Top 10 Upper Human Body Pressure Points For Self Defense , Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at 10:48 AM, in

In any fight situation, (street fights, karate fights, etc.) possible body weapons include short jabs and strikes with elbows, knees, and hands. The key to winning any confrontation or street fight is to be aggressive and concentrate your attack on the opponent's vital points in order to end the fight as soon as possible. A knowledge of human body pressure points can be your key to survival.

One way to accomplish this is to focus on your opponent's most vital areas, or pressure points. A body is separated into three main sections: high, middle and low. Each of these sections contains vital targets. The effects of striking these targets could be brutal. In this article, let's take a look at the pressure point of the High Section. This section includes the head and neck and is the most dangerous target area. Areas for attack might include:
(1) Top of the head. The skull is weakest where the front cranial bones join, right between the eyes. A powerful strike could cause trauma to the cranial cavity, possibly resulting in unconsciousness and hemorrhage.
(2) Temple. The bones of the skull are weak at the temple and an artery and large nerve lie close to the skin. A strike here could cause unconsciousness or concussion.
(3) Eyes. A slight poke in the eyes causes uncontrollable watering and blurred sight. A forceful jab could cause brief blindness or the eyes could be gouged out. Death could result if the fingers penetrate through the thin bone behind the eyes and into the brain.
(4) Nose. Any blow here could easily break the thin bones of the nose, causing extreme pain and eye watering.
(5) Under the nose. A blow to the nerve center, which is close to the surface under the nose, could cause great pain and watery eyes.
(6) Jaw. A blow to the jaw could break or dislocate it. If the facial nerve is pinched against the lower jaw, one side of the face may be paralyzed.
(7) Chin. A blow to the chin could cause paralysis, mild concussion or unconsciousness. The jawbone acts as a lever that could transmit the force of a blow to the back of the brain where the cardiac and respiratory mechanisms are controlled.
(8) Back of the ears and base of the skull. A moderate blow to the back of the ears or the base of the skull could cause unconsciousness by the jarring effect on the back of the brain. However, a powerful blow could cause a concussion or brain hemorrhage and death.
(9) Throat. A powerful blow to the front of the throat could cause death by crushing the windpipe. A forceful blow causes extreme pain and gagging or vomiting.
(10) Side of neck. A sharp blow to the side of the neck causes unconsciousness by shock to the carotid artery, jugular vein, and vagus nerve. For maximum effect, the blow should be focused below and slightly in front of the ear. A less powerful blow causes involuntary muscle spasms and intense pain. The side of the neck is one of the best targets to use to drop an opponent immediately or to disable him temporarily to finish him later.

Effective striking with the weapons of the body to the opponent's vital points is essential for a victorious outcome in a hand-to-hand struggle.

For the top 10 pressure points of the middles and low sections go to http://defensepressurepoint.blogspot.com/

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How to Knock Someone Out With One Punch , at 10:46 AM, in

It is actually not as hard as many people think to knock someone out with one punch. Watching a boxing match, mixed martial arts fight, or other combat sports you can get the impression that a knockout punch is something very difficult to get right. But in real life, in a street confrontation with no gloves and fighting against someone who is probably not trained to take a punch, getting a k.o. is much, much easier.
If you want to learn how to knock someone out with one punch the first thing you have to do is to think about what it actually is which causes the loss of consciousness. Some types of punch can be very effective at hurting your opponent, opening up cuts on their face or breaking their nose, but may still have little or no chance of knocking them out.
When a person gets knocked unconscious by a punch it is not the immediate force of the impact which does this, but rather the force of the brain being rattled against the inside of the skull.
This means that a punch which causes the head to jerk and move rapidly will be much more likely to knock someone out than a punch which causes less movement of the head, even if it is not as hard. It also means that speed is paramount. A very fast strike with just enough power to move the head will be more likely to knock someone out than a slower punch which has more power and weight behind it.
The need to create this movement of the head is the reason why you are more likely to knock someone out with a punch which they don't see coming. If you see a punch coming towards you you will tense your neck muscles and brace yourself against the impact, reducing the movement of your head when the punch lands. If your neck muscles are relaxed when a punch hits you then you will almost always get knocked out, whatever kind of punch it is.
Once a fight has started it is very difficult to engineer a situation where your opponent will not see a punch coming, however if you are in a situation where you are being threatened and a fight seems inevitable, but hasn't yet started, you can take advantage of this by suddenly throwing the first punch at an unexpected moment, such as while you are in the middle of a sentence, and by striking from a direction where they will not see it until it is too late.
When it comes to the actual punch a strike from the side, such as a hook, is more likely to knock someone out than a straight punch to the front of the face, simply because it will be harder for the neck muscles to prevent the head from being jerked. For the same reason an uppercut is generally better than a straight punch, but probably not as good as a hook. When trying to knock someone out with a hook the further away from the neck you can land the punch the more movement there will be and the more likely it is to knock them out. This means that the best place to land a hook is right on the end of the chin.
The ultimate knockout punch, however, uses and entirely different method. Rather than jerking the knead it uses the principles of Dim Mak pressure point fighting. The ultimate knockout punch is a strike to the temple. You have to be very accurate to get this right, but with practice you can do it every time.
The only trick you must know in order to knock someone out with a strike to the temple is how to hold your hand. It should be clear that an ordinary fist is much bigger than the area of the temple, and so it is very poor at focusing force on this pressure point.

