Dim Mak: reality or myth?

[Waxahachie]

I first went to my acupuncturist last October after falling in class on my shoulder.  He helped with that, but I've been amazed, since, at the range of things improved by acupuncture:  headaches, digestive issues, bleeding, etc.  On almost every issue, the acupuncture worked a charm, and right away.  I don't know how it works but I see it really does work.

[galahad25]

I had seen this guy before being from the southside of Chicago and he is full of it.  I have seen the Dim Mak used to break a brick that was three layers deep in a stack though.  That is more a use of physics and the way you stack the bricks though.  I define the Dim Mak as a strike that uses a very small striking area to hit a nerve ending.

[Gambatte Karate]

LOL But he's a 7th degree! 

[bladesaint]

Oh trust me, I readily admit that I don't know much about them, but I am still skeptical. Much the same way as a non-believer in God says "I'll believe it when I see him/her".

There has been a LOT of study regarding people "willing" themselves better also. It is the power of positive thinking, so to speak. This is where I see Dim Mak falling. If you believe it to work, then you are suseptible to it's "power". Conversly, if you know nothing about it, then you are not as suseptable to it's "power".

On accupuncture, I know full well that it works with a skilled practitioner administering it. But the reality is that small needles hitting nerve endings is simply "fooling" the body to heal it's self. This goes back to what I mentioned above with "people willing themselves better". It works....but only to an extent. Accupuncture can take the pain of a broken bone away, but it will not heal the broken bone. When the pain is gone, the body is free to heal. When the body is under less stress, it tends to heal it's self faster. Which is why doctors often will put someone into a medically induced coma.

I will readily admit that my chiropracter may have been a terrible one. But I also know that EVERY time I have a back issue, and I do physical therapy, my back feels better within a week. The couple times I went to a chiropracter, I always felt worse for about 2 weeks after, then as soon as I was beginning to get back to where I was BEFORE going to the chiropracter, I was supposed to go back again and get put into MORE pain. No, not for me. If I'm paying to be RELIEVED of pain, it better darn well RELIEVE me of pain. 

Here is a great Dim Mak video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdrzBL2dHMI

It is also a LARGE reason why I am so skeptical. 

 I like your response but that is not a great video clip on Dim mak more of a Dim witted Charlatan! He also misrepesents martial arts as a whole.

[Gambatte Karate]

Oh trust me, I readily admit that I don't know much about them, but I am still skeptical. Much the same way as a non-believer in God says "I'll believe it when I see him/her".

There has been a LOT of study regarding people "willing" themselves better also. It is the power of positive thinking, so to speak. This is where I see Dim Mak falling. If you believe it to work, then you are suseptible to it's "power". Conversly, if you know nothing about it, then you are not as suseptable to it's "power".

On accupuncture, I know full well that it works with a skilled practitioner administering it. But the reality is that small needles hitting nerve endings is simply "fooling" the body to heal it's self. This goes back to what I mentioned above with "people willing themselves better". It works....but only to an extent. Accupuncture can take the pain of a broken bone away, but it will not heal the broken bone. When the pain is gone, the body is free to heal. When the body is under less stress, it tends to heal it's self faster. Which is why doctors often will put someone into a medically induced coma.

I will readily admit that my chiropracter may have been a terrible one. But I also know that EVERY time I have a back issue, and I do physical therapy, my back feels better within a week. The couple times I went to a chiropracter, I always felt worse for about 2 weeks after, then as soon as I was beginning to get back to where I was BEFORE going to the chiropracter, I was supposed to go back again and get put into MORE pain. No, not for me. If I'm paying to be RELIEVED of pain, it better darn well RELIEVE me of pain. 

Here is a great Dim Mak video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdrzBL2dHMI

It is also a LARGE reason why I am so skeptical. 

[bladesaint]

 So where does this information come from about the accupunture needles "Fooling" the nerve endings and not really fixing anythng? I understand that you may have been dissatisfied with the results of Chiropractic but when hundreds of thousands can swear by it and its recognized and covered by our own Health care providers must say something about it despite you limited experience with it. I'm sure there are many no so talented alternative medicine providers as there are in any field including Western medicine. Even our Western Medical doctors are giving Chinese Accupuncture a second look. I'm not trying to win you over to the alternative medicine either. I just find it interesting how quickly you dismiss something without really knowing much about it. It like taking a few karate lessons, getting into a schoolyard fight and losing to some unskilled bully, then being skeptical of all martial arts training and the intructors to go with it. AM I far off on that?

[Gambatte Karate]

Well, see...I am not a big proponent of Chiropractic care. I've experienced it, and it did nothing for me. In fact, I felt worse for about 3 or 4 days afterward. That kinda sucked.

I would like to experience acupuncture. I think it works, not because of any intentions, but because of the way the needles fool the nerve endings in the body. So it really isn't "fixing" anything.

Shiatsu ranks right up there with Dim Mak as far as my knowledge of it goes. 

I am skeptical, but I am not quick to say it "doesn't exist", just that I don't think it does.....It may, but I don't think so.  Does that make sense? If I were proven wrong, I would believe a bit more.

[bladesaint]

Chi Balls are not an example of Dim Mak. In Dim Mak you are actually hit. Atleast in my understanding of it. THink of it as accupressure with negative results and bad intentions. Like an evil Chiropractor. Accupuncture and accupressure basically are meant to unblock meridians and pathways so energy can flow freely as water flows through a garden hose. Dim Mak is meant to cause blockages and restrict the free flowing of energy like a kinked garden hose. When energy is restircted for any length of time things go bad. Energy or chi nourishes and flows through the body much like blood does. Cut off blood and nutrients to a limb with a tournequette what happens? It goes numb, turns back then dies, then amputation or death. Most people can agree to the benefits of Chiropractic, accupunture and shiatsu. THey are real skills that actaully help. Why then can't someone apply those same skills with intentions to do another harm and it also work?

[Gambatte Karate]

I don't know enough about Dim MAk to make an educated guess as to whether or not it's real......But I see it as not really very believeable. Hit me with a chi ball.....Or whatever it is.

[galahad25]

We are trained using the Dim Mak in a lot of self defense training.  We use it as an initial strike to a soft tissue areas like the eye, or to nerve endings as a shock set up for more devastating strikes.

[bladesaint]

 I personally believe its real. I dont believe one will drop dead immediately from a strike. I believe one skilled in the method can make another violently sick, dizzy or whatever if not eventually kill someone over time (hours, days or weeks).
 As far as being practical is concerned, if I'm skilled in Dim Mak and you are armed with a knife. It alone wont stop me from getting stabbed to death.

[Chihua-ku]

My kung fu school do not teach any Dim Mak or grabbing techniques besides basic tiger and eagle claw grabs, which ussually are set ups for other strikes. But some other styles teaches dim mak, or vital point strikes. And I know just not kung fu (karate practicioners, feel free to discuss and debate) teaches about vital point strikes. But I have never seen it use beyond movies and comic books. So I was wondering, is it a myth or is it real? And is it practical on a real fight?