Vulnerable Points of the Body

 A strangle such as works on the principle of cutting off the blood supply to the brain by applying pressure against the carotid artery in the side of the neck. Cutting off the blood supply to the brain deprives it of oxygen and so causes unconsciousness; it is normally quite painless.

In contrast, a choke is effected by applying pressure with the bony inside edge of the wrist against the windpipe or trachea and then squeezing, which has the effect of cutting off the air supply to the lungs. This, too, will cause unconsciousness, but is normally accompanied by frenzied resistance because of reflex panic and struggling brought about by the attendant choking or drowning sensation. Alternatively, unconsciousness can be almost instantaneous. Chokes are distinctly more dangerous since there is a risk of unintentionally crushing the trachea which is likely to cause death.

The other joints of the body are more easily attacked by locking techniques than strikes, especially when fighting on the ground and techniques exist to sprain, dislocate and break. The knees, elbows, ankles and shoulders are all vulnerable to such techniques. The knee is also a particularly suitable target for kicking techniques and, despite being very strong in certain positions, if struck with a blow of only forty or so pounds of pressure, laterally, it will normally dislocate. Stamping kicks are usually employed for attacking the knee from the front or the side and have the advantage that they can be used at long range before an attacker gets close enough to land a punch or grab hold of his intended victim. The knee can also be stamped on from behind. If this method is chosen it will cause the leg to bend and assist in forcing an attacker to the floor.

Other target areas which can be hit to knock an assailant to the ground include the liver, spleen, floating ribs and the occipital (back of the head). The pit of the stomach (the area below the belt in boxing parlance) is not as well protected by muscles as the upper abdomen, and vital, vulnerable organs are located there.

It can therefore be effectively hit with kicks or punches. Just beneath the heart is a vulnerable spot and the armpit, although generally difficult to attack is a major nerve centre which can be exposed when making certain punching or stabbing attacks. Even the thigh contains vulnerable nerve centers as anyone who has ever been given a 'dead leg' will agree. The nerve centers of the thighs are in fact major target areas for kicking attacks in both Kyokushinkai karate and Muay Thai kickboxing and if trained to kick in the techniques of either of these fighting systems it is a surprisingly simple matter to 'drop' an untrained attacker with a leg kick.

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