Your Self Defense 'Hit List'

I am talking about where to hit, guys...

Make those hits count. It's no good hitting a big man in the belly, for example.

Eyes - jab at them and you can blind your attacker, temporarily or permanently. The eyes are serious vital points; a blind man can't fight any more and is crippled for life.

Ears - Ordinary punches don't do much good (think of Boxers with "cauliflower ears")... the vital points are inside, not outside! But a solid slap with your slightly-cupped palm can rupture his ear drum, (think two palms to his two ears, as in escaping a face-to-face choke or strangle), and you can burst both his ear drums. Ear damage can also mean loss of balance. This injury can sometimes damage a person's hearing or balance permanently.

Temples - A blow here can knock out your attacker, but there is a small chance it might kill him too. I have seen people hit full force on the temple with a baton, and be relatively unaffected. So remember, these vulnerable points for self defense are not reliable every time... especially when the person is affected by drugs or alcohol.

Nose - a punch to the nose hurts, but isn't life threatening. If you break his nose, he'll have a nose-bleed, his eyes will be filled with tears, which will make him temporarily blinded. (Some martial arts folklore claims the nose can be pushed up into the brain to kill someone, but I have never been able to substantiate this.) It's another of the vital points, but not really dangerous in my opinion.

Adam's Apple - a very dangerous self defense tactic. This can KILL. The airway collapses like a coke can, and the person you hit will choke to death. They can't breathe, and unless they get a tracheotomy immediately, they will die. This is one of the most dangerous vulnerable points.

Under the Ear - There's a hollow here you can push at with your finger- tips to effect a release. You can also "karate chop" or "rabbit punch" this spot with the side of your hand (the fleshy part), for a possible knockout blow.

Back of the Neck - Where the spine joins the skull. This can stun your opponent and knock him out. A hard blow may break the neck, severing the spinal cord which will paralyze or kill him. The neck is another of the more vulnerable points.

Any atemi blow to the head can kill or do brain damage. Yet a blow to the head cannot be relied upon for a safe knockout. I have seen drunk and angry men take a police riot baton to the temple, at full force, and only get angrier. But I have also seen other men drop like a stone when hit there.

Collar Bone (clavicle) - can be broken by a sharp blow. This means he cannot use his arm on the broken side. A heavy stick or baton can be used for this blow. Two more vulnerable points for your mental checklist.

Sternum - This is the center of the chest, covering the heart. A really heavy blow, such as from a kick or stomp, can kill directly, or can break so many ribs that the person cannot breathe. First Aiders call it flail chest. Very, dangerous indeed.

Continued Here: Vulnerable Points for Self Defense (Part 2).