Is Kyusho Effective?

The jury is truly out. About 60% of the people I will talk with about pressure points believe they know all about them, and that they don't work in real life situations. You know something? They are not knocking Kyusho, they are knocking their own art and don't even realize it!

To say you understand what kyusho is, without proper training, with a real qualified instructor is like listening to Britney Spears and saying you understand Mozart. It just simply is not factual. One of my long time students, of both my root art of Hapkido and Kyusho told me once he felt Kyusho was a calling and not for everyone. I am beginning to agree with him.

Kyusho Jitsu is not in and of itself a martial art. Yet it is every martial art, because all the systems have Kyusho in them, but it is like a dormant virus, until the understanding is there it means nothing. Kyusho is a way of thinking about the art you currently study, not about changing it to suit something else, like so many think. But, like any new learning the ego must be put aside. You will never learn anything while you are talking.

So as a Hapkido practitioner if I say Kyusho does not work, then what I am saying is Hapkido does not work. I know martial artist and kyusho practitioners all over the world. Some are part of the original Okinawan styles, other Chinese, Korean and some reality based combat system. Once people understand what Kyusho is, they all agree on it's effectiveness.

Now there are a lot of claims in martial arts, like we will teach you to fight in days not years. This is the live by the sword scenario. The people who really want these arts could fight anyways. Nothing wrong with that. But with 360+ pressure points on the human body, you are going to hit them anyways. The understanding of these points will make these hits more effective, period.

How do you get this knowledge? Study, and it won't happen tomorrow either. Like any martial art system, it takes time. If you are looking for instant combat skills, don't forget to take up shooting. Because in the real, tough world that is out there, the one most martial artist are trying to avoid, you will need that skill also. Hand to hand means nothing when everyone has a gun.

What system do you choose? The one that is right for your situation. Every system has it's good points and bad points, but they all contain Kyusho, pressure point fighting. The difference is the understanding that it is there and how it works.

For more information on Kyusho Jitsu, visit our Kyusho Canada Website or Our Home Study Course Website.