This video lesson is about the best way to train martial arts and pressure points. There are some tips here that I advise everyone to build into their training, whether you are a complete beginner or have been at it for decades.

The point is simple. How you train decides what you can do when it counts. Train badly and you will build habits that let you down. Train well and even a small amount of practice goes a long way.

Train The Principle, Not Just The Move

Most people collect techniques. They learn a defence for this grab and another for that punch, and soon they have a long list they cannot remember under stress.

I would much rather you understood a few principles deeply. Take the balance first. Hit at the right angle. Use relaxed power rather than tension. Once those are in place, a pressure point is far easier to find and far more effective, and the same ideas work across hundreds of situations.

Go Slow, Then Add Pressure

The order matters:

  • Learn the location and the angle slowly, with a cooperative partner
  • Add speed once the movement is correct
  • Add movement, so the target is not standing still
  • Add resistance and a little stress, so you know it holds up

Skipping straight to speed is the most common mistake. You end up practising a sloppy version over and over, and that is the version that turns up when you need it.

Train Safely And Honestly

Pressure points hurt, and some can knock a person out. Train with control and with a partner you trust, keep the power low, and never strike the head or neck hard in practice.

Be honest with yourself as well. If a technique only works on a partner who is helping you, it is not finished yet. That is not a reason to throw it away. It is a reason to find out what is missing, which is usually balance, angle or set-up.

Little And Often

Short regular sessions beat occasional long ones. Ten good minutes on a single point or principle, repeated through the week, will do more for you than a two-hour session once a month. Keep notes on what you worked on and what you noticed, and review them.

Take It Further

If you are starting out, the FREE Pressure Point Fighting Mini-Course gives you lessons to train with straight away. For the full structured system, look at the Pressure Point Fighting Course, and read Pressure Point Fighting: The Complete Guide for the key concepts.