Prof Rick Clark Seminar

memphis

Hi folks,

Call this a public blog type post if ye wish, but I just wanted to share this with ye all.

Ok........ Last night I attended a Prof Rick Clark seminar in Fermoy karate club, and just wanted to say it was absolutely brilliant. Rick is a really amazing guy. The seminar focused on Wrist locks and pressure point applications.

This was the first time I met Prof Clark, and I must point of that i owe it to Mr Paul O'Leary (no relation) for exposing me to this side of MA. For those of you that think pressure points don't work ye can think again. Believe me when I say they do... i have bruises all over my arms to prove it too.

We got to see first hand how Professor Clark adapts pressure points applications through self defence attacks and counter attacks by pairing off with a different partner each time. i picked up some very useful tips that i hope to be able to put back into my own training.

I want to thank Professor Clark (who also has a great sense of humour and personality) for making the night so enjoyable. I travelled from Tipperary to be there last night, and have no regrets from that respect. I also want to thank Mr Paul O'Leary - aka pma-ire - for inviting me to the event (was great to met you and your student Mark again, and a word of thanks also to Mr Toomey of Fermoy karate club who hosted the seminar last night in Fermoy for having me.

Again, a really great night, and well worth attending. if anyone here is interested in attending further events or indeed hosting a seminar Mr Paul O'leary can provide you with the details. I assure you you'll enjoy it, and will gain so much from it.

memphis
aka Cathal O'Leary
(RedkingTKD)

spiral

Memphis can you give us an example of some pressure point techniques you learnt ?

gymrabbit

memphis wrote:

For those of you that think pressure points don't work ye can think again. Believe me when I say they do... i have bruises all over my arms to prove it too.

I think most people undertand that if some points of the body, joint, muscles, nerves are pinched, pushed, bent, pulled etc. they can cause pain. The pain varies from the uncomfortable to the unbearable depending on the body part, the pressure intensity and the individuals pain threshold. I think that's common sense.

The part most people take exception with is the ability to apply these pressures to the different body parts in a self-defense/freefight scenario. Sure, I could choke Rick Clark out if he laid down beside me and offered no resistance but I'd find it a lot more difficult to apply a pressure point technique if he was jumping around trying to hit me in the head/ run away.

So memphis, perhaps it's the applicadtion not the technique that's in question.
#

After this seminar do you think you've got some techniques you could use in sparring/self-defense?

pma-ire

gymrabbit wrote:

I think most people undertand that if some points of the body, joint, muscles, nerves are pinched, pushed, bent, pulled etc. they can cause pain. The pain varies from the uncomfortable to the unbearable depending on the body part, the pressure intensity and the individuals pain threshold. I think that's common sense.

The part most people take exception with is the ability to apply these pressures to the different body parts in a self-defense/freefight scenario. Sure, I could choke Rick Clark out if he laid down beside me and offered no resistance but I'd find it a lot more difficult to apply a pressure point technique if he was jumping around trying to hit me in the head/ run away.

So memphis, perhaps it's the applicadtion not the technique that's in question.
#

After this seminar do you think you've got some techniques you could use in sparring/self-defense?

I know you were talking to memphis here. But in the main you can use pp's in situations where someone has grabbed you in some way and cut off the next move which is usually a punch, kick or head butt. It's really hard to hit a point on a moving target and it's again a bit of a myth!

memphis

yes, I believe that some of the technique could be used as a self defense but not in sparring. sparring and self defense are two very separate things as i'm sure you know.

you make a very fair point about being able to hit a pressure point if your oppenent is stationary, but moving about those points are indeed very hard to find. I agree on that. Hitting a pressure point can be a matter of milimeters. But if hit in the right point with a degree of power the pain can be quiet intense.

spiral... to answer your question, there were a number of varied techniques thought, such as hitting areas such as below the wrist, above and below the elbow, the upper arm below the muscle, etc. Its hard to explain, you'd really need to see it done if ya ask me. We did a number of wrist loscks also, such as counter attacks on various grabs. Hope that answers your question without taking off into too much detail.

pma-ire

Hi Folks,

Just an update to say that the seminars in Dublin, Cork City, Waterford and Fermoy were amazing! Waterford hosted the largest group with 50 people!! Some were even turned away and had to just watch at the side as the hall was at max!!

We've made some great new friends spread out across the country and look forward to working with them in the near future!! Already we will be looking to arrange seminars for about 6 months time with hosts and new hosts in the next few weeks! We hope that we can work out a tour where Rick can take two weeks in Ireland and not be under pressure to go to the UK when finished in Ireland!! This looks like a real possiblity, and I'll contact all concerned asap!!

Thanks to all those that attended and a big thanks to the hosts!!!

M.Gatzy

Howdy
I was at prof Clarks seminars in Cork, Waterford and Formoy, they were all excellent, he tought very useful and effective technques which empressed me. He firstly focused on using pressure points when an attacker was stationary like a grab, but he also thought some handy points on the arm which can be used against a punch so in my opinion his techniques can be used in a street defence suitation. I think the idea he was trying to get across though is to use pp's to finish the fight before it begins.

memphis

M.Gatzy wrote:

Howdy
I was at prof Clarks seminars in Cork, Waterford and Formoy, they were all excellent, he tought very useful and effective technques which empressed me. He firstly focused on using pressure points when an attacker was stationary like a grab, but he also thought some handy points on the arm which can be used against a punch so in my opinion his techniques can be used in a street defence suitation. I think the idea he was trying to get across though is to use pp's to finish the fight before it begins.