There are two hand forms you can use instead. The first is the phoenix fist, in which you hold an ordinary fist but with the middle finger raised up a little out of the bunch. When using this you strike with the middle joint of the raised finger, rather than the knuckle.
The other option, which I personally prefer, is to use a sword hand. To do this hold your hand out flat with the palm facing downwards and turn your wrist so that your fingers are pointing outwards. This creates a fairly sharp point from the joint at the very base of the thumb, just above the wrist. With this hand form you strike using a swinging motion of the arm.
When practicing either of these strikes power is virtually irrelevant, and accuracy is everything. If you land a strike with the whole force focused on the temple you will knock your opponent out every time, no matter how hard the strike is.
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What Basic MMA Exercises Should I Do? , at 10:43 AM, in

Knowing which basic MMA exercises to do is an important element of mixed martial arts. Without building a strong foundation first, you will struggle in the future.
Building a good level of strength cannot be underestimated. Without a strong and powerful body you will not go very far in this sport. There are various methods to build strength. The obvious one is through the use of weight training. This will be the basis of building up strength.
However do not neglect other ways of building up strength. This means using methods techniques used by strongmen and powerlifters. Methods like using heavy sandbags, containers filled with water, dragging tractor tyres, and any other heavy items that you find awkward to use will benefit you tremendously in building up functional strength.
Stamina and endurance are also very important. You will not be much of a fighter if you start struggling for breath after a round or 2. Your basic MMA exercises for these 2 characteristics will not be the same as other athletes. Your training should match what you will face during a fight.
This means endurance training with some sort of weight. If you are going to run, do it by carrying some sort of weight. This could be a weighted jacket, or a bag filled with sand. Carry a heavy weight for a distance. Carrying a bag of sand around a field will do fat more for you than just running around the field. Put yourself under extra stress during your endurance and stamina training. This is more beneficial than just doing basic cardio.
Speed and power need to be a part of your basic MMA training. This involves footwork and speed work. A great method to improve your footwork is by skipping with a rope. Try to vary your footwork as you skip.
A speedball and punch bag should be a big part of your training workouts. Constant practice with these 2 tools will build speed and power.

Don't forget your grappling training. Neglect this, and your fight is going to be over once you are on the ground. Grappling not only teaches you technique, it also gives your body real time training against an opponent.
Mixed martial arts is a tough sport, but it will be a lot tougher if you don't get the basic MMA exercises right.

By using basic mma exercises in the beginning you are preparing yourself for the tough training ahead of you. There is no denying that this is a tough sport, and that being the case, the training needs to be just as tough, if not tougher. To find out more about the most popular online mma training program, visit us and read the MMA Strength and Conditioning Review

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Mixed Martial Arts - The Best Workout Ever? , at 10:39 AM, in

If you are tired of the same old, same old in gym workouts, why not check out something really different? Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is taking the workout nation by storm, combining ancient arts with modern fitness goals. In one gym, you can try your hand at a variety of different classes and learn different disciplines that have been popular for centuries. If you've been wondering what all the fuss is about, here's a quick look at the most common arts used in this unique learning, fitness and self-discipline plan.

Boxing

Most arenas that offer MMA include boxing classes for both beginners as well as experts. Did you know that boxing is considered a martial art? Ancient Sumerians were early boxing innovators 8,000 years ago and the tradition carried on through the Egyptian and Greek cultures. In fact, it became an Olympic sport more than 6 centuries before the birth of Christ.

