It has been said before, and will be said again, just because a technique CAN result in the fabled "one-punch knockout" does not meant it necessarily WILL. However, by the same token, just because it WON'T necessarily result in knockout, brain injury, or death, doesn't mean we SHOULDN'T treat it as such. We don't want any accidental deaths in sparring practice, but we also don't want overconfidence in a street fight or defensive situation. Therefore, practice with caution, fight for your life with ferocity and mercilessness, and be ready to continue the fight until it is done, but ONLY until it is done. Trust me, there is such a thing as "excessive force" and the police WILL charge you if you make a significant enough mess of the person, even if they were mugging you at the time.
In short,
please utilize the following information judiciously!
Knockout points of the head, face, and neck
GB20, lower portion of the occipital bone. Strike in and up to stress the lambdoid suture, as if driving the force through the opposite corner of the skull. For example, if striking on the right-lower side of the skull, you want to drive it at an angle just above and to the left of the left eye, about the area where the forehead starts to curve toward the temple. Somewhat ironically this is also one of the points we utilize in revival from knockout techniques.
The asterion (I believe this is about the area of GB11 or 19) is the convergence of three cranial bones and is also quite vulnerable. Strike this with a hammerfist or iron palm at an angle driving more or less through the center of the skull. Striking this point with a yawara could easily cause brain damage, or even kill.
GV16 is another one, better known as the brain stem. An ax kick or a sharp stomp with the blade of the foot will kill if targeted at this point. A solid blow with a weapon, or a strong enough strike with the hand could at least cause paralysis.
Again, NOTE that this is a KILL point! This was a favored "ender" in the old L.I.N.E system used in the American military.
GV22, also known as the anterior fontanel or "soft spot" on babies which hardens into the coronal suture as we mature. A solid palm thrust, driving down through the spine can kill, result in coma, brain damage, or unconsciousness. Striking this target with a fist is not recommended.
There is a cluster of points above each eye. The first is about the center, just at the peak of the brow bone, then there are two more arranged like corners of a triangle going up from that point toward the hairline. Strike these with inward and downward force using a palm heel or an elbow. In either case, your fingers would be pointing toward the GROUND not the sky, please note that. These points are known as GB13-14&15 in acupuncture/acupressure.
SI17 and ST9 can both be struck with a knife hand or ridge hand to the neck. I talked about using the "iron bone hand" from the bubishi to do just this (while also attacking the trachea) in my video. Anatomically speaking, this area is called the carotid sinus.
GB4 is located right about the convergence of the frontal and parietal bones with the sphenoid. The temporal branch of the temporo-malar nerve is located here as well. Attack this more or less straight on with an ever-so-slightly downward angle, almost as if driving through a point between the cheekbone and jaw joint on the other side of the head. Probe this area with ipponken and toy with the angle for a minute and you will get it. As this is a bony area, palm strikes are generally recommended, but a well conditioned fist can still give slightly better results with this target, accepting the risk of self-injury.
GB1 is located over the sphenoid, just behind the eye or, anatomically speaking, the zygomatic bone. The lacrimal nerve is located here as well and simply pressing into it with ipponken at an angle going toward the zygomatic bone, and slightly down will cause significant pain. Applied in this way it is a good "get off me" point justlike the mental nerve in the chin. Knockout, is best achieved using a hammerfist strike to the same point at the same angle, but is much more effective when executed with a yawara. It is also possible to produce unconsciousness, or even brain damage, with ipponken.
This point DOES have the potential to kill!
The pit behind the ear -TW17- is located over the styloid process, just between the mastoid and condyloid processes. You will feel these as the "bumps" to either side of the point, the skull and tip of the jaw bone respectively. Both of these are vulnerable as well, but the styloid is the smallest and most vulnerable, which is why it is protected by the other two thicker bones. As such, you need a particularly small tool to effectively attack it. Ipponken are your best option, failing a yawara or koppo tapered to about the diameter of the blunt end of an ink pen. The angle of attack should drive toward the forehead, more or less between the eyes. Just poking this on yourself with your own knuckle will help you quickly find the correct angle.
GB2 is located right on top of the condyloid process and attacking at an angle going in and down as if through the bottom of the chin where it meets the neck may produce unconsciousness, and is quite likely to break or dislocate the jaw. The auriculo-temporal nerve runs through here and is best attacked with a hook punch, hammer punch, back fist, or downward palm. Elbows are good too.
My personal favorite is not an acupuncture point at all. Call it "CV23.5" located under the chin, toward the front, in the horseshoe shaped hollow formed by the jaw bone. I know this one works, and have done considerable research as to why. It is essentially a control point that gives you optimal leverage over the body. I use this one in classes all the time to illustrate how you really can get maximal effect with minimal effort if you know the proper application and technique. In demonstrations I will have the smallest participant (often a child) push two fingers into this point as if trying to drive them through the top and back of the head. The body is easily pushed back, off balance, or, if the person is not overly committed to a rooted stance, they can be walked backward and even moved around the space. I teach people to use sweeping arms to this point, coupled with limb control over the assailant's arm, to throw them, and even destroy the arm under the assailant's own body weight as they fall. It is my theory that its effectiveness as a knockout point is due to this phenomenal leverage it grants us over the body. A sharp, heavy blow drives the head up and back so quickly it causes a sort of "whiplash" effect shocking the occipital lobe and/or cerebellum. A branch of the trigeminal nerve lies in this area as well, so it is likely that broader weapons, such as a fist or wrist, will shock this nerve whilst rocking the skull. Drive this blow up and forward, in a "come hither" (circling toward yourself) fashion. One of my signature moves is a rising wrist (kakuto) to the point followed by a crane beak (washide) to the trachea at CV23. This is a tried and tested fight ender.