Interesting point mate. I got the same idea outta the Fermoy seminar too. I felt the same, i.e. that by using pressure points you can finish the fight alot faster. It'd certainly be a good way to put a guy to the ground, you cold then retreat. beside, if ya ask me the guy ain't gonna get up in a hurry if you hit a pressure point and hit it hard.

Also, what do you think about hitting a spot such as GB20 as a street defense? Or is that a little too dangerous??

pma-ire

memphis wrote:

Also, what do you think about hitting a spot such as GB-20 as a street defense? Or is that a little too dangerous??

GB20 is not a point that gets me really??

Mark's brother goes down and curls into a ball when it's struck, and I know of another one or two people that it gets. But I don't think it's something I would like to rely on to defend myself!!

Some points work on more people than others, so I like to keep to ones that are more likely to give me a reaction than the maybe's?? This is something you gain from practice and in many ways how I train and teach pp's are a bit different to how Rick teaches them. I think this is a healthy thing and we adapt and transfer experiences as we go along.

It can be hit with a cupped hand to the back of the neck as you enter into a clinch type position. But you need to have a technique in mind for that situation so as not to be stuck if it don't work!!

Personally I like to hit TW-16 or SI-16...

With a knuckle!

Roper

pma-ire wrote:

Personally I like to hit TW-16 or SI-16...

You sunk my battleship...

pma-ire

Roper wrote:

You sunk my battleship...

i like sinking battleships with my knuckles

Quillo

I've noticed that pressure points appear to be in slightly different places on different people - does this make locating them realistic in a self defence situation ?

memphis

pma-ire wrote:

Personally I like to hit TW-16 or SI-16...
With a knuckle!

Kinda hard to make out from the diagram Paul, but is SI 16 the point under the chin.... in other words the point that you hit when I was your "punchbag" the time of the Mount Mellery seminar? That hurt like hell.

I'd recommend that move as a good self defence technique ok, particullarly if your objective is to floor your opponent, and quickly!!

pma-ire

Quillo wrote:

I've noticed that pressure points appear to be in slightly different places on different people - does this make locating them realistic in a self defence situation ?

small differences are not a big problem if you are hitting points that really hurt then getting pretty close will do!! again it's down to practice, as the more people you get your hands on the better for your location skills!!

pma-ire

memphis wrote:

Kinda hard to make out from the diagram Paul, but is SI 16 the point under the chin.... in other words the point that you hit when I was your "punchbag" the time of the Mount Mellery seminar? That hurt like hell.

I'd recommend that move as a good self defence technique ok, particullarly if your objective is to floor your opponent, and quickly!!

Nope!

That was ST-9...


One that causes a gagging action and serious pain!

M.Gatzy

memphis wrote:

Interesting point mate. I got the same idea outta the Fermoy seminar too. I felt the same, i.e. that by using pressure points you can finish the fight alot faster. It'd certainly be a good way to put a guy to the ground, you cold then retreat. beside, if ya ask me the guy ain't gonna get up in a hurry if you hit a pressure point and hit it hard.

Also, what do you think about hitting a spot such as GB20 as a street defense? Or is that a little too dangerous??

gb 20 is a good point and iv seen it drop people like a sack of spuds but i dont think its dangerous!! But then again i could be wrong, thats just my opinion, But the most effective that i know of are the ones pma-ire pointed out tw 16 and si 16, both very effective against a punch or a grab for example!!

memphis

pma-ire wrote:

Nope!

That was ST-9...

One that causes a gagging action and serious pain!

Hell ya!!!

Serious pain indeed, and to make it worst ya picked me back up off teh ground only to hit me again

M. Gatzy... i'm sure all are quite effective, but what i wanna know (perhaps this is one for pma-ire) which do ya reckon is the most effective, above all??

pma-ire

memphis wrote:

Hell ya!!!

Serious pain indeed, and to make it worst ya picked me back up off teh ground only to hit me again

You were talking to long to get back up off the ground :rolleyes:

memphis wrote:

M. Gatzy... i'm sure all are quite effective, but what i wanna know (perhaps this is one for pma-ire) which do ya reckon is the most effective, above all??

It's not a set answer this one, as points can cause different amounts of pain to different groups.

The best way to look at them is to work on some of the most usual points that cause pain and are presented to you in various self defence situations. Then find the best way to hit those points using your delivery system.

Like the Heart line...


Has two very painful points along it! HT-2... and HT-3...


They get exposed when someone reaches out to grab you, or throws a punch at you among others. So it's with a bit of thought and training that you find ways to land on these points and use the effect as part of your defence.

M.Gatzy

I agree, the most effective pressure point is the one usable in that particular self defence suitation. i.e if you learn an effective arm point and the attackers arm is covered, its not vey effective anymore.