels of Black Belt. The problem is however these men, and they always seem to be men, somehow believe this is a status symbol only a few should be allowed to obtain. They see it as a "touch guy" image.

They get very upset when they see people obtain ranks that "they do not believe these people deserve." Often times the comments are that this "diminishes" their or others rank and/or accomplishments in the arts. Bullshit!

Seriously guys, get some help! You have serious "self worth" issues if you believe what someone else does changes how people think of you.  Plus why do you care?

Why get a Kyusho Jitsu Black Belt?

Kyusho Jitsu Black Belt

The main reason for someone who is studying the science of pressure point self defense to work towards a Black Belt is what this does to their motivations.

Unlike the rest of the animal kingdom people are "goal seeking" creatures.

Animals have basic instincts that people also possess, but we also need much more! We need to have purpose of meaning in our lives. Working towards and obtaining a Kyusho Jitsu Black Belt is once such activity! 

However, I must add this. You have to do the work and earn it! In the current climate people are often given things without actually having done what needs to be done. Like metals and trophies to children who lost. This does not make "strong" people! It is likely one of the reasons for the high suicide rate in the west!

The current ideology of "equality of outcome" is terrible for people! Equality of opportunity 100% yes, outcome 100% no! 

Without meaning comes a sense of worthlessness, depression and hopelessness. So that being said, if you want to achieve a Kyusho Jitsu Black Belt you gotta do the work, and make the grade!

The Meaning of Black Belt

I have been asked, "if Kyusho is not a full art then why do I promote to Black Belt?" The reason is easy! People understand the meaning of the term Kyusho Jitsu Black Belt and therefore wish to excel to be worthy of the honour! 

Art Mason circa 1997

If fact there is a corporation today that uses the martial arts belt system is evaluate and promote their own people!

See the value and "meaning" this can have? 

Martial Arts is supposed to be about BUILDING strong people with good character! We have an important mission and need to move forward with it!

Hard work and dedication are good for you!

Kyusho Article CONCLUSION

In Conclusion

As a lifetime martial artist and someone who has trained in multiple arts over the years I can conclusively.

Black Belt is a person symbol of excellence. There is nothing mystical about it. Black Belt does not make you a self defense expert.

It means you achieved your GOAL! The problems in the world today do not come from lack of opportunity. They come from lack of drive due to lack of GOALS.


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Al vostru în arte,
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Kyusho Cycle of Emotions. How can emotions affect outcome?

* Kyusho Cycle of Emotions

What is the Kyusho Cycle of Emotions? How does it work? On the surface it is a very simply cycle. Application of it is however a little more complicated. So let me explain.

Kyusho Cycle of Emotions

The breakdown of the Kyusho Cycle of Emotions is as follows:

  1. Happiness destroys Anger
  2. Anger destroys Grief
  3. Grief destroys Happiness

The cycle is also referring to extremes of emotion. Which complicates its usage. 

The Kyusho Cycle of Emotions and YOU

The first issue with the application of the Kyusho Cycle of Emotions is that you, the defending need to be in control of you emotions. This is not an easy task and requires serious practice to achieve. 

In a demonstration it is very easy to use the Kyusho Cycle of Emotions because it is a controlled environment.

So as an example you have the Uki attack you after working up some anger, then you hit him at ST-05 while laughing at him and you will have a DEEP Neurological Knockout

Pretty cool eh? But as you can imagine to laugh at someone trying to hurt you would not be easy. FEAR is the normal psychological response. The fight or flight reflex kicks in.  Now you may be able to defense yourself no problems. But changing the "emotional" state you are in is different. That is a big challenge! Plus it needs to be pure, not just an ego mask!

Therefore it is a idea good to understand the physiological happening of what are emotions to get a real understanding of how this works.

Emotional State of Attacker - Kyusho Cycle of Emotions

You also need to understand the emotional state of the attacker in order to apply the Kyusho Cycle of Emotions! The automatic assumption is that the person is angry. But that is not always the case!

It really depends on how bad your luck is! Let's take a look at different metal conditions and the associated emotions that come into play. 

Kyusho Cycle of Emotions

And if we are honest with ourselves, and when we speak of self defense we must be honest because mental illness has become an epidemic problem today.

So let's break this down!

Psychopaths - Kyusho Cycle of Emotions

Psychosis and Self Defense

The issue here is emotionally Psychopaths are not influenced by other people emotions. Therefore if one attacks you he or she will feel nothing for you.

This can cause the attack to be very robotic, and unemotional. Therefore the Kyusho Cycle of Emotions is not really going to be applicable. You can make a Psychopath angry by attacking his or her ego. 

But that is likely to make the situation far worse! There certainly are ways to defend yourself against a Psychopath using the science of pressure point self defense. But the Kyusho Cycle of Emotions is OUT!

Also a psychopath does not have a conscience!

Sociopaths - Kyusho Cycle of Emotions

The sociopath is a very interesting person. They can also be hands down the most dangerous. They are capable of attacking someone, even killing them with little to no emotional association at all. However not all Sociopaths are interested in doing harm to others. 

A Sociopath does have a conscience, but it is very weak. Here is a great reference on the difference between the Psychopath and the Sociopath

Depression - Kyusho Cycle of Emotions

This is one of the most common forms of mental illness today.  It has been linked to dozens of mass shootings in the USA and is also not very well understood. Depression on its own is not going to be a cause of violence. However there are other factors that come into play.

Kyusho Cycle of Emotions

Because depression can basically cripple someone and destroy their lives they can become very resentful inside. This can lead to problems if they decide to act out their resentment on someone who they view is the cause. In this case anger does come into play!

This can also be complicated and has been complicated by the medication the person is taking.  Here is another read for you on Depression and Violence.


Kyusho Cycle of Emotions
Explaining Emotions and Activation


( Mastering Triple Warmer

Kyusho Cycle of Emotions In Conclusion

Please note I am not targeting in anyway people with any of the above conditions or others. However as martial artist and martial art teachers we need to understand what is happening in our environment. The more people understand mental illness the better! Our goal as martial arts teachers is to help.

You cannot help what you do not understand. Ignorance is a bad choice. 

The study of Pressure Points, Kyusho Jitsu is about understanding the human body and how it fuctions. It is not just about hitting or kicking. The better the understand you have the better your chances of success. After all "chance favors the prepared mind."

This is called a preparatory martial art. And if you want to develop a deep insight into the Cycle of Emotions then understanding Triple Warmer is essential. Learn more about my book Mastering Triple Warmer here. 


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Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

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