Pressure Points - Spleen

[Rob Broad]

SP1: YINBAI (Hidden White)
On the medial side of the big toe, about 0.1cun posterior to the corner of the nail.
This is a wood and cheng point and a root point of ‘Tai Yin" (the greater yin division of Spleen & Lung). This strike has a great affect upon the muscles and tendons as it is a control point for those. It is also a control point for the divergent meridians. Spleen damage will occur immediately with a great energy drainage. There is a downwards rushing feeling when struck, followed by nausea and loss of power caused by this point’s connection with the lungs by being the root point of tai yin. So it drains Qi from the lungs as well as the spleen. Often used to relax problems related to menstruation, this point also controls bleeding (in healing) in the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, a strike here using adverse Qi will cause any bleeding to be worse and to be harder to stop, especially bleeding from for instance a knife strike to the stomach area. So this point can also be used as an excellent set up point to a knife attack!
This is also one of those points that will when struck affect the communication between heaven and earth causing great confusion between mind and body. In healing it is also used as one of the major treatments for shock. When used as a dim-mak strike however, the reverse happens with the symptoms of shock becoming apparent easier, even when a light to moderate strike to the head, for instance, has been felt. So, again, this is an excellent set up point or a major strike. SP 1’s affect upon the mind causes an inability to sleep soundly. IN healing, it is used to give a restful sleep.
A word of warning! SP 1 should never be used either in a dim-mak way or even for healing in pregnancy as it will have a adverse affect upon the uterus. In healing, it should never be used on a patient who suffers from diabetes as it will have an affect upon the balance of insulin/sugar.

[Rob Broad]

SP2: DADU (Big Metropolis)
On the medial side of the big toe, distal and inferior to the 1st metatarsodigital joint, at the junction of the red and white skin.
access to the toes with your hands. In this case a quick violent squeeze would be sufficient to cause the grappler to let go of any hold that he might have applied.
This is a fire and yong point and normally will strengthen the spleen. In this case where the point is used as a dim-mak strike, it will damage the spleen and weaken it, thus causing lack of power. Nausea with vomiting and it will cause a loss of memory in the long term if the condition is not treated. This strike will slow the flow is Qi in the channel. It will also have an affect upon communication between heaven and earth. This point, like SP 1 is also forbidden to be treated in a healing manner in pregnancy.

[Rob Broad]

SP 3: TAIBAI (Most White)
Proximal and inferior to the head of the 1st metatarsal bone, at the junction of the red and white skin.
This point will give immediate great pain resulting in Qi drainage at the point from the upper chest right down to the foot. The pain alone will be enough to cause a grappler to let go long enough for you to re-attack. It is an earth, yuan and shu point. The long term affects are, easy bruising, lack of memory and muscle problems such as cramps, muscles becoming atrophied etc. The immediate affect is a shock to the whole system which in many cases can cause knock out because of this shock. It can be used as a good set up point strike for points that lie on the four sides of the torso.

[Rob Broad]

SP 4: GONGSUN (Grandfather's Grandson)
In the depression distal and inferior to the base of the 1st metatarsal bone, at the junction of the red and white skin or roughly 1 cun behind the joint of the big toe. At the anterior, inferior margin of the 1st metatarsal, in the abductor hallucis muscle.
This is a ‘luo’ point and a master point for ‘chong mai’ and a coupled point of ‘yin wei mai’. Dizziness and immediate great local pain with associated Qi drainage. This strike can cause knock out and much later damage. The pain caused by this strike can last for days, sleepless nights etc. I have noticed that with this strike, even analgesics will not stop the symptoms caused by the pain where the body scrunches up and becomes very tense. Because it is a master point of the extra meridian ‘chong mai’ it will cause a great lessening of one’s life-force. A gradual deterioration of the recipient’s quality of life will become apparent. This is also helped by the disruption of the yin and yang energies of the ‘stomach/spleen’. If the recipient is into things like yoga or qigong, taijiquan etc., before the strike, the affects of this good practice will slowly diminish until he or she is finally receiving no benefit from the practice. One of the reasons for doing such meditations is to unite pre and post natal Qi, and this strike will stop this. The heart will also be damaged as a result of this strike. In fact, this point strike will have an adverse affect upon all of the organs, immediately and over a period. It is one of those points that you just shouldn’t play around with.

[Rob Broad]

SP 5 : SHANGQIU (Mound of Commerce or Merchant Mould)
In the depression distal and inferior to the medial malleolus, midway between the tuberosity of the navicular bone and the tip of the medial malleolus.
This is a metal and jing point. It is a special point where the joints are concerned. So apart from the great damage that this point strike gives, it is also used as a set up point for those other points such as SP 19 that will affect a joint, in the case of SP 19, the opposite knee joint. Great local pain resulting in Qi drainage and power loss immediately. Will cause normally strong joints to give way immediately under mild pressure, such as in a joint lock etc.

