Customer Reviews

The Dim-Mak Encyclopedia: The Main Meridians, Vol. 1

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is one of the two DIM MAK books required. (See my other reviews). If you're looking for a book with a detailed history and detailed information about dim-mak, this isn't your book. However,if you're looking for a book with some history and information, as well as an to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as well as learning about the various points and what happens when you hit them in the right manner, this book is for you. As it says, this covers the main 12 meridians, with volume 2 covering the remaining material.

It is fascinating how the points can be used for both damaging and healing purposes, all of which is covered (yes, even death points). This is a dangerous art which is not to be used lightly. Highly recommended reading if you're interested even the slightest in martial arts or TCM. This book is extremely useful. The details about the meridians are fantastic. There are a lots of photographs in vivid detail. each and every meridian is explained with set-up and antidote points. Healing details is what makes this book stand out. The location of points is described with a lot of medical terminology that a non-medical reader will struggle to actually locate the point. But the pictures are helpful.

As a trained acupuncturist who has practiced martial arts since 1982 it is my humble opinion that this is a fraudulent book, as is the other vol. It will be obvious to any acupuncturist that Mr. Montaigue, with the aid of a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) practitioner (Simpson), simply made use of TCM texts and reversed the application of energetically active points to suit "his" Dim Mak model. Anyone who has been in a real fight will not harbor an illusion that they can make use of minute accupoints to defeat an opponent. This is pure fiction and displays a total lack of understanding of Qi energetics. I don't dispute that Dim Mak once existed, but those capable of using it are people who were raised in temples where life revolved around simultaneous medical & martial training for many years; an existence most westerners cannot really understand. So Earl who bounced around from place to place and one thing to another does not even remotely fit this model. In his bio, he dedicates 1-single line mentioning his "main internal martial arts master", and makes no mention of being granted a rank of sifu or receiving a place in the lineage from this "master". So what great knowledge was really passed to him?

Ask yourself logically: How does Earl know the effects of striking all 360 + accupoints? Has he hit that many people and studied the effects? Did one of those old Chinese teachers he brags about give him such complete details? Or is it that he is just giving you the TCM obvious, like ST9? It does not take rocket science to know that striking a point where the vagus nerve & carotid artery are close will produce a negative effect. In fact, every true martial art is aware of such targets.

While Dim Mak makes perfect sense to me in theory, I am under no illusion that it is something I will ever perform in my lifetime. I have studied with, met, and observed many Chinese "masters", and I have yet to encounter a single one who has such command of their Qi. Unless you have lived like a monk uninterrupted for some 20-years under expert guidance, it is simply not realistic in this age.

The application of real Dim Mak is beyond any of us today. It is the equivalent of performing acupuncture treatments without using needles, but under combat stress. If you believe Earl is some high Qi master, then this book may be for you.

More likely, your martial path will be significantly enhanced by studying the legitimate positive effects of these points through a TCM text book. After learning to heal yourself you can consider healing others. Earl's "Dim Mak" would have you take that in reverse. Focusing your Qi to harm others, or even just entertaining the thought is a dangerous act that has no place in daily training and should only be reserved for life-threatening situations.

This book is a well presented and comprehensive discussion on acupressure points. The chapters cover both the exact point of strike and relevant remedial action needed to recover a victim from this strike. This book is not however, for the faint hearted. It uses detailed anatomical terminology, and you sometimes feel that you need to be a doctor to fully understand what is being said. If your anatomy is not too good, you may find this heavy going. By the time you've read the book your anatomy knowledge certainly will be improved! The author does provide a glossary of medical terminology which proves very useful. If you can understand this book from cover to cover you will start to be an expert in the use of pressure points.

If you're looking for a book with a detailed history and detailed information about dim-mak, this isn't your book. However, if you're looking for a book with some history and information, as well as a nifty introduction to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as well as learning about the various points and what happens when you hit them in the right manner, this is DEFINITELY your book. As it says, this covers the main 12 meridians, with volume 2 covering the "extra" stuff.

There's a lot of medical mumbo-jumbo ("...lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the fourth thoracic vertbra.) but there are drawn diagrams that show where the points are. Don't let the medical stuff keep you away though, because this book is simply fascinating, especially how the points can be used for both damaging and healing purposes, all of which is covered (yes, even death points).

This is a frightening art, and as the book says, it's not to be used lightly. It's dangerous stuff, but it's mind-blowing and really opens your eyes to alternatives to western medicine as well as the power of the body. Highly recommended reading if you're interested even the slightest in martial arts or TCM.

