Perhaps not the first question one asks when getting up in the morning but an important one to address at some point in one’s life. I remember watching fights in high school where kids would flail about hoping to hit each other. Usually this resulted in a strike or two landing ineffectively and then a tangled mess of grappling. They “fighters” (and that’s being generous) seemed to flail about with no direction, no particular target or idea in mind. Simply that enough body motion would some how win the fight for them. If they were bigger they were usually right as if nether could fight it usually came down to size.
We know that setting goals is an essential part in directing where your life ends up. Goals are like the rudder to a ship they direct it. Without goals you are directionless and will not get far. It is no different in fighting. If you think striking the shoulder is the same as striking the jaw, your going to flail about trying to hit whatever. In that case you better hope that your opponent is both smaller than you and has no idea how to fight. Otherwise you’ll get your ass handed to you, and we don’t want that.
The Two Marks
Depending on the situation there are different parts of the body that you want to go for. What I am going to be addressing here is for non lethal combat. Some drunk at a bar takes a swing at you, a school yard fight, that sort of thing. So I won’t be talking about an open palm to the nose, shutos to the neck, hammerfists to the back of the head, gouging eyes, or anything of that matter. This is for non lethal situations for lethal situations a whole other set of rules takes place, though these two marks are still very effective places to hit regardless of the situation.
The two marks are the chin and the solar plexus. The chin is obvious the chin and the best place to strike is right on either side of the middle. The temples are also sensitive areas as well. The solar plexus is put simply where your stomach and chest meet. When it gets hit it will knock the air out of you. You know that feeling when you get hit and you can’t seem to breathe afterward, that’s what I’m talking about. A good right/open palm (or much of anything) to the solar plexus will have most down and out.
The chin is for knockouts. These can be done with the open hand or with a punch if your hands are prepared. My science may be perfect but a knockout occurs when the brain hits against the skull or something to that extent. That’s not important what is important is that cracking someone in the chin is the best way to cause this. Now don’t go out and think one single blow to the solar plexus or the chin will have your opponent out (though they very well can). Always be prepared to keep going and go all the way. Don’t let up until the person is not a threat and then do no further damage as that has legal ramifications.
The Best Place To Strike
The chin and solar plexus will always give you some of the most bang for you buck in terms of where to strike. Are they the only areas, no but they are good for beginners to recognize as opposed to flailing wildly about as most do. These are two of the best places to strike. Work on some combos that address both. It can be a left jolt to the chin followed by a right jolt to the solar plexus. Always keep these targets in mind. It’s good to know the vulnerable points of a humans body and how that can help you in a fight.
When the matter becomes lethal this expands greatly the techniques and vulnerable points. The chin and solar plexus still both remaining viable and effective targets. Study and understand the human body so that you can use it and be effective against it. Understanding basic anatomy in regards to how it applies to fighting is a must. How throwing a shuto to the neck is potentially lethal while doing the same to the arm will hurt you more than your opponent most likely. This is beyond the scope of this article but a subject all fighters (which all men are) should find time to understand.
If you have any questions you would like to see answered in a future post send them to me at charlessledge001 (at) gmail (dot) com. If you found value in this post then I would encourage you to share this site with someone who may need it as well as check out my books here. I appreciate it.
-Charles Sledge
Many of the most vulnerable spots are located down the centerline of the body: The eyes, nose/philtrum, chin, throat, solar plexus, and groin. A strike to any of these places will yield great results.
A second principle to consider when looking for a weak point is find areas that are naturally protected by the body. Think the armpits, inside of the thighs, and Achilles tendons. All are areas that are typically covered in a fight due to how the body is built, but if exposed can be a ripe target to inflict serious pain.
Never thought of that. Very interesting. It’s crazy how the same strike in one part of the body will have little effect yet move that strike six inches over and it could have someone on the ground. Was a big problem I had when I first started fighting just hitting anyone anywhere which did little other than wear me down lol.