[Rob Broad]

SP 6: SANYINJIAO (Three Yin Junction)
Location: 3 cun directly above the tip of the medial malleolus, and the posterior border of the tibia, on the line drawn from the medial malleolus to SP 9. Between the posterior max-gin of the tibia and the soleus muscle, and in it's deep position in the flexor digitorum longus pedis muscle
This is the meeting point of the lower yin meridians. Immediately great pain is felt with a dropping feeling from waist downwards. I have known of an incident one evening while bouncing, and this chap was kicked at this point and immediately defecated. Great nausea is also felt immediately, so much so that the fight is over.

[Rob Broad]

SP 7: LOUGU (Sleeping valley)
6 cun above the tip of the medial malleolus, 3cun above SP 6, at the posterior margin of the tibia.
Great immediate pain and Qi drainage.

[Rob Broad]

SP 8: DIJI (Earth's Mechanism)
3 cun below the medial condyle of the tibia, on the line connecting SP 9, and the medial malleolus, between the posterior. margin of the tibia and the soleus muscle.
This is a ‘xi cleft’ point (accumulation point) for ‘Zhen Qi’ or ‘meridian Qi’ or ‘real Qi’. In healing, it is mainly used for uterus problems. When struck however, will cause an obstruction in the meridian and thus spleen problems such as stomach disorders, varicose veins and bladder problems. A numbing of the lower leg is the immediate effect with a full feeling around the point, local pain is also felt. This point is often used as a set up point for a strike to ‘the third eye point’ just between the eyebrows. It is said that this combination will ‘explode the head’ (direct translation). Needless to say, the fight is over when this combination has been used. However, one must have a certain higher level of fighting skills to use this combination.

[Rob Broad]

SP 9: YINLINGQUAN (Yin Tomb Spring or Yin Mould Spring)
On the lower border of the medial condyle of the tibia, in the depression between the posterior border of the tibia and the gastrocnemius in the upper part of the origin of the soleus muscle.
This is a ‘water’ and ‘he’ point. (Sea point, gathering together). Great local pain when this point is struck right on target. It has the reverse affect to the healing in that it will cause the body to fill up with water and if not corrected using acupuncture or other Chinese medicine, will eventually lead to early death. This point is used also as a set up point in the same what that SP 8 is used. It is not such a good prime strike as it is relatively difficult to get to with much power unless you are a seasoned martial artist. A good hard strike here will cause great nausea and is sometimes used in conjunction with GB 34.

[Rob Broad]

SP 10: XUEHAI (Sea of Blood)
When the knee is flexed, the point is located 2 cun above the mediosuperior border of the patella, on the bulge of the medial portion of the quadriceps femoris, at the superior margin of the medial condyle of the femur, in the medial margin of the vastus medialis muscle. Another way of locating this point is to cup your right palm to the patient's left knee, with the thumb on the medial side and the other four fingers directed proximally, the point is located where the tip of your thumb rests.
This is called a ‘shock point’ because it sends a shock throughout the system causing the brain not to know what is happening for a second or two giving you time to get in with another attack. Just squeeze this point with your thumb and see what it does to you at that level. Now imagine the effect when this point is struck hard with for instance a heel. SP 10 does not respond very well to a larger weapon such as an instep type of round kick, it must be a more accurate weapon such as a heel or a fist etc. Being a ‘special point’ for the blood in the healing area, this strike has the reverse effect when struck allowing the blood to become ‘reckless’ which in turn allows pathogens to enter the blood.

[Rob Broad]

SP 11: JIMEN (Basket's Door)
6 cun above SP 10, at the medial aspect of the satorius muscle on the line drawn between SP 10 and SP 12.
Struck with accuracy, this point can give much local pain and Qi drainage. It will affect the way the spleen transports the Qi, so power will also be affected. This point can be used as a set up point strike for CV 17.

[Rob Broad]

SP 12: CHONGMEN (Pouring Door)
Superior to the lateral end of the inguinal groove, on the lateral side of the femoral artery, at the level of the upper border of the symphysis pubis, 3.5 cun lateral to CV 2.
This point is situated right over the femoral artery and can cause great internal damage to this artery. It is also near the femoral nerve and will cause the whole leg to be paralysed. A strong kick to this region can also knock the head of the femur and ball joint right out of its socket damaging the tendons and ligaments causing great pain and immobilisation. At some later stage in life, if not treated, this strike will cause the body to not be able to take as much Qi from food, air and water as it should and as a result, disease and weakness is allowed to creep in.

