Use of shu points in Kyusho Jutsu:

Does fire burn metal?

by Zoltan Dienes and Mike Flanagan

In a first experiment (Dienes & Flanagan, 1999) we tested a group of people naive to TCM. We used a person (tori) to attack the points who had knowledge of kyusho jutsu but was completely ignorant about TCM. His ignorance of TCM meant that variations in the accuracy and pressure of the technique were not systematically related to the predictions of TCM (a very real hazard if anybody knowledgeable of TCM were to act as tori). On a given uke (experimental participant), tori pressed a 'set up point', released it, and immediately pressed a 'target point'. The uke gave a pain rating to the target point on a standardized scale, where zero was no pain, and 10 was pain associated with a hard bang on the shin ("perhaps so painful that you had to sit down").

In the experiment, a sequence of a set up point followed by a target point could either follow the destructive cycle or the creative cycle. We chose one target point for each of the five elements; i.e. one metal one, one wood one, etc. Then for the set up points, we also choose one point for each of the elements. Tori was drilled on this small set of points until he could locate them quickly, accurately, and effectively.

During a karate session, individuals were taken aside individually and tested on a specific sequence. Twenty-eight people were tested on each element, both destructive and creative sequences. Over all five elements, the average pain rating given to the press on the target point was 6.0 for the destructive sequence. So subjects experienced a fair amount of pain; but is it any more than would be produced by any other sequence? In fact, the average pain rating for the creative sequences was 6.1. Statistical tests showed that there was no evidence that the small difference as did exist was due to anything other than the normal random variation in pain you might feel when the same technique is performed on you on two different occasions. Thus, this study provided no evidence that a particular sequence of the five elements is any more effective than any other sequence.

These results, however, do not rule out that following the destructive cycle may be useful under certain conditions, and knowledge of these conditions may be inspired by further concepts from Chinese medicine. Whereas in the kyusho world there is an implicit but prevalent belief that the destructive cycle can be followed by choosing any martially relevant point along a meridian, those acupuncturists who follow five element principles to manipulate the flow of qi, do so almost exclusively by the use of a particular set of points, the shu points on the lower halves of the arms and legs (e.g. Maciocia, 1989). This is not an absolute rule; some acupuncturists may use anywhere along the meridian, and shiatsu practitioners regularly use the whole meridian in using the five element cycles. Nonetheless, the shu points have the special function of influencing qi according to principles of the five elements, and so cross-point set up effects in kyusho jutsu according to the elemental cycles may be especially evident when these points are used, if such effects can be found at all. The aim of the current experiment was to test this idea.

To understand how the shu points work, we need to consider some more ideas from TCM. We will assume that a strike or press to a point on a meridian can tonify or sedate the qi of that meridian. Tonifying the qi means increasing the amount of qi; sedating the qi means decreasing the amount of qi. According to TCM, the optimal state of affairs is where there is a balance, neither too much nor too little qi in any meridian. Injury, harm or disease is associated with either too much or too little qi. Thus, through kyusho jutsu, our aim is to create either as great a deficiency or as great an excess as we can. Combinations that result in either of these states of affairs are optimal from a martial perspective.

There are special shu points for tonifying and sedating on each of 10 meridians. We will be using tonification and sedation points. We will also apply another principle mentioned by George Soulie de Morant (1994), namely "puncture with the needle tilted, with the point facing against the flow in order to disperse (this is opposing), the point going with the flow in order to tonify (this is favouring)" (p.103). Thus, we presume that stimulating in the direction of flow helps to tonify and against the flow helps to sedate, a principle used by some martial artists. Having so manipulated the qi of one element, the creative and destructive cycles determine how the qi of other elements will be affected. For example, if one element has been tonified, this will result in the next element in the creative cycle also being tonified, and the next element in the destructive cycle being sedated; conversely, if one element has been sedated, that will result in the next element in the creative cycle being sedated, and the next element in the destructive cycle being tonified. These principles will be used by us in the following way: A second attack that aggravates imbalances (too much or too little qi) caused by the first is a productive way of combining points.

As an aside, there is no reason why TCM should be applied in just this manner. We just do not know whether the principles developed in a healing setting can apply to the quite different martial arts setting. For example, tonification in the healing setting involves "careful pain-free needling with thin needles inserted in the direction of flow of the channel, gentle manipulation or none at all, and long retention of the needles (15-30 minutes). Quick insertion and slow withdrawal of the needles is also tonifying" (Stux and Pomeranz, 1998, p. 205). Nothing like the martial application 'thump in the direction of flow to tonify'. That 's not to say the principles do not apply as stated above; just that it is FAR from obvious they apply so directly. Careful testing of each and every principle is needed. We will be testing one possible use of TCM principles, a use which is consistent, if not identical in principle, with the use we have seen some martial artists actually make of TCM to kyusho jutsu.

In the experiment, as people practiced their basic punch, kick etc, tori (i.e. the person who administered the experimental procedure) walked round testing each person in turn. Unlike in the previous experiment where points were pressed, in this experiment points were hit, based on a view some kyusho practitioners have that hitting points is more likely to activate them than pressing them. For a given sequence, uke could be hit either without a set up point, just the target point is hit; or he could be hit with first a set up point and then a target point. Will the target point be more painful when it was been set up by another point rather than when the target is just hit alone? Will shu points be better set up points than the sort of points we used in our first experiment ("vanilla" points)?

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