The "Secret Pressure" Points - Will they really work for self defense?

Often you hear of how a person, trained in some mysterious art can knock a man out with just the touch of a finger in some very special (secretive) place in some very special way. You may have read about certain "nerve cavity" strikes that can render someone all but helpless with very little effort.

While, in fact, I have been to training seminars and have had pressure point experts visit my dojo, the techniques when applied correctly really do hurt (a lot). Some of them can bring a man unconscious very quickly.

The question becomes can the average person really make this work under the heavy stress conditions of a real attack. The fact remains that the adrenal rush is real and it happens to all of us (with varying degrees of intensity and effects). After having run many adrenal stress response programs and taking part directly in many of these not only as an instructor, but as student as well, I believe that:

•  You cannot "learn" to stop the adrenal response. It is automatic, reflexive and natural.
•  You can learn to adjust to it and get use to it, even welcome it to increase your power and attitude.
• It has been proven over the years that the more exposures you get to the adrenal dump, while trying to defend yourself, the better you become at defending yourself while "adrenalized".

I believe the problem with systems like Dim Mak (or any other pressure point fighting system for that matter) is that:

1. They leave too many variables. People are effected very differently. Some respond strongly and quickly and others, well barely at all. I believe in self defense you need to depend on something that will give you a very high 'probability" to work.
2. The concept of striking several "points" to work the full effect is unrealistic in a real world self defense or fighting situation. It's fine for a cooperative training partner but what about someone who is adrenalized themselves, is moving, and is attacking you as well. For those unfamiliar with these systems, sometimes to make a pressure really work you need to hit two three or more precise targets to get the full effect.
3. It is doubtful whether most could pull off the accuracy needed to hit precise targets while under duress. Remember fine motor coordination is one of the first things to go. 
4. It is also doubtful as to whether most could even recall the many pressure points and striking targets that are required type of attack presented. We lose too much cognitive thinking to do this effectively.

So in conclusion, I believe that pressure point systems work great under controlled training conditions (I can vouch for that!) but can they be applied effectively in real self defense? Yes, it is certainly possible that a master of these techniques may be able to make this work in real life, but how about the average person? I seriously doubt it!

Shihan Michael Pace