[Rob Broad]

SP 13: FUSHE (Dwelling)
0.7 cun above SP 12, 4 cun lateral to the CV MO.
This strike causes much the same damage as SP 12. The only difference is that it is closer to the femoral nerve and will cause considerable nerve problems, like paralysis or nervous shut down if the strike has been hard enough.

[Rob Broad]

SP 14: FUJIE (Abdomen's Knot)
3 cun above SP 13, 1.5 cun below SP 15, on the lateral side of the rectus abdominis, 4 cun lateral to the CV MO.
If you can get a strike in at this point when the recipient is not expecting it, it will have a great affect, shocking the whole body and has been known to cause knock out. The area however is well protected by the ‘external oblique’ muscles and can be flexed to afford some kind of protection especially if the attacker has been practising ‘iron shirt’ qigong. Iron shirt qigong is a qigong method of moving and breathing that will, over some time, afford some protection to external strikes especially around the torso area. My video No. MTG22 "Taiji Healing and Iron Shirt Qigong" shows the way to gain this ability.

[Rob Broad]

SP 15: DAHENG (Big Horizontal)
4 cun lateral to the centre of the umbilicus, on the mamillary line, lateral to the rectus abdominous, in the external and internal oblique and the transverse abdominous muscles.
Although this point strike will cause things like diarrhoea instantly and great nausea, it is too well protected by the external oblique muscles which, in this area can be built up to great proportions. It will give some shock value, but I would not be doing my job in teaching people how to defend themselves if I were to tell you to strike to this area. This would be especially true if someone was practising iron shirt. I would not advise you to attack to this region regardless of the attacker’s abdomen strength. Many other martial arts systems advocate this strike, and you will see them in tournament, especially the non contact variety, using the reverse punch with a loud yell and much bravado, striking to this area and gaining a point for doing so.

[Rob Broad]

SP 16: FUAI (Abdomen's Sorrow)
3 cun above SP 15, 4 cun lateral to the CV MO.
This point too can be protected. However, if caught unaware, a strike here can have devastating results as it is in the area of the diaphragm. This strike can cause death by suffocation at the most or in the least cause the recipient to have to sit down in order to re-gain his breathing.

[Rob Broad]

SP 17: SHIDOU (Food's Cavity)
6 cun lateral to the CV MO, or 2 cun lateral to the mammillary line, in the 5th intercostal space.
with this one. All you want to do is to lie down and rub the area. The direction must be from outside to mid-line. So if you are striking to his right SP 17, you would strike it from his right to left over the point and into the pectoral.
The damage is great with local pain lasting for some hours. The Qi drainage is so severe that you will just wish to lie down. This point can be struck with a number of weapons including elbow and palm as the better ones. The elbow is well suited because of the direction of the strike. You can cause the heart to stop beating because of the percussive effect which travels straight into the heart. This is one of the most devastating strikes. However, it takes a little getting at as the arm must be raised first.

[Rob Broad]

SP 18: TIANXI (Heaven's Stream)
2 cun lateral to the nipple or 6 cun lateral to the CV MO, in the 4th intercostal space.
This is again a devastating strike causing a shock wave to rise up into the head and around the whole upper torso with great Qi loss. This strike can also stop the heart. You can test this point by using finger pressure only at the edge of the pectoral and note the pain caused even with finger pressure. If you are right on the point, you will also feel a feeling going up in to the head and across the chest.

[Rob Broad]

SP 19: XIONGXIANG (Chest Home)
1 rib above SP 18, in the 3rd intercostal space, 6 cun lateral to the CV MO.
Usually using a finger jab, this point is interesting as it controls the power to the opposite leg. So if you strike to SP 19 on his right side, his left leg will be weakened and visa-versa. I was taught that the location for this point was a little more to the outside of the body in the shoulder crease, but I have not come across this location in any texts. The affect is the same however using both locations. Great nerve damage is caused to the shoulder area. This point can be used as a set up point for a leg kick requiring little power to cause his leg to buckle. I have caused one chap’s leg to quiver and bounce violently when this point was only squeezed.

[Rob Broad]

SP 20: ZHOURONG (Encircling Glory)
1 rib above SP 19, directly below LU 1, in the 2nd intercostal space, 6 cun lateral to the CV MO.
This point will also affect the way the opposite leg functions, but to a lesser degree. It will cause great local tearing of the tendons in the shoulder with little or no external damage. I once struck an opponent in a tournament at this point and he could not carry on although there were no visible damage signs. The next day, he went to see a doctor who took ex-rays and to his astonishment, all of the tendons underneath the muscle were torn. The doctor had to inquire as to how he acquired this damage. Used with LIV 14, this is a death combination. The whole body goes numb, lungs and heart stop.