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a true fighting sport, as opposed to one that focuses on self-defense. This ancient Thai art emphasizes 8 points of contact and is a fast-paced, exciting sport to learn.

Jiu Jitsu

Jiu Jitsu tournaments are huge all across the world: also known as Submission Grappling, this art was originally developed by the Japanese Samurai and was practiced both with and without weapons. In a MMA gym setting, weapons are not used and both offensive and defensive techniques are taught.

Wrestling

As old as man himself, wrestling is the ultimate in classic martial arts. There are five different types of wrestling and professional instructors at a MMA gym will teach you how to excel at the one you are most interested in.

Mixed Martial Arts

Considered the fasted growing sport in the world, MMA itself combines all of the above disciplines. A good gym will offer classes for complete beginners, so there is never any reason to shy away from trying them all.

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Monitoring Your Boxing Weight , at 10:35 AM, in

Boxers obviously need to eat properly in order to maintain muscle strength and provide sufficient energy. As a result, they require a nutritious diet which will provide them with high enough levels of energy to last throughout tough training schedules and the entire duration of a an actual bout.
Unlike most other sports though, whilst a boxer needs muscle and power behind them, they are also limited by the restrictions of their particular weight class.

Boxer's aim to be at the top end of their allowable weight limit to maximize strength and energy, so it's crucial that they have the correct diet to provide enough energy to undertake intensive training sessions, whilst staying within their weight limit come fight time.
Ideally, fighters should try and stay to within about 5% of their ideal fighting weight during their training, in order to avoid having to lose weight quickly as a fight approaches. Many boxers find that part difficult though - Often because they have the urge to binge eat in the days after a fight to regain what they've lost, so their weight obviously rises, then the Yo-Yo effect begins........Weight rises after a fight, then they have to diet to make "the weight" for their next fight.
OK so the ideal solution to this is obviously NEVER into get to the position where you have to quickly lose weight in the days prior to a weigh-in under ANY circumstances, as dramatic crash diets before a fight will often result in much reduced levels of performance.
If you are in the unfortunate situation of having to lose weight quickly though, there is no really easy way to lose that extra weight without adversely affecting your performance in the ring............
Your best hope is........
In the two to three days prior to competition, avoid excessive salt intake to cut down on fluid retention.
Adopting a low residue diet for the last 24 hours before competing will help to reduce weight further, as it empties the gut of undigested food and fibre. That alone can amount to a pound or two
Some low-residue foods are - Corn Fakes, Rice Krispies, White Bread, Jam, Honey, Juice, Low-fat Milk, Tinned Fruit, Jam, Clear Soup, White Pasta, White Rice, Tomato Based Pasta Sauce, Meal Replacement Shakes.
Sweat/Sauna Suits
Many of us already know that much of your body weight is made up of fluids, including approx - 75% of the brain - 85% of the blood - 90% of the lungs.
Using a sauna or a sweat suit will sure help reduce your weight quickly......Unfortunately, unless you are used to being dehydrated and fighting or training under those conditions, it can have a very adverse effect on you during the bout.

Rubber, plastic and vinyl sweat suits can actually be very harmful as your core body temperature will quickly rise to an extremely high and often dangerous level as water and electrolytes drain from the body, without permitting the body to breathe. This also has the added danger of greatly increasing the stress on your heart.
Yeah many boxers and other athletes do use sweat/sauna suits for rapid weight loss, but unless you are VERY careful it can have a very negative effect on your performance and even your health, as all you are basically doing is dehydrating yourself. If you chose to go down this route though, take plenty CHO-electrolyte drinks during training to help minimize the risks.
Unfortunately, it's taken a few deaths to make people sit up and take notice of the dangers.
So keep a close eye on your weight, and avoid sweat suits if you value your health!!

Dave is better known to everyone as ScotBoxer.

