Nerve points

Generally, are you taught nerve points in Aikido? I know at my local hall they do, though some of the nerve points are in very slightly different positions to the ones used in Taekwondo, or so my friend with a black belt tells me. He reckons he knows how to do the 'Vulcan Nerve/neck pinch'!!!
Does anyone else here know how to do it?

Carl.

We don't learn them. There was a topic on this a while ago I think, and most people said they didn't learn them either.

Does anyone else here know how to do it?

Carl.[/quote]

Mr Spock!!

What are yonkyo and Ikkyo then? I've looked further down the forum and it seems you do! I've been thinking of taking up Aikido now for about fifteen years and I firmly intend to do it before I'm forty. I'm going to have to get my back sorted out first, though! I'm going to do some boxing and karste too!!

We often use nerve pressure points in Nihon Goshin Aikido. They are good for distracting uke or to "soften them up" if they're resisting so you can safely do technique.

Plus, they're good for when your tipsey buddy says "lemme sheee that karate stuff you do." <shove>

You make him back off, but you didn't destroy his wrist/elbow/shoulder and you didn't make him do a face plant with a koshinage.

I like them. It's always fun when a skinny guy like me can have some of the big guys in class doing the "pressure point two step" before you toss them.

I teach them regularly. I'm still waiting for publication of an article on the topic by black belt magazine (takes for ever to get in the que). As to the Vulcan nerve pinch, I doubt you can knock someone out the way Spock does pressing the area he does without a setup point. However, you can inflict some serious pain in that area by pinching the brachial plexus. The fingers to the front press in behind the collar bone where the brachial plexus is very close to the surface. It hurts like hell. There is also a nice one right at the angle of the jaw in the neck. A good way to appreciate the brachial plexus one is iriminage where the hand is at the base of the neck and shoulder. The front fingers are very close to the brachial plexus and anterior neck. Unless the pain is enough to shock you into passing out or you set it up and can elicit a vasovagal faint I doubt you'll knock anyone out this way.

Yonkyo can be a nerve press on the radial nerve, depending on how it is done. Some just simply twist the arm in a wringing fashion. Ikkyo has a couple of opportunity areas for applying pressure or nerve points. A key one is the nerve on the inside of the elbow (Heart 3 acupuncture point) during the take over. This can be pressed with the thumb for pain compliance. There are other opportunities for striking points when the uke is taken over (back of neck, etc.).