At the beginning, Mr. Calos and I were thinking to create a synthetic finger which can be a replacement for the bumper with a hope to receive the most reliable and fair experiment. However, as I proceeded this, I found that the bumper is easier to perform. Besides the fact that creating a synthetic finger is difficult, the bumper has a small surface area, which allows to press a pressure point precisely.
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Pressure points can be found at between muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones or nerves. Using these points as tactical targets allows us to disrupt the flow of energy and the functioning of the body. In acupuncture, pressure points are used for healing and are activated within the diameter of the tip of a ballpoint pen. Thus, in the self-defense situations, they can be activated within the diameter of a coin which is approximately 25mm.
Many martial artists are familiar with the concept "aim small, miss small". An example would be striking to the bicep to stun or numb which may leave a great margin of error and you may even miss the entire arm. Now, if we know those pressure points and aim for them, in this case the pericardium 2, we have a smaller margin of error if we miss. When you activate them correctly, you send a signal to their's nervous system which creates a reaction in the opponent's body that does not allow them to effectively use the process of perceiving, evaluating, deciding, act (PEDA). This predictable and involuntary response gives you a big advantage in a conflict. By stimulating a nerve directly, you are able to A common claim by people is that pressure points do not work on everybody. This is true but it is often exaggerated in the realism of its scope. Think of it this way, you do not want to incorporate this theory because it does not work on less than ten percent instead of refining your skills to make them more effective on over ninety percent of the population? The small percentage of the population is known as "non-responders".
Non-responders are less likely to respond to the activation of pressure points or do not feel pain as intensively as the majority of the population. There is a range in pain tolerance among the population from non-responsive to ultra-responsive. Those that are at or near to non-responsive may acquire high mental or physical threshold for pain. Also, we are all anatomically different. Because of that, sometimes exact nerve locations are different. Genetic is one of many factors in our pain tolerance. What is mindfulness?Mindfulness is the psychological process of maintaining one's attention and awareness to experiences occurring in the present moment, which can be acquired through the practice of meditation and other training.
Procedure1. Connect the Dual-Range Force Sensor to LabQuest.
2. Connect LabQuest to computer. 3. Choose +/- 50N option on the Force Sensor. 4. Open up Logger Pro. 5. Now play a 5 minutes mindfulness video. 6. Find the pressure point that you chose. 7. Push it with your finger to reassure. 8. Use the ruler to measure (start from the elbow or start from the shoulder. 9. Remember to take picture along with recording the value. 10. Take the Force Sensor with the bumper attachment precisely applying force on that exact pressure point until that person responds. 11. Since the calibration only lasts for 15 seconds, record one time only. 12. Open up your excel and record. 13. Repeat 10 and 11 for two more times by recalibrating. 14. Repeat 12. ParticipantsAfter having a discuss with my mentor, I started to design my experiment. The experiment needs to group of participants, people with and without martial art experience. So far, I have decided to start with 10 participants for each group (n=20 participants in total). Recently, I have asked people to join my project. There is a mix between teenagers and adults in both groups. However, teenagers to adults are larger. What pressure points will I use?I will use pressure points below your elbow and below the shoulder. Procedure1. Connect the Dual-Range Force Sensor to LabQuest.
2. Connect LabQuest to computer. 3. Choose +/- 50N option on the Force Sensor. 4. Open up Logger Pro. 5. Find the pressure point that you chose. 6. Push it with your finger to reassure. 7. Use the ruler to measure (start from the elbow or start from the shoulder). 8. Remember to take picture along with recording the value. 9. Take the Force Sensor with the bumper attachment precisely applying force on that exact pressure point until that person responds. 10. Since the calibration only lasts for 15 seconds, record one time only. 11. Open up your excel and record. 12. Repeat 10 for two more times by recalibrating. 13. Repeat 11. What Have I Found?Looking for a device to measure the amount of force when I apply to the skin took a lot of effort. At first, I did some researches on force measuring tools and devices. I found two which were Prescale film and Flexiforce sensors. With the assistance of Mr. Calos, I have found a dual-range force sensor in the science department which is more convenient and easier to use. What is the dual-range force sensor?This sensor is especially designed to measure pulling and pushing force. The reason why it is called dual-range force sensor is because it has two range options: +/- 10N and +/- 50N. Why did I use this?What I really like about this sensor is that it has a bumper attachment for measuring pushing force. This bumper attachment allows me to apply force precisely right on the pressure point and is small as the finger tip.
