Wing Chun Point Hitting
John Crescione, October 24th, 2007
Many different people in the system will tell you there is no point hitting; to point hitting along the conception vessel; to hitting A specific point on the body. According to Yip Chun, there is no point hitting; Yip Ching doesn’t like to comment on it; William Cheung says there is?!?!? They are all correct. There is no place in the Wing Chun forms that says “this move is for hitting this point in this angle and direction.” Yet, the forms do teach angle and direction, as well as concepts and theory. When you include the oriental medicine/chi/ herbal principles into Wing Chun, there can not be an absence of point hitting within the system. The tilt up at the end of a punch is specific for digging into a point. (CV17 to be specific. )
The problem for many is that they don’t know which points to hit, when to hit or the angle to hit. Nor can they do it when fighting someone who is fighting back. This one point has been a cornerstone to many Wing Chun people against point hitting advocates. If you are going to use point hitting, the only way you can truly do it is by controlling your opponent and knowing when to hit him safely. And you can only do that with chi sao skills. Also, nobody said you have to hit the opponent on the first attack on a point. Remember, so much of our martial history is based on an oral history, passed down from teacher to student over years, and their theory to some extent is based on legend, theory and observation. As a Wing Chun player, we know that there are better spots to hit than others, so wouldn’t it just make sense that there are the better of the best spots to hit?
Basic Concepts
Here are the things you need to know, kinda like “Dim Mak for Dummies”
- 1 point usually causes pain at that area
- 2 points causes pain to meet in the middle
- 3 points will cause a TKO or blackout (electromagnetic overload)
- 4 points will result in a complete knockout or a meridian/organ to shut down
When Attacking
- Hit 3 points on the same meridian (and/or)
- Hit along the flow of the meridian (and/or)
- Hit according to the destruction cycle (and/or)
- Hit according to the energy flow (and/or)
- Hit according to the time period (when there is the most or least energy in the meridian and in a specific angle is one of the main principles in dim mak theory)
- Hit the yin/yang relationship
When Picking Points
- Hit what is given
- Hit with the bodies reaction
- Don’t chase points
- Don’t plan to hit points
- Don’t only try to hit points
Important Points and Theories
- Hitting the conception vessel weakens all yin meridians
- Hitting the governing vessel weakens all yang meridians
- Hitting alarm points (yin) will effect their corresponding organ
- With one arm attacks (i. e. punches, single arm grabs etc. ) -the yin meridians are more active
- With double arm attacks (chokes, lapel grabs, bear hugs) the yang meridians are more active
- From 12:00 midnight to 12:00 midday the lower body (waist and legs) has more energy in it, from 12:00 midday to 12:00 midnight the upper body and head has more energy in it
- For maximum effect use cross-body points for hitting
Specific points
“When in doubt points”, or “wild card points”, they have more then one intersection of different meridians. I like to call them “idiot points” because you don’t have to know anything to hit them, and you still come out ahead!
Warning! From here on end, read along with an Acupuncture book!
- CV17-alarm point for the pericardium -intersection point for Spleen, Kidney, Triple Warmer And S. i.
- CV3 -alarm point for the bladder -intersection of Kidney, Spleen, Liver (LV)
- CV4 -alarm point for S. I.
- CV5 -alarm point for T. W. (the above three points are the tan tien area-in reality you will hit all three points in a fight due to the closeness of the point-3 fingertips distance)
- GV26-crisscross point for large intestine
- LV14-alarm point for liver -interconnects with spleen
- ST12-intersection of ST. , S. I. , L. I, T. W. , G. B. , LU
- SP6-intersection of SP. , LIV. , KID.
- SP21-circuit breaker for the body
- GB39-intersection point of G. B, ST. and Bladder
- BL13-associated point for Lung
- BL4-associated point for Pericardium
- BL5-associated point for Heart
Note: associated points are on the rear of the body and are like the alarm points on the front of the body-the three points when used together on the right side are utilized for resuscitation technique.
Energy flows
LU. - L. I- ST. -SP-Heart/Governing Vessel***-S. I. -BL. -KID. - Peric/Conception*** Vessel- T. W. -GB. -LV. -LU.
Some Examples
- Lu8 (m) + H6 (f) -wrist grab activation -lop sao grabbing hand can hit to-Bl. 2 (water) -GB20 (wood) -S. I. 18 (fire) -CV17 (fire alarm point)
- S. I. 6 (f) + Lu7 (m) -wrist grab activation-change to grab after Pak Sao can hit to -L. I. 10 (yin/yang) to Lu -Bl. 10 (water) -GB. 24 (wood, Bladder intersection point-energy flow from S. I. -ST. 12 (earth) intersection of hollow (yang) organs of ST. , S. I. , T. W. , L. I.
- Tan Dar to outside of wrist-S. I. 6/7 (f) -reverse punch or TW 5-8 (f) -vertical punch can hit to-Lv14 (wood) or 13 (Sp. intersection) -S. I. 16 (fire) -ST. 36 (earth) -GB24 (wood) Bl. intersection -K27 (water) energy from Bladder
- Lu7 (m) -Bil Sao defense can hit to-Cv17 (Alarm Point for Pericardium-fire-All yin meridians are weakened-intersection of Sp. , Kid. , T. W. , Ht. ) -St. 12 (earth) time flow through L. I. from Lu. -Sp. 6 (earth) –sweep kick–intersection of LV, SP, KID -LI 20 (metal) yin/yang to Lu
Resuscitation Techniques
It is more important to be able to revive a knockout person. Whether in training or in daily living, helping someone come back is the higher road to martial prowess. Anyone can punch or kick, many can do it well, being able to fix someone separates you from the talented athlete/fighter to the rank of martial artist. Just as there are better places to hit, there are better places to heal.
Theories to know
- All points end or begin at the fingertips or toes
- The most powerful acupuncture points are between the fingers and elbows, knees and toes
- Energy changes from yin to yang at the finger tips or toes
- Use the destruction cycle to negate the knockout
- Use the creation cycle to feed energy to the injured point
- Use the five element points on the effected meridian
- Regain circulation to the Heart and Lungs first
When a knockout occurs
- Sit the person up
- Cross the person’s legs Indian-style
- Straighten the spine
- Keep the head straight
- Revive on the side of the knockout
- Stimulate crossover points on the fingertips and toes
- Work the Associated Bladder points on the right
- Use a light, stimulating touch on points
- Jow may be necessary on struck points
- When reactivity starts to return, lower the head and raise the feet
Example
3 strikes to the same side of SI 18 (Fire)
- Sit the person up
- Cross Legs while stimulating toe points
- Stimulate back of head-GB20 and Bl 10 on the same side
- Stimulate Bl. cardiovascular points
- Stimulate fingertip points
- Work water points on fire meridians
- Work points on earth meridians to drain energy from fire
- Pray they don’t sue you
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