Vital Point Strikes: The Art and Science of Striking Vital Targets for Self-defense and Combat Sports

Vital Point Strikes: The Art and Science of Striking Vital Targets for Self-defense and Combat Sports Review

First things first, this book is excellent. Sang H. Kim has no equal in his art, and I have nothing but full respect for him. Pressure points were a specialty of mine when I was still active in competitive martial arts, and while my outlook on fighting has changed over the years, it's best to end a fight quickly, and going for the vitals is the surefire way to do that. The presentation of this book is very well-organized, has many useful pictures, charts and photos showing every single pressure point [except two I know of that are best kept out of books to the public] and how to apply the strikes in real life situations. This isn't your standard martial arts book that shows you to 'do this if this happens', but it thoroughly explains everything and why you're doing it. My only gripe is with the photos and that they aren't in color, but black and white, so -sometimes- it's hard to see certain things, but usually everything's very clear.

But my main criticism is that this book is extremely dangerous, and I don't think it should've been released with this much information. Any martial artist of any rank can get it, read a few pages, think they're a killing machine, and then will either hurt someone else very seriously, or do something wrong and get hurt them self. Please, if you're interested in getting this book and have martial arts experience, ask your master about it if they know anything. As someone who was on the receiving end of a pressure point strike over 10 years ago, I still haven't recovered from a hit on my inner elbow, and can't hold my arm still without continuous shaking. But if you're using this book for reference and to know what points to keep more protected, that'd be the best reason to get this.

Again, the book itself is an excellent resource, and I wish it had been out when I was younger. Seeing just how many pressure points there are on the human body is incredible, and knowing that you're doing acupuncture in reverse with the knowledge on these pages isn't something to take lightly. Please use the utmost care if you plan on actually using the techniques in this book.

Vital Point Strikes: The Art and Science of Striking Vital Targets for Self-defense and Combat Sports Overview

Vital Point Strikes is a guide to pressure point striking for the average martial artist. Sang H. Kim demystifies the lore of vital point striking and shows you realistic applications of vital point strikes for self-defense and combat sports. For those new to the concept of vital points, he begins by examining the Eastern theory of acupoints, meridians and ki (qi) and the Western scientific concepts of the nervous and circulatory systems, pain threshold and pain tolerance, and the relationship between pain and fear. This synthesis of accepted Eastern and Western theories helps the reader understand what makes vital point striking work and why it can be not only useful in fighting, but deadly. Based on this introduction, you ll learn about 202 vital points for use in fighting including the name, point number, location, involved nerves and blood vessels, applicable techniques, sample applications, and potential results for each point. The points are illustrated in detail on an anatomically correct human model, with English, Chinese, and Korean names as well as point numbers for easy reference. In addition to identifying the vital points, Sang H. Kim gives you detailed information about the type of techniques that work for vital point striking including a discussion of fighting zones and ranges, plexus strikes, stance and footwork, bodily weapons, striking directions and angles and dozens of applications for common empty hand, grappling, groundfighting, knife and gun attacks. Based on over thirty years experience in the martial arts and in-depth research, Sang H. Kim has created one of the most complete books available on the art and science of vital point striking.

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