Ear Strikes

[BadgerFu57]

My Hapkido instructor teaches to cup your hands and bash them to the ears. He says the air will knock out there ear drums.

He also said though in TKD that a ridgehand to a brachial nerve would knock an attacker out. Knowing how hard the girlies in TKD hit, I don't think that would happen. I hit myself harder in the brachial for boredom sake just to see if what he said was true.

Anyway. What are the myths/truths about vital strikes? I know a groin would work. An eye jab too. Any thoughts on the ear clapper dealie?

I also don't like the idea of a solar plexus strike. I mean if it's a fight sure, but if it's self-defense and I want to get it over with, neh. Some guys I know have nice abs and that seems to help them shrug off those strikes.

[Ghost]

The ear thing would cause a lot of pain and i recon it would work but landing it in such a manner for it to work might be difficult. Its not like landing a punch. You must have the whole hand land perfectly.

Id punch personally, a left or right hook in the right place can achieve a knock out.

[ryanhall]

Ghost is correct. However, throwing a hook requires a base, distance and a lot of torque--something that boxing the ears does not. Also, the ear shot, IF landed properly, will probably cause more damage than a hook if your opponent is of appreciable size.

Boxing the ears works if you have two free hands and a static opponent. It can blow out the ear drums, likely causing the victim to bleed from the ears and experience a lack of balance as seen in a drunk. You're almost certainly not going to pull it off against someone mid-fight, so your best bet is boxing the ears as a first strike.

You can also slap the ear with an open hand in a hooking motion. It hurts, but you won't bust the ear drum. I have gotten a knockdown using this as a first strike.

Myths about vital strikes? Most of them are crap. Forget about hitting nerves. The body's real pressure points that you have a chance of hitting in a real fight:
1) Jaw
2) Ear
3) Solar plexus
4) Groin
5) Instep
6) Nose
7) Temple

Other good shots:
1) Thigh
2) Knee

The body's vital points:
1) Eyes
2) Throat

Notice how many of these places are located in the head region? Hammer away up there and you have a good chance of doing damage. Unless you have Frazier-esque power, body shots are for the ring.

And the ridge hand is a crappy blow in my book. The groin is overrated as a target. A sharp part of your body hitting the throat will cause much more damage than a punch to it will.

[BadgerFu57]

I always like what Ken Shamrock said in his book.

Aim for the chin. If they raise up you hit the throat. If the lower your hit their nose. If they dont move you hit their chin. It's a win win. And with a jab you can get in quick.

[karateka_101]

Originally posted by BadgerFu57
I also don't like the idea of a solar plexus strike. I mean if it's a fight sure, but if it's self-defense and I want to get it over with, neh. Some guys I know have nice abs and that seems to help them shrug off those strikes.

The solar plexus is not protected by muscles. No matter how strong you are, a hit to the solar plexus will hurt like hell. That's why it's a good target.

[ryanhall]

No matter how strong you are, a hit to the solar plexus
will hurt like hell. That's why it's a good target.

It's hard to hit (because you can't see it), and being struck there won't stop most people. That makes it a lesser target. In addition, heavy clothing negates the effectiveness of body shots--which would include a strike to the solar plexus. Aim for the head if you are going to bother striking.

[cakegirl]

Originally posted by BadgerFu57
My Hapkido instructor teaches to cup your hands and bash them to the ears. He says the air will knock out there ear drums.

I know two people who had their ear drum perforated this way - one in a sparring fight and one in a fight with his dad.

So yes, it works.

The best method is when you're fighting in close - use one hand to cup one of their ears, and with the other, swing as wide as you can, and hit the other ear with the palm of your hand. The idea is to create a sealed space with air being pushed in by the striking hand. It's the rush of air in that will perforate the ear drum.

~Cakegirl

[jules]

The ear regulates balance in our body so if that was ****ed up even just for a while it would give you a great advantage. All i know is this... The pressure point on your forefoot works. I got spiked (not even with full power) with an elbow while trowing a mid kick and i could not walk right for about two weeks.

[fullcircle]

The ear shot is good, just below the ear (what I like to call the off button) will end a fight, cupping the hand and hitting the ear will affect the opponents balance if nothing else. Oh, and Badger, I'd love to show you how soft this "TKD girlie" hits.