As a master instructor in the martial arts and as a police officer survival skills instructor, I have the training, experience and knowledge to train almost any technique of self-defense. I found my pressure point strikes and control holds to be my weakest knowledge base, so I purchased this encyclopedia and that is exactly what this book is, an exteremely informative encyclopedia. It is full of pressure point meridians and applications of such. But, it is like studying a text book from medical school. I am a working cop & a part time graduate student working toward a doctoral degree in adult education and this book has more knowledge listed than most of the $100.00 text books I must purchase for school. I have yet to complete the entire text, and wonder if I will ever get around to it. So, the book is worth every penny to those individuals willing to read and re-read the material and willing to committ to memory all of the meridians and application of said. The author has done an excellent job of compiling data and presenting detailed photos and illustrations, along with the appropriate text. This book is not for the novice or the quick fix type person, it will require alot of study and practice with an enlightened instructor. Buy the book.

I acknowledge that Mr Montaigue is widely considered to be the world's foremost expert on "combat tajiquan" and "dim mak" -- and this book (on which he collaberated with an Australian accupuncturist) is, indeed, encyclopedic -- after reading it, I feel as if I've learned almost nothing of value.

Possibly the most important point that Montaigue makes is that several "points" located on the side of the neck (i.e., vagus nerve & carotid sinus) will indeed cause an "instant knockout" if struck properly -- but may, in fact, induce a debilitating or fatal stroke months later. This is important, due to the fact that many ignorant instructors (Dillman, et al) are currently showing off their "1-strike knockout blow" to martial artists who pay to attend their seminars. According to Montaigue, severe or repeated trauma to the carotid artery can cause the interior lining to slough off and form a clot after time. This would be bad.

One reason I disliked this book was because it relies heavily upon multi-strike techniques (like in the Jet-Li movie "Kiss of the Dragon"). This means that, in order to achieve the desired result, one must rapidly strike between 3 and 5 points in rapid succession, in a specific order. Now, not only are many points smaller than half a dime, but the strike must come from a specific angle.

Are you SERIOUS, Erle??? In a streetfight, it is difficult to hit a single target much larger than that! And you expect us to strike 5 tiny points -- in order -- without interruption, and from precise angles? I don't think that's very realistic.

Most of the points listed (hundreds) will not cause a knockout, and the Governing Vessel and Conception Vessel are not addressed in this work.

If you are interested in learning more about Eastern medicine for accupuncture, accupressure, or Shiatsu, this is a great book to have in your library. If you're a martial artist, however, expect to be discouraged and confused.

As a student of healing an acupunture this book has helped me memorize the meridian points and the healing/destructive aspects. I do believe that as a person that works in a corrections instutition that not everybody should have access to these techniques. As far as an emergency life or death situation, Iam certianlly glad I have studied this text. I have both texts and feel like Erle is the most up-front and factual writer of martial arts, He leaves the Airy-fairy behind and the Mortal Kombat BS behind also.

If all you are concerned about is winning at tournaments, you don't need this book. It won't make your forms better, nor will it make your sparring significantly more effective ( light to moderate contact, people. This stuff can kill).

OTOH, if you are a serious student of the Martial Arts, you really need this book. If you are interested in training to use Karate, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, etc. ( I am an Isshin Ryu student ) to defend your life, this book can be of immense help.

I guarentee that you will never look at kata in the same way again.

I've read every book Earle Montaigue has written. This text is complete. It shows the exact location of the points, the effects of striking, and the order of striking to be most effective. You even get selected techniques that would make use of the points.
Mr. Montaigue never said that he practiced striking each & every point to test the results. That would have taken a lifetime. And most points would be very hard to locate and access during an actual fight. But the purpose of the book was to educate us as to the location, effects of striking, and combinations. One reviewer complained that most points must be preceded by another strike for them to be effective. He's right, but that's how they work. Ignoring the combinations and their effects would have made this text incomplete. Mr. Montaigue also spends a lot to time telling us how to help someone who is accidently struck on these points. This book is truly encyclopedic as it relates to the points themselves. Mr. Montaique has other books (the tapes are better) that show how to use this information in an actual self-defense situation. And the vast majority of the points aren't really used by even the most fully trained martial artist. In other works by Mr. Montaigue, he states that he only really internalized a few techniques that have become reflex. This book isn't about fighting, it's about one area of knowledge that will make your martial arts more complete. And in that area, this book served me well.

An exellent reference book for martial artists studying the higher forms. Contains exellent descriptive entries for every major acupoint on the human anatomy, including martial and medicinal applications.