Duh

So as we just discussed in the last blog entry with the elbows, the knees generate massive power that does not need Kyusho for greater effect... Or do we?

With massive power comes massive exertion, instability and limited time window for use.  Let's look at these ideas one at a time first before exploring the Kyusho- Knee combination.

1. To develop that power you must train long and hard conditioning the body.  This by itself is great for health and physical attributes, but the legs still demand more energy to deploy in combative need.    Especially when you are pulling the knee to the opponents body or head at waist level or above... So if it is a prolonged situation these can diminish your energy levels considerably.
2. Once you initiate this attack you are now supported with only one immovable limb, just ripe for the opponents counter.  Also as all power needs a base that lifted knee just cut your potential power delivery in half at minimum.
3. And let's face it you will never get younger, so this is a fading skill or weapon (if based on power or range of motion) for your arsenal... Unless you link it with Kyusho!

So why will Kyusho help with the use of the knee as an offensive weapon?

1. Well first you will not need the massive power or the long range of motion to develop it, this will help with fatigue if the situation is prolonged as well.  The time may now be better invested in accurate timing and suitable targets under spontaneous and increasingly stressful demand.  This will yield the practitioner far greater efficiency with less physical exertion... one of the keys of combat as exertion begets fear and desperate actions leading to flailing or swinging wildly as the stress increases.
2. The shorter range of motion will leave you less vulnerable and for far less time.  As a matter of fact the knees may be deployed in stepping actions (once trained), so that better balance and return to base for greater weapon deployment and power delivery can occur.
3. The lower power necessary to work the lower Kyusho targets, along with less fatigue, range of motion, speed for that range of motion and return to less vulnerable position, is perfect for the aging individual (yes you).  If you train to fight like a young person, you are training a very limited possibility, whereas you train to be a formidable older person, you will have greater capabilities for far longer and you will not need to keep re-training yourself.

These are concepts we in Kyusho harp on time and time again, but they have undeniable affect and consequence that we must.  Here is yet another idea we constantly harp on in Kyusho and that is public awareness.  In these strange times of legal and bureaucratic foolishness or ineptitude, if you are seen or caught on film "defending" yourself with what looks like trained or violent actions, even though you were defending against an attack, you will also face the legal system for doing so.  The big aggressive, powerful methods are easily seen, always mis-interpreted and now even filmed... you need a more low key and subtle approach.

But there are again cautions just like the elbows, where most hit with the end of the thigh (padded with muscles) as the weapon... powerful yes, penetrating NO.  For penetration to the weaker anatomical targets or structures you must learn to use the knee cap or Patella as the weapon.  This involves more of a stabbing action than a swinging action as did the elbows... and the targets are few, but almost always accessible and unprotected.

The accessibility comes from the opponent needing that same base for power and attack, so the legs must be planted and in positional integrity... this is predictable and usable in strategic training.  Unprotected as when you make smaller un-offensive appearing steps or leg movements, they are not perceived as attacks and protected against.  Four of the easier targets will be SP-11, LV-9, GB-31 & GB-32.  The targets will be all over the body on all areas, but dependent on the position of the opponent as well as the situation... so we can not give you specific techniques here.  Instead learn to use the weapon first, then learn to recognize when any target avails in spontaneous and increasingly stressful need.

-ep