Few subjects in the world of martial arts stir more controversy than Dim Mak—the death touch. Dim Mak (點脈) is the Cantonese translation of dianxue which refers to “pointing blood vessels.” It is also known as ‘poison hand.’ Another hot-button subject is that of Qi, also referred to as Chi or Ki. Those who have investigated the bizarre enigma of the death touch believe that it originated in ancient China as a derivative of acupuncture practices. It ultimately influenced several Chinese martial arts disciplines. Over time, the obscure Chinese practice of utilizing acupuncture points as martial target sets spread to other parts of Asia where it impacted several martial arts to include Japanese and Okinawan disciplines. Some attribute the origin of this synthesis of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and deadly martial applications to the oldest versions of Taijiquan. The specifics of its origins are likely lost in the mists of time.
Dr. Michael Kelly, a black belt and Rutgers-trained medical doctor who has been both a boxing commission and MMA ringside physician has extensively researched the subject and written about the medical effects of its application in his book “Death Touch—The Science Behind the Legend of Dim-Mak.” I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in reading about Dim Mak from a physician’s standpoint.
Yang Taijiquan practitioner Erle Montaigue is amongst the more well-known authorities on Dim Mak within the martial arts community along with Kyusho Jitsu pressure point knockout proponent George Dillman, a karate stylist. For those unfamiliar, Kyusho Jitsu translates to pressure point striking. Outside of a couple martial arts figures championing those less-than-mainstream martial skill sets, the vast majority of practicing martial artists in the United States know little of Dim Mak or of pressure point striking.
Based on comments and opinions I’ve encountered during my 48-year-long martial arts journey, many martial artists tend to view Dim Mak as hogwash—nothing but a fanciful fairy tale. But is it? Dim Mak is a fascinating subject, not because it evokes the esoteric mysteries surrounding the mystical aspects of martial arts practice but because there may well be scientific and medical indications that at least some of the claims associated with Dim Mak may not be fantasy.
In his book, Dr. Kelly writes that the techniques of Dim Mak wound up at the Southern Shaolin Temple where the practice was absorbed into Southern-style Shaolin Kung Fu. According to Dr. Kelly’s book, Dim Mak techniques ended up integrated into Taijiquan, Eagle Claw, Monk Fist and White Crane among other systems of Kung Fu.
Further expanding on the integration of Dim Mak into Asian martial arts, Dr. Kelly writes that comparing the katas of Okinawan, Japanese and Korean styles reveal similarities that indicate a shared connection to Dim Mak.
Given that Chinese Kung Fu is thought to have migrated from mainland China to Okinawa where it influenced the karate systems which subsequently spread to Japan, it stands to reason that an integrated sub-component of those disciplines such as Dim Mak would have made the migration along with the mainstream external elements of those fighting systems.
To understand how something like Dim Mak could work on the human body, it is necessary to understand the concept of Qi and the acupuncture points of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture is a widely accepted means of medical treatment around the world, including in the United States. Dim Mak, on the other hand, is not widely accepted amongst the general public or within the mainstream martial arts community in America. Interestingly, Qi, acupuncture and Dim Mak are all connected.
Some practitioners believe in the existence of Qi while others dismiss it as simply a legacy of the spiritual underpinnings of traditional martial arts. Some martial artists completely dismiss the concept that Qi has any relevance whatsoever regarding fighting prowess. Others, however, believe wholeheartedly in its efficacy.
Many contemporary stylists—particularly those associated with UFC-style MMA and military combatives such as Krav Maga—tend to either outright reject or significantly minimalize the impact of directed human bioenergy on the application of fighting skills. Those contemporary martial artists being amongst the most diehard of external stylists typically don’t have Qi development as part of their gym’s training curriculum. In many ways, modern MMA gyms and reality-based combatives studios are more like boxing gyms than the martial arts schools where traditional Asian fighting arts are taught. That is certainly not a slam, merely an observation. The contemporary “gyms” tend not to place any sort of focus whatsoever on the spiritual aspects that are intertwined with classical Asian martial disciplines. Consequently, Qi and the esoteric side of martial art is not part of their curriculum. That is not to say that there isn’t a mental side to combat sports, boxing or reality-based combatives.
On the other hand, traditional stylists such as those affiliated with Taijiquan and Aikido tend to profess a solid belief in internal energy and its positive impact on physical ability. Qi development—or at least a nod in recognition of its existence—is a key element of traditional martial arts training. In this author’s experience, it isn’t a frequent topic of discussion or training in most commercial martial arts studios except for those teaching Chinese internal arts— style Xingyi, style Bagua, Taijiquan—the Japanese art of Aikido and the Korean art of Hapkido. I attend Taijiquan classes weekly and in just about every class, the instructor (Sifu) makes some mention of energy flow and the need to maintain it via open joints and by not crimping our postures. I’m not suggesting that Taekwondo, Shorin-Ryu and other styles don’t ever address Qi, for that isn’t true. I am stating that it isn’t at the forefront of training or discussion within many US-based commercial martial arts institutions.
I find it curious that people will routinely visit an acupuncturist that deals in manipulating the flow of Qi with strategically placed needles to gain positive effects on the body but will reject the idea that some of those very same acupuncture points could be utilized for causing harm by negatively impacting Qi through hyper-focused strikes.
There appears to be a demonstrable connectivity between acupuncture points and the organs of the human body which is why acupuncture is practiced medicinally in the United States and elsewhere in the world. That would seem to indicate that, given a connectivity to internal organs, it would be possible to cause harm to those organs via the same network used to impart beneficial effects. That is precisely what Dim Mak is proposed to do.
Here is a good spot to clarify my take on pressure point striking and Dim Mak in ‘real world’ street situations. This author’s primary area of expertise and experience lies in the practical self-defense realm. I have a solid base in traditional martial arts, but I put everything through the “would it work on the street” filter. That’s how I analyze martial art, whether it be Kung Fu, Aikido or Boxing.
I live in the upper Midwest where half of the year we are all clad in heavy winter clothing. It would seem to me that it would be nearly impossible to accurately strike pin-point targets—especially multiple points in a particular order—through the thick, puffy bulk of winter parkas, scarves, hats, gloves, and snow pants. In milder climes, such as those of California and Florida, apparel would not be as significant a barrier to pinpoint striking. That said, clothing items getting in the way isn’t my foremost problem with pinpoint striking in street combat situations.
I am sure that there are martial artists skilled enough to strike very small targets on the human anatomy with a high degree of accuracy. That skillset would be, as previously mentioned, severely hampered by thick layers of clothing. More importantly, I humbly assess that to accurately nail tiny points on an opponent’s moving body during an adrenaline-drenched street brawl is a task unlikely to be successfully executed. I’m not saying it is impossible. I am saying that it has an extremely high failure quotient.
Another aspect of Dim Mak that I believe would significantly lesson its combat efficacy would be any delay involved between delivery of the strike(s) and onset of disabling effects. If there is a discernable delay, the person struck would have time to mortally wound the Dim Mak striker. No good in a combat situation. In all fairness, that happens with firearms and edged weapons, too. People have been shot (or stabbed) multiple times—some of the wounds ultimately fatal—and have gone on to kill their assailants prior to expiration. That being said, a supposedly lethal hand-to-hand technique that has a delayed reaction is not optimal for self-defense or warfare. Its use would be, if anything, assassination.
To offer a bit of counterbalance to what was just related regarding my assessment, I should also state that I believe that no truer words have ever been spoken than those of Shakespeare in Hamlet— “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