Where are pressure points at a microscopic level?In our muscle fibers, there are sarcomeres where muscle contractions take place. A single motion of movement takes millions of sarcomeres to do the work. Sarcomeres act like tiny pumps which help to circulate blood through the capillaries that supply their metabolic needs. When a sarcomere in a trigger point hold their contraction, it immediately stops the blood flow. The resulting of building up of waste products irritates the pressure point. The pressure point responds to this by sending out pain signals until the brain helps to relax the muscle. Central Pressure PointsPressure points always locate at the midpoint of a muscle's fibers. This is where the muscle is going to contract when it receives a signal. This also happens to be just the place where sarcomeres get tense, locking up and forming a pressure points. Knowing how to find the belly of a muscle, you are very likely to find a pressure point that cause pain. The orientation of the fibers in muscles varies depending on their functions. In a muscle made for speed (A), the fibers are parallel, and pressure points line up in the middle. In a muscle made for power (C and D), the fibers run diagonally, and since pressure points are usually found in the center of each fiber, you may find it anywhere along the muscle. (B) type muscle is found in other muscles such as the rectus abdominis of the stomach, the muscle is divided by several lateral bands of connective tissue. Trigger points can be found along those lateral bands. Attachment Pressure PointsOften, place at or near where the muscle attaches to bone are extremely painful. They are not true pressure points but highly sensitive connective tissue that has been stretched by the stress of muscle tension. Central pressure points always control these attachment pressure points. When central pressure points are deactivated, attachment pressure points start to sore.
How did it start?It was believed that the idea of pressure points was initially discovered by the Chinese more than 5,000 years ago. They found that pressing certain points on the body helped to relieve pain and influenced internal organs. We now call it acupuncture. The history of pressure points in martial arts is vague. The concept of pressure points in martial arts was found in old-school Japanese martial arts during the 17th century. It was believed that its origin was earlier than that. Takuma Hisa Sensei declared that Minamoto no Yoshimitsu was the contributor in the first development of pressure points in martial arts. Who was Minamoto no Yoshimitsu?He was the founder of Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu in the 11th century in Japan. Yoshimitsu made a careful study of human anatomy by examining bodies on battlefields and execution grounds to determine the most effective strikes, blows, holds, joint locks, and pins.
What are pressure points?Pressure points are areas on the surface of the body that are sensitive to pressure. This can be a nerve cluster or sensitive areas of muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and veins. Pressure points are used by martial artists to cause pain, to injure or to take the opponent down. They are also utilized in therapy and in massage. Acupressure and Shiatsu focus on pressure points to treat the human body. Where are pressure points?Pressure points are all over the body. The top five most painful and vulnerable areas on the body are eyes, groin, Adam's apple, knee caps, and temples. Why do pressure points hurt?When pressure is applied to a pressure point, it pinches nerves or disrupts a normal operation of the body. When a nerve is pinched against a bone or muscle, a signal is transmitted by pain receptors (nociceptors) down the peripheral nerve pathway and up to the thalamus and then the central nerve system. This is how and why your body feels pain. When blood flow or air is cut off, the body reacts with pain to urge the body to restore normal function. Pain is also the reaction when joint pressure points are pushed to the limit to warn people that damage may occur if the pressure is not removed. Most people react to pressure points. However, between 10-15 percent of the population are resistant and don't feel much pain.
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