Kyusho desperately needs an overhaul (Martial Arts does as well and is going through one now)... So the time is right.

CAUTION: possibly inflammatory opinion

First the Martial Arts are going through a change... not good or bad, but definitely a major makeover.  In the beginning, the Martial Arts were about finding self truth, empowering people and working for the reality of it's originators.  Then as the real answers were not taught or available to the common man, it changed into a tough guy attitude where POWER was the main objective (not inner strength or meaning)... so the realities were lost it because and a new tough guy began to emerge, but that soon morphed into ego issues.  Then as the adult market dried up from this ego abuse and fabricated stories to attempt to re-inflate the leaking egos, they then focused on the kids market where they still had the power mantle possibility to again feed the ego.  (By the way as a full time professional Martial Artist for 37+ years, I can talk about this subject realistically as I have been living it).  This is not always done out of malice or forethought, but rather a general trend... but is now regaining the original market by reverting to it's roots of tough guy (witness the surge of MMA), attitude.  It is changing but possibly not in the best direction... but at least realism is back.

Turning to Kyusho... In the beginning the search was on for truth, for the reality inherent in the study of the ancient arts.  But now for the most part Kyusho has remained stagnant for the past twenty years with few people working on innovation or realistic use.  Sure people have come up with a bunch of theoretical ideas or fancy tricks for the seminars, but few that have improved Kyusho or made it more mainstream.  Instead it seems to be loosing the ground gained from many years of hard work, from this issue called ego, if you can impress them with tricks or theory, you do not need real skill.  And taking it one step further, there is no long time governing body so that those that fabricate are allowed free reign to dupe the public.  I can tell of some that studied the art for 3 years, joined an organization and receive a 5th degree Black Belt from that organization that did not even know Kyusho (how is this even possible)?  Yet others that study for a couple of years and form their own organization with themselves as headmaster?

Much of this problem is the ego issues long held by the arts still being used in the instruction (or entertaining), with Kyusho...you know whose belt is longer type issues. By that I mean so many are just interested in gathering a group around them to explain theory so they seem important or have "Secret Knowledge" to feed them.  Many claiming Kyusho Ranks (folks there is no such thing), Kyusho is anatomy not a style!

So Kyusho with all these problems and issues, Kyusho needs a major overhaul so we can all see and more importantly share the incredible benefits of it, free from the fraud, free from the ego, free from the entertainment... it needs t get back to the training mat.  We have tried here for the last decade, now once again it is time to overhaul it again!

In the meantime... do your homework to know what is what!