# Where to Find Pressure Point Study Resources?



## VegMan (Jan 21, 2010)

Hi, I'm new to the forum. Can someone offer suggestions on really good resources (books, dvd, media) for locating and studying the pressure points? Thanks in advance.


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## Drac (Jan 21, 2010)

*Grandmaster George Dillman* has some excellent books and DVD's out there http://www.dillman.com/videos.asp and *Master Mark Gridley* ATS system also offers some excellent DVD's and books at www.ichf.com
...I have been the Uke for both of these men and their stuff is real..


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## K-man (Jan 21, 2010)

VegMan said:


> Hi, I'm new to the forum. Can someone offer suggestions on really good resources (books, dvd, media) for locating and studying the pressure points? Thanks in advance.


Welcome.  What type of information are you after and how do you envisage it fitting with your current training?  
There's a heap of information available on the web. Do a search for kyusho, kyusho-jutsu, dim-mak or vital points.  That should get you started.  :asian:


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## VegMan (Jan 21, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions so far. There are a lot of bits and pieces on Kyusho on the net, but I'm not sure what's reliable and what's not. Anyone know of any books or charts that have a comprehesive display of the most commonly used points in Kyusho?


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## Brian R. VanCise (Jan 22, 2010)

I offer a pressure nerve point e-book that you might find good.

Instinctive Response Training Store


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## Drac (Jan 22, 2010)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> I offer a pressure nerve point e-book that you might find good.
> 
> Instinctive Response Training Store


 
Yes, I forgot to mention that..Mea Culpa...


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## VegMan (Jan 24, 2010)

I found some resources that have pretty detail diagrams and names in Korean. But I can't seem to find simialr resources in Japanese. Why is that? Anyone know of any good Kyusho or Japanese Acupressure books?


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## Nishibi Ryu (Jan 25, 2010)

I would also recomend any books by Rick Clarke I have some of his work and went to several seminars and they are very good. If you want original Japanese works you need to look up Kano Ju Jutsu on the web, it was published in 1904 and is very good if you know what you are looking at. Remember just knowing where they are is only part of the story, there is much more to it than that and the books I have seen don't tell you how to use them in sequences.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing in the hands of a novice.


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## VegMan (Jan 26, 2010)

Thanks Nishibi. Does Rick Clark's book have the (romanized) Japanese names in the pressure point charts too? That would be a great reference material to have.


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## Nishibi Ryu (Jan 26, 2010)

Hi,
Depending on which of Ricks books you get as to how the points are referenced. His first is a text book he wrote when he was a College Lecturer and taught MA to the masses which is very good, the second was written in 2004 I think and is a little more detailed in some respects, both are worth a read.
I met him in the mid 90's, lovely bloke and he knows what he is doing beleive me, the hard part is utilising it in conjunction with your current MA as I said there is more to it than you think, but great fun to do with a good partner.


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## ponaterchip (Jan 27, 2010)

As you can tell I've been a member for awhile but don't post often, that is unless I feel it's a serious conversation and I can add to it.  When it comes to pressure points I started with the following and it has greatly improved my art and how I apply it:



Rick Moneymaker DVD s : Yin/Yang Theory, Quadrant Theory and Elemental Theory
A couple of acupressure reference manuals.
And most important, an instructor who is competent and can help guide you.

There should be no need to change your art just use the new information to improve it.  Personally when I began with points, I simply wanted to make my techniques work better and easier.  I have no interest in PPKO's. Done them on accident but that's beside the point.  Dillman's and Clark's stuff just didn't click with me.  It's like finding an instructor to train with.  You will need to find the one that you click with and are able to best understand.


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## Samurai (Apr 21, 2010)

The absolute BEST book on point location and names is *Essential Anatomy: For Healing and Martial Arts *

*http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Anatomy-Healing-Martial-Arts/dp/0834804433/ref=pd_sim_b_4*

This lists the point with pictures, names (English/Japanese, Chinese, and Korean) and location.  Wonderful reference book!!!  Well worth the price (currently at $16.47 on Amazon.com)

Thanks
Jeremy Bays


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## 5rings (Apr 22, 2010)

No one has mentioned George Dillman who I believe has 3 maybe 4 books that are great universal study guides for pressure point application, though I do recommend that you find a qualified instructor such as someone from the Dillman group or associated as such.  It is difficult to truly grasp pressure point application through books or videos since they will give you their location but tell very little about proper press or strike technique to each location.... *since angle and direction are vital*.  Most students that learn from a book or video (dvd) spend lots of lost time trying to grasp the correct location and its manipulation of surface tissue, muscle and tendon which all play a crucial role in its success.  Plus there are dozens of different hand and fist strike techniques which give added benefit to its effectiveness.  *The application of pressure point striking must be completely respected within the guidance of a qualified teacher.*
"Alway try to outside the Traditional Box"


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## ponaterchip (Apr 27, 2010)

> The absolute BEST book on point location and names is *Essential  Anatomy: For Healing and Martial Arts *


I agree. This is the book that I reference most often when I need to dbl check myself.



