The double edged sword of Kyusho.
Many people studying Kyusho get too caught up in the theories and complex (false) understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine and all it's components, leaving much less time in actual and rigorous training. In short... too much mental and not enough physical and therefore less spiritual balance.
The targets in Kyusho are limited, however their application and use is unlimited, if trained properly and again rigorously. You can not take mental study and suppose it will work when called on in real attack where stress, emotions and physical limitations become the urgent need over the intellectual. Yes you need mental instruction when learning anything and very much so in Kyusho as well, however there is the problem of too much mental and not enough physical which will never develop the spirit needed in conflict.
In training for Kyusho, you first need a mental understanding of a single concept, target, applied method. Then you must take that one target and train it for all it's worth to understand if it is natural for you, within your ethical abilities (if you are reluctant to strike a particular target, you may never be ready to use it in real need). It must be something you are not only willing to do to another person, but can also do on a training partner with no remorse or trepidation... remember in Kyusho this does not mean injuring another (you need to internalize this for your later protection to be safer). You must eliminate all fear of application on anyone, then train that target in all situations, environments and conditions. This will then further empower your spirit and skill... not just the false thought of "if I know it, I can use it" concept taught too frequently in modern Kyusho.
Once you have eliminated the fear, applied the method multiple times and under increasing demand, stress and conditions, understand the possibilities, probabilities and limits (each target has these), are you then ready to develop another target.
Another double edged sword these days where information is so readily available that classes and especially seminars (the main educational tool in Kyusho as Kyusho will drive students out of regular martial arts classes... (see "Never, ever" post), is information overload, where even those that want the singular focus to really develop skill over knowledge are overwhelmed by the other participants desire for content over performance. The need for an exclusive or elite group training for people that can handle this focus, intensity and demand is evident, yet far too few have this commitment to the art (at this time to make it feasible), so for now a blend is required as is the great skill in instructing both sides of the sword at the same time. (as an additional thought; both edges do meet at the point...get the point?).
To become a warrior you must train like a warrior, there is no way around this.
-ep
