CAVITY POINT YAKO

• NAME: Yako, translation night traveler, also Yin lien. Acupoint name Yin bao also LV# 9.
• LOCATION: Four cun (inches) above the medial epicedial of the femur, between m. vastus medialis and m. Sartorius. One inch below the center of the inner thigh.
• DIRECTION: Perpendicularly or Straight in and upwards
• DEPTH: 0.5 to 0.7, cun (inch).
• VASCULATION: Deeper, on the lateral side, the femoral artery and vein, the superficial branch of the medial circumflex femoral artery.
• INNERVATION: The anterior femoral cutaneous nerve, on the pathway of the anterior branch of the obturator nerve.
• INDICATION: Pain of the lumbosacral region, pain of the lower abdominal, enuresis, retention of the urine irregular menstruation.
• WEAPON: Ken (fist) and Geri (kick).
• BEST TIME: 1 am to 3am.
• ELEMENT: Yin-Wood.
• TECHNIQUE: semi sharp striking weapon.
• RESULT: Fainting slowing or stoppage of the breath and bending forwards from the waste and a bending of the knee.
  also neuropathy (numbness).
• CURE: Message.

Commentary

Yako or Liv # 9, Is a part of the Liver meridian, starting out in the hypochondriac region, connecting to the gall Bladder. The functions of the liver meridian are to store blood, and to maintain free flow of Qi and controlling the tendons and are manifested in the nails and eyes. The Liver is a Yin organ, which demonstrates the energy flow traveling in an upwards flow. It’s element is wood and the best striking times are 1am to 3am.

Master Soken Notes teach that, “Yako, gives unbearable pain to the loin and the abdomen portions by stimulation of the groin (by way of the) veins and their nerves along with stoppage of the breathing process, (from a blow to the) front inner portion of the upper thigh. Attack by ken and Geri”. The master indicates that a strike to Yako, effects, nerves arteries and veins.

The Femoral artery starts off in the lower abdomen, traveling down into the thigh, starting off as the Iliac artery which comes out of the abdominal aorta. It’s first off-shoot or branch is a deep artery called the profundafemoris as it continues down the thigh medial to the femur. After the artery gives off other branches, the femoral artery travel behind the knee and becomes the Popliteal artery. The venous counterpart to the femoral artery is the femoral vein, which travels in the same direction as the femoral artery, but the femoral vein, travels in the opposite direction returning blood to the heart.

The Femoral nerve is in fact the largest nerve in the lumbar plexus, arising form the dorsal division of the second third, and four lumbar nerve. The Femoral nerve runs downwards to the Psoas major to the Iliacus then behind the Iliac fascia, beneath the inguinal ligament to the thigh, and then splits into an anterior and a posterior division hnder the inguinal ligament then the femoral nerve separates form the femoral artery by a portion of the Psoas major.

As you study the Femoral nerves arterys and veins, it will become increasingly clear how and why a strike to the inner thigh (Yako-LV# 9) may have such a variation of effects. To start with, the Femoral artery supplies blood to the thigh, knee and foot. The Femoral vein returns the blood supply to the heart. The femoral nerve supplies impulses to a large number of other nerves it may have an effect on a major section of the body ( to large to list) not only the leg. Yes, the femoral nerve has an out reach that has a result to a major number of nerves not only in the leg but the body!

The Femoral vein, when struck, will directly effect the heart itself, reducing the blood pressure which will deprive the brain of blood flow, this in itself can cause fainting or in special cases death. The three, vein artery and nerve, struck with high power, will even cause death in a person with a weak or small heart. With a lighter impact to the three, the results listed above can result. In the case of one of the three or two out of the three, missed, the result may shift to one of the possible results.

Warning: Trauma to this point may have long term effects. The use of Qi is not necessary to cause a result. When the use of Qi is used, it will cause death quickly, within days! But in normal use (without Qi injected) Fainting will be the consequence in the body of a healthy fit person.

Master Hohan Soken listed the most used striking weapons the Ken (fist) and Geri (kick). What he meant was, the first knuckle fist can be used if you are brought down to one knee. A primary attack, a rear leg front toe kick can be used. Also when ground fighting, pressure with the thumb maybe used to cause extreme pain. Or possibly a monkey bite (grab) may be used if your opponents leg becomes momentarily relaxed. All you really need to remember is that what ever weapon you use, it needs to be shaped sharp! A blunt weapon (like a ball kick or a hammer fist) will have little to no effect, under the right circumstances a elbow strike may work or even a dagger strike.

When practicing, start by finding the point using the tip of the thumb-pressure, moving around the area till you find the area that is easily effected. Then with restraint, start of with a very light strike increasing power slowly till you achieve and slight effect. Then tape about ten to twenty pages of news paper over Yako so that you may increase your power without doing more damage other than achieving that light result that you got before. Increase the number of pages of news paper (thirty) to produce the power and accuracy you would need for a more dangerous strike. Use restraint please, the life you safe may be mine or your practice partner or even yourself!