Teaching child to scream "You are not my..." doesn't help much.

[Zebra1552]

Most of us seem to agree that the kids should struggle as much as possible. I have given my kids specific targets: nose, throat, eyes, groin - the areas that tend to give a stronger reaction to even weaker strikes. I have also told them that any and all strikes they can get in, whether it's kicks and punches or head butts, scratches and bites, they should do anything and everything to resist no matter what.

Fingers are very weak. Especially the pinkie. There's one self defense move we've learned where someone is grasping your shoulder and the pressure points near there, and all you do is take the opposite hand and bend their pinky back as fast as you can. Side of the knee, as was already mentioned, can easily take out any mobility they have. Even a weak strike will be enough. There is a pressure point just above the knee that is extremely painful. To find it, grab your knee with your thumb and pinkie. Then keep that width and go up your leg towards your thigh by that width. Then squeeze (CAREFULLY) around that area.

There are a number of pressure points in the body, and most of them have one of three purposes: mental stun (surprising the person), muscular dysfunction (causing them an inability to move a certain limb), and pain compliance (causing them enough pain that they will do what you say). There is one point on the body that does all three, found in the side of the neck that runs beneath the collar bone. Pressure points are great to use, but 10% of the population doesn't have a given pressure point- or it isn't as effective on them. So they won't always work. The one I mentioned above the knee causes muscular dysfunction and a great deal of pain. If you hit it right, the person will go down. The other is the solar plexus, or the gut, but this point can be toughened up so that weaker strikes are ineffective. Another we're all familiar with is the funny bone, or the radial nerve. That's far more tricky though...

 

[Cute Tink]

I have learned lots of pressure points as well and I have seen a few people who don't respond to various ones as well. Again, however, I think that (at least for the younger kids) you really need to keep it really simple. Trying to have them go for pressure points in a kidnapping situation might be too much to ask - a couple inches off and they get no response at all in many cases. Older kids may be more able to handle that though.

 

[Zebra1552]

I have learned lots of pressure points as well and I have seen a few people who don't respond to various ones as well. Again, however, I think that (at least for the younger kids) you really need to keep it really simple. Trying to have them go for pressure points in a kidnapping situation might be too much to ask - a couple inches off and they get no response at all in many cases. Older kids may be more able to handle that though.

That's the great one about the gut and the knee- you get within a few inches of it and it has the same effect. There's about a 6" target on the side of the knee that any child, with training, will be able to hit. Teaching a child any self defense won't work unless it's drilled on a consistent basis.

 

[Cute Tink]

Teaching a child any self defense won't work unless it's drilled on a consistent basis.

Very true.