I would like to introduce you to a fighting principle called the Fluid Shock Wave Principle. I was taught this principle when I became an instructor in a police defensive tactics system called PPCT which stood for Pressure Point Control Tactics. Even though this was the primary focus of the system, I won’t be talking about manipulating pressure points. However, the system also outlines a striking technique that I thought was pretty awesome and have used with various martial arts I have studied.

The Fluid Shock Wave Principle is emphasized in all of the special agent combative system counterstrikes. It is not an unknown concept in the martial arts. This striking principle has been called the focus punch, the energy sink, the heavy hand strike, and many other terms relating to a “vibration” type of strike. Unfortunately, learning how to deliver such a strike often took a lifetime of constant practice, since few individuals understood the strikes physics or dynamics. I will explain them to you in this article.

The Foundation of the Fluid Shock Wave Principle

When I was taught this strike, I learned that motor points are more sensitive to strikes, which allowed all of the strikes forward momentum to dissipate into the target before starting the recovery. The analogy that is often used to describe such a strike is the action of hammering a nail.

The foundation of the fluid shock wave principle is based upon the nerve motor points as targets and a method of striking which maximizes kinetic energy transfer. We know that nerves are one of the most sensitive types of tissues in the human body. This is especially true when stimulated by various types of pressure or strikes.

We also know that when a nerve or nerve motor point receives an unusually high degree of energy, the nerve may become over stimulated and experience a motor dysfunction. Since motor points are composed of large muscle mass which is saturated with microscopic effector/motor nerve tissue, the potential for injury from a strike is normally limited to a bruise. Therefore, striking a motor point becomes an ideal target for liability concerns, and very practical tactically, since over stimulating a motor nerve stops resistive muscular action.

An important aspect of the fluid shock wave principle is the mechanical aspect of the strike itself. When a strike or impact is made to a target, energy is transferred from the energy source into the target. The degree of energy, (known as kinetic energy) which is dissipated into the target, will depend on the velocity, the mass of the energy source, and the duration of the energy transference (meaning how long your strike stays on the target.) The efficiency of the strike will determine the length of the motor dysfunction.

Generating the Shock Wave

To generate an optimal fluid shock wave strike with the hand, leg, or impact weapon, I have made the following observations:

1. Velocity: to increase the velocity of a strike substantially enough to cause a motor dysfunction is very difficult. Velocity must be at least double to have a substantial effect on power generation.
2. Mass: in contrast to velocity, the mass behind a target can be substantially increased by attempting to strike with the total body weight. This is one of the secrets of the fluid shock wave principle. This can be accomplished by several methods. The first is to ensure that all of your joints are locked on impact.This is a principle called “energy leaks,” which describes how kinetic energy may be lost on the impact exchange. For example, if you allowed your wrist to buckle on a hand strike, energy will dissipate in the wrist instead of the opponent’s motor point. The reduction of kinetic energy will be substantial, and will dramatically affect the length of the motor dysfunction if it occurs at all. Therefore, all joints must be locked (not hyper extended) on impact.The next important element in maximizing the mass behind a strike is the use of your total body mass. This is accomplished by placing emphasis on rotating your hips, or axis behind the strike itself. In conjunction with locking all of the joints on impact, you can generate power based upon your body weight, instead of striking with just the weight of your limb another important element of the fluid shock wave principle, is the concept of energy duration or “time one contact.”During my study, I have identified and learned measurements of the duration of the fluid shock wave itself. The length of energy transfer must exceed approximately 30 milliseconds to achieve a motor is dysfunction. Ironically, this is almost exactly the length of energy exchange that occurs naturally when you allow all forward momentum to stop before retracting a strike.

Technique Considerations

With the Special Agent combative system, I have developed a unique strategy of the defensive and offensive striking by combining motor points and the torso for targets, with the fluid shock wave principle of striking. Unlike other striking systems, the Special Agent combative system does not advocate striking to the head. Not the face, the head.

The head as a target is comprised mostly of skin and bone, not muscle mass or sensory nerves. Therefore, strikes of any type to the head with a closed fist should be avoided if possible. This is a tactical consideration. For example, the head is generally a hard structure. You will receive severe hand injuries from striking an attacker on the head. Trust me; I have done it. This will disable you only infuriate the attacker.

The Special Agent Combative System philosophy of utilizing defensive counterstrikes is that strikes should be delivered to the torso or nerve motor points whenever possible. If you strike to the head, it should be in the face with a Palm Heel strike or Hammerfist or with jabs to the eyes.

The targets of the special agent combat of system strikes are as follows:

Palm Heel strike: the Palm Hills strike was designed primarily to stop its edit and attackers forward momentum. This strike is delivered in a stiff arm motion and can be targeted at the attacker’s face or checks. Generally, this strike is followed by a straight punch to the torso.

Straight punch: the straight punch is normally considered the power hand strike. Although this strike can be delivered to the head, it is strongly recommended that this strike is delivered to the torso, specifically the solar plexus region.

Forearm strikes: forearm strikes are used when the subject attacker had deeply penetrated the reactionary gap, and the straight punch or palm heel strike cannot be used. Forearm strikes are generally very strong techniques and should be delivered to the torso. I also use them when striking the brachial plexus or side of the neck for what’s called a brachial stun.

Brachial stuns: the brachial stun is, without any doubt, the most effective and reliable stunning technique within the special agent combative system. Brachial stuns were designed to replace the necessity of hand strikes to the head. This technique can be delivered with the back of the hand, the inside of the hand, the inside of the forearm, or the outside of the forearm.

Front thrust kick: like the palm heel, the front thrust kick is designed to stop an attacker’s forward momentum at the edge of the reactionary gap. The recommended target for this kick is the upper thigh lower shin. Attempting to kick any higher would normally result in the attacker grabbing your foot or your leg. Front thrusts are also very effective when targeted towards the attacker’s groin or knee.

Knee strikes: the knee strike, as utilized by the Special Agent combative system, is delivered to the attacker’s thigh, groin, abdomen, and face. Striking to the thigh creates a high level motor dysfunction to the attacker’s leg, and also creates a high-level stun. I have used this technique many times when trying to control an attacker. When I strike their thigh several times with a knee strike, they lose function of that leg and go down usually holding their thigh and writhing in pain.

Angle kick: also known as the peroneal kick, is one of the most effective Special Agent combative system counter strikes. The angle kick is delivered mainly to an attacker’s thigh and knee. This technique will create a motor dysfunction that will often last 10 minutes or longer. The angle kick is also known to create a high-level stun that is only second to the brachial stun. The pain is often so intense that attackers often believe that their legs are broken. The pain normally diminishes in approximately 20 minutes. Giving you plenty of time to escape.

So this article has covered the mechanics of the fluid shock wave principle. Embracing this principle will give you much more powerful techniques that you can use to enhance your reality-based self-defense.

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