Whether you are interested in taking up the sport of boxing, maybe just learning aspects of it for self defence, or just wanting to use "boxing style" training to be fitter and leaner than you've ever been before - You'll find plenty advice and information on my website, and you're welcome to Pay Us A Visit

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Muay Thai Boxing , at 10:31 AM, in

Because Thai boxers are allowed kick with their feet and use their elbows, Muay Thai requires a lot more skill than western boxing and can seem to be a much more brutal show. Yet, there is often a level of respect between the fighters that makes it a more honorable sport than the pugilism you may be used to back home. And, rather than the rap or heavy metal music that plays at many American matches, you will often hear traditional wood winds and chimes at a boxing match in Thailand! What you may not know is that Muay Thai is part of Thailand's ancient heritage.
Thai Boxing In History
Traditional Thai boxing goes back hundreds of years and has been an important part of the country's history. Many people are surprised that Thais, a notoriously peaceful people, excel at this beautifully brutal sport. The reason they do so is that for hundreds of years the survival of their nation depended on it. Because the terrain on the Thailand borders is often rough and uneven, it was not in the Thai's advantage to develop long range weapons to ward off invaders.
Instead they decided to create a close hand to hand style of fighting that would lead to battles that favored the defenders over the invading armies - who would never understand the local terrain as well as the patriots they were fighting. As long ago as the mid 1500s, the celebrated warrior king Naresuan The Great - a boxing legend - made Muay Thai a mandatory part of his army's military training.
Perhaps the most famous instance of Thai boxing in the countries history came 200 years later when the warrior Nai Khanom Tom was kidnapped by Burma during a raid on Siam's capitol. After he was captured he made a challenge to his Burmese captors. If he could take on 10 of their best fighters at once and win, Burma would free him and his people. Thinking that they would easily prevail, the Burmese agreed. Nai Khanom then used his Muay Thai skills to defeat all 10 adversaries and return to Thailand as one of the nation's greatest heroes!
Modern Muay Thai
For much of its history Muay Thai was a brutal dangerous sport. It was raw hand to hand combat - with ropes and cords wrapped around the hands instead of gloves. As Thailand has entered the modern age, the rules have changed slightly to protect the fighters, who now wear padded gloves and protection for their groins. While boxers can still use their elbows and feet during the match most of the other rules have been modified to comply with international boxing regulations. This has allowed the popularity of Muay Thai to spread throughout the world and today you can find Thai Boxing training centers in most of the western world including the United States and Russia.
In Thailand itself Muay Thai is even more popular than soccer and is broadcast on television five to seven nights a week. Many of the fighters begin training when they are only seven or eight years old and some have made the move to western style boxing - and become international stars in their own right! The best modern Muay Thai combatants fight in the Lumpini or Ratchadamnoen stadiums to a universally packed audience. If you want to see a fight and not have to face very long lines, your best bet is to go to one of the stadiums around 6:30 p.m. on a Sunday - when attendance is at its lowest point for the week. There are usually several lower ranked fights before the main event - which you can expect to kick off around 9 p.m.
The Rules
Of course, Muay Thai has its own unique set of rules which may be confusing at first to a western spectator. Before the fight can begin, each fighter must perform a wai khru dance as a way to show respect for his teachers and trainers.
There are only five rounds.
Boxers must wear gloves.
The gloves must weigh at least six ounces.
Gloves can not be squeezed in any way that would alter their original shape.
Each round is three minutes long and there is a two minute break in between rounds.
The winner is decided by knockout or by points. Whoever wins the most rounds wins the fight.
Contestants can only wear red or blue trunks.
Shirts and shoes are not allowed.
Both fighters must wear groin protection.
Before the fight a sacred cloth called the Mongkol may be worn as a headband. It must be removed before the fighting begins. The cloth is worn to pay homage to the fighter's trainers and heritage. It is also thought to give the fighter good luck. All equipment must be provided by the stadium. This includes a stopwatch, a signal gong, a warning bell, boxing gloves, water, jock straps and surgical tape.
Learning Muay Thai
Some men, after watching these beautiful guys pummel each other in the ring are tempted to learn the sport themselves. While that used to be impossible - as local trainers for centuries would only train local Thai men starting from a young age, all that changed in 1997. That's when the World Muay Thai Council established the first recognized training academy for the sport. The Muay Thai Institute in Rangsit, just north of Bangkok was created as a way to make this cherished sport accessible to everyone and preserve its fabled heritage.
All of the teachers at the institute are former champions and they are required to speak English. They will teach anyone and everyone - including women and foreigners. The course covers most of the historical and cultural background of Muay Thai as well as the physical skills and fitness training. You can take classes to learn how to be a referee or on how to start your own stadium or training program. Dormitories are available but you might be considerably more comfortable taking a nearby hotel for your 15 day stay.
The first three levels of training cost roughly $160 per course, while the fourth, expert level course is much more rigorous and costs about $1,200. School management can help you with any student visa issues that may pop up.
Come And Enjoy The Show
Whether you want to just sit back and watch the guys fight, or if you want to lace up your gloves and join in yourself, Thai boxing is something no one should miss on any trip to Thailand.