> No one has mentioned George Dillman who I believe has 3 maybe 4 books  that are great universal study guides for pressure point application,  though I do recommend that you find a qualified instructor such as  someone from the Dillman group or associated as such.


I used Dillman's books as a starting point.  They were a great intro to pressure point fighting but I found them lacking in the explanation of the science behind pressure point. (Meaning beyond just the Destructive Cycle.)

IMAO Moneymaker's Dragon Society (with whom I have no affiliation) does the best job of making the "science" available to the public.  Even then, once you realize what can be applied to pp, what they make available is also very limited thus the reason you need a knowledgeable instructor.


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## 5rings (Apr 27, 2010)

ponaterchip said:


> I agree. This is the book that I reference most often when I need to dbl check myself.
> 
> I used Dillman's books as a starting point. They were a great intro to pressure point fighting but I found them lacking in the explanation of the science behind pressure point. (Meaning beyond just the Destructive Cycle.)
> 
> IMAO Moneymaker's Dragon Society (with whom I have no affiliation) does the best job of making the "science" available to the public. Even then, once you realize what can be applied to pp, what they make available is also very limited thus the reason you need a knowledgeable instructor.


 Yes very good source as well.......But you'll still need a Teacher!
"Always try to think outside the traditional Box"


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## Explorer (May 21, 2010)

The best comprehensive resource I've found is "Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy" by Jerry Alan Johnson. It's a medical text with amazingly good diagrams. This is a text book and was about $125 some years ago. I don't know if it is still in print but it's the best comprehensive resource I've found.

For a quick reference guide there is a member of the Kyusho International group, in Australia I think, who put together a terrific spiral bound reference that you can keep in your bag. I think you have to find him and email him for directions on how to get a copy.


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## Brother John (May 22, 2010)

VegMan said:


> Thanks for the suggestions so far. There are a lot of bits and pieces on Kyusho on the net, but I'm not sure what's reliable and what's not. Anyone know of any books or charts that have a comprehesive display of the most commonly used points in Kyusho?


 
personally I've never seen a better reference than these (especially in conjunction).

*BOOK 1*

*BOOK 2*

*Website* 

*Orgranization*​ 

Hope that helps.
It's served me well, especially having had an instructor local who can teach Kyushojitsu.

Your Brother
John


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## ponaterchip (May 22, 2010)

Explorer said:


> The best comprehensive resource I've found is "Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy" by Jerry Alan Johnson. It's a medical text with amazingly good diagrams. This is a text book and was about $125 some years ago. I don't know if it is still in print but it's the best comprehensive resource I've found.



Mr. Johnson has an updated 5 book set that is a very comprehensive source.  A web search should turn up his website.


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## ponaterchip (May 23, 2010)

Here is Jerry Alan Johnson's website.  (Should have just done this to begin with.)

I also use Book 1 and the website that Brother John recommended.  But each of these are only individual pieces to the whole pie.  We all need an instructor to help us put these pieces together.  That's where we should all start.


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## DavidCC (May 24, 2010)

try learn.kyusho.com


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## Brother John (Oct 4, 2010)

Nishibi Ryu said:


> Hi,
> Depending on which of Ricks books you get as to how the points are referenced. His first is a text book he wrote when he was a College Lecturer and taught MA to the masses which is very good, the second was written in 2004 I think and is a little more detailed in some respects, both are worth a read.
> I met him in the mid 90's, lovely bloke and he knows what he is doing beleive me, *the hard part is utilising it in conjunction with your current MA* as I said there is more to it than you think, but great fun to do with a good partner.


Couldn't agree more. 
I think that the difficult part here is that Kyusho is used in MANY of the better Karate-Do systems as a kind of coded map to distill out the hidden uses of the original Kata Bunkai. Unfortunately, MOST people lost these application codes a long time ago ( more like they simply Never learned them ) and therefore couldn't fully understand their own kata's applications......so they changed many kata until they COULD understand the relationship between kata and their bunkai. THEN...they lose their kyusho applications.... and NOW people who do have some understanding of kyusho applications come along and try to interpret out kyusho applications from kata that they don't KNOW have been altered; and the quality of their guesswork is LOW.   
THEN: There's another problem. Many systems forms/hyung/kata ....etc., never were based on Kyusho application.... and people with Kyusho knowledge come and try to reverse engineer these forms and end up losing the mechanical-combat applications that these forms did impart. It's like trying to disasemble your car by using the blue-prints for a truck... putting it back together will be even Harder!

I've never seen the work that Rick did in college. Might be good. But a lot of the things that he goes over in his books that I've gotten is how to dismantle the kata/bunkai of his type of Karate-Do.... so if you don't study it or one LIKE it.... not AS useful. 
Just an observation...

Your Brother
John


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