To Learn more about Muay Thai and the strong men and women who practice it, go to http://www.thailandvisa.com.

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The Best Boxing Fights Ever - Revealed , at 10:25 AM, in

What does it take to be considered the best boxing fight ever? Is it the way knockout punches were delivered? Is it the manner the opponent was put down in the earliest possible round? Is it winning over an opponent who holds the most number of world titles? What does it really take? Here are some of the best boxing fights that the world has ever seen, and although you will likely have your own list you could not disagree that the following boxing spectaculars made history.
There would definitely be no violent reaction if the Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier match dubbed as "The Thriller in Manila" would be mentioned first and thus get the top slot. Ali himself described this fight as one that sent him as close to death as he had ever been. Both men threw venomous punches which made the fight one of the best that boxing had ever seen. After the fight, neither man was ever the same.
There are at least several other Ali fights that would qualify as "best" but this one stands out. How about Sugar Ray Robinson's fights when he defeated Henry Armstrong, Jake La Motta, Carmine Basilio, Gene Fullmer, Carl Olsen, Randy Turpin, Rocky Graziano, Kid Gavilin and Fritzie Zivic? The long list tells why he deserves to be included. Defeating the best boxers is equivalent to fighting the best fights. This list includes a few of the many Hall of Fame Champions whom Sugar Ray fought against and defeated. Just pick any of these fights and you get the best.
Rocky Marciano achieved one of the best boxing knockouts when he smashed Jersey Jo Walcott to the canvas. In fact, had Walcott been an ordinary person, he would have been decapitated. Among other of Marciano's fights eligible to be considered best are his winning fights against Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore.
Add to your list of the best boxing knockouts the Diego Corrales vs. Juan Luis Castillo match. This fight, giving Diego Corrales the WBC lightweight crown in May 2005 was a full recipe of battering blows, lightning combinations and underhand tactics. What's amazing about this best boxing fight is the fact that Corrales had been knocked down twice and still won. He spat out his gumshield after each knockdown to gain additional recovery time. Corrales needed more rounds to deliver his so-called "perfect" right hand that sent Castillo down in Round 10.
Of course it would be unfair not to put the Mickey Ward vs. Arturo Gatti fight in the list. This match was considered one that brought back memories from a golden era of boxing. After a decade of controversies in the boxing world, this "Fight of the Century" helped revive boxing's flagging fortunes. This 2002 event sent the two fighters into a brawl that was so reminiscent of the old days, with Ward sending Gatti down in the ninth round with his ferocious left.
The Julio Cesar Chaves vs. Meldrick Taylor fight truly belongs to the "best" list, and truly astonishing at that! These two talented fighters went at it for almost the full twelve rounds. You were asking why almost? It is because Chavez, who was behind on points, was able to steal the victory over Taylor only in the last two seconds of Round 12. If this fight doesn't qualify for the best then what does?

The 1981 Las Vegas match between "Sugar" Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns deserves to be included in the row. Fighting for the welterweight title, the speed of "Sugar" Ray met the devastating power of the "Hit Man". In one of the toughest boxing fights ever, Hearns who had the advantage of his huge reach was well ahead of Leonard by the 12th round. In spite of having a badly swollen left eye, however, "Sugar Ray" got his act together and started to use the full advantage of his superior speed. In a battle of speed against power, Leonard cut loose in the 14th and won by a KO.
It would make the list incomplete if Manny Pacquiao didn't figure in here somewhere. Recognized as being the best pound for pound fighter in the world, any of Pacquiao's title fights would qualify for this list of greatest fights. It would be a pleasure to watch this Filipino lefty again as he defeats boxing greats like David Diaz, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar de la Hoya and his demolition of Ricky Hatton.
Many more could be added to the list, both from the "old" fighters and the newer ones. The best boxing fights are filled not only with a display of strength, power and tactics, they are also loaded with emotions that could stir hope, unite people, and open new horizons to peoples and races.
The great fights of the past bring back legendary names such as Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano and even the daddy of them all, John L. Sullivan. Then onto Randolph Turpin, Floyd Patterson and the great Cassius Clay, soon to become Muhammed Ali. Then into the modern era. Who can say who was best or what fights were the best ever. There are too many great ones, and those mentioned above are just a very small drop in a large ocean, with everybody having their own favorites.
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