NOTE; a hard enough strike to the trachea will cause DEATH by asphyxiation!
Body shot knock-outs
There are many points on the trunk of the body, as well as in the arms and legs. These are somewhat less effective in my experience at producing a full knockout. The body tends to be more well conditioned to take blows, and the musculature is denser, providing a sort of armor for the vital points, especially in an adrenalized state. However, when all you have available is a body target, it is still best to strike the most vulnerable ones. The following can cause a knockout, or even kill, but, at the very least, are some of the most likely to give you a window of opportunity at better targets.
CV15, the xiphoid process, is a good place to wind someone, and can cause severe injury or knockout when struck at an angle driving through the body up toward the space between the shoulder blades.
CV17 is located on the sternum more or less between the nipples. The intercostal nerves branch out all around the chest. Just to either side and down are the K23 points. On the left side, this is right over the left ventricle. This area is known as the praecordium of the heart. It is well known that a direct blow to this area can result in "commotio cordis" and that this most commonly happens in physical sports. It is also exceedingly rare, considering that the only way to stop the heart in this way is for the blow to occur during the tiny window between heartbeats when the heart muscle is repolarizing. Because a blow aimed at these points also attacks the nerves of the chest and shocks the aorta, commotio cordis becomes a bit more likely. The method of attack is dead-on through the center. A series of quick, hard blows increases the chances even further as timing is the most critical factor. Finally, increased heart rate and hypoxia due to exhaustion and lack of breath also contribute to the likelihood of commotio cordis.
NOTE; This is not a simple knockout. THIS IS A KILLING TECHNIQUE. Period.
LI14 and GB24 on the right side are located just under the liver, at the tips of the ribs in the connecting cartilege. An uppercut or knee to this area can severely impact the liver, causing a cascade of problems in the body which can result in knockout, or at least loss of will to fight.
The floating ribs, being the lower most two on each side, are an ideal target for knees and shin kicks. Driving them in and up can potentially puncture the lungs and organs. They are also easily broken. In either case it can put someone out of a fight and make it difficult to breathe.
In the meat of each rib is a vein, an artery, and a nerve. These nerves are known as the "intercostal nerves" and the can cause the muscles around the lungs to contract if they are shocked. This is the indirect method of applying "bi qi" or "stopping the breath" in qin-na as with hooking a claw into these nerves. With proper timing, either grabbing or striking these points can result in knockout from lack of oxygen. Leopard fists, knees and elbows are the ideal striking weapons for these targets located both on the front and back of the rib cage.
CV1 is located at the perineum and marks the point of the pelvic triangle which continues up from that point to either side of the groin, in the creases of the legs, up to and across the pubic bone. There are a plethora of nerve and blood vessel points in this area. Knees are the best way to attack these points, or the leopard paw if you are striking from a low position. While the testicles are, obviously, an extremely vulnerable target and potential fight ender (though not as often as you might think) the targets within the pelvic triangle are universal and work on men and women alike. The "poke kick" is another common way to attack these points, though I personally feel that this kick puts you in a vulnerable position and prefer not to use it.
GV2, better known as the tailbone or coccyx is ideally attacked with an upward thrusting knee, angled ever so slightly inward, as if at an angle to drive through the breast bone. The coccyx is easily broken, and sufficient trauma can actually damage the spinal cord and result in paralysis, either temporary or permanent.
Points to drop, stun, and deter attackers
The following few points are not necessarily knockouts but they do help to control an attacker and make them move in somewhat more predictable ways in order to set up counter-attacks on more effective targets.
Arm- The median, radial, and ulnar nerves run down from the neck, into the armpit and shoulder, then down the upper arm, branching into three main branches at the elbow, down the forearm, and then branching again into the hand and down into the fingers. There are vulnerable heart and lung meridian points running mostly along the outside edges of the forearm, small intestine and large intestine points are found on the upper arm, and pericardium and triple warmer points located centrally on the inside (underside) and outside (top) of the arm respectively. Most of these are related to the aforementioned nerves or significant blood vessels- the brachial artery and basilic vein in the upper arm, or the ulnar and radial arteries in the forearm. Of these, the most vulnerable are those on either end of the bicep and tricep, and the joint of the elbow. LU3&5, HT1,2&3, TW10,11&13, PC2&3 as well as SI8 all respond well to various fists. TW11 and SI8 also respond well to being pressed in and forward (or toward ground and toward the wrist if you have them bent over) using the bones of the forearm while extending the assailant's arm as with a wrist lock. This technique is good for controlling and submission. SI9 is located in the hollow formed at the meeting of the triceps and teres minor under the deltoid. It is a point where the brachial plexus is most vulnerable. Strike up and in at a 45 degree angle, as if driving through the head, with ipponken or panther fist. This will sometimes briefly paralyze the arm, which may cause an assailant to drop their weapon should they be holding one on the adjoining hand.The forearm tends to be much tougher in most people and striking points typically gives little to no response. The most vulnerable points are those located about the wrist- PC5,6&7, HT4,5,6&7, LU7,8&9, SI5&6, TW4&7- all work alright for control points when grappling, as with eagle claw techniques, or may respond to strikes with the forearm at an angle driving toward the wrist bones. Note that angle is in and forward, except in the case of TW4 which is on the other side of the wrist bone and is therefore driven back toward the body rather than toward the hand. Because this point is located in a hollow, ipponken is better for striking it rather than using forearm push.
Leg- SP11 and GB31 are on the inside and outside of the thigh respectively, about midway down, roughly where the fingertips reach when the arms are at the sides, relaxed. They are located over the obturator nerve and lateral femoral cutaneous nerves respectively. SP11 is located between the satorius and abductor longus muscles. The saphneous nerve also runs down from here. GB31 is in the crease between the rectus femoris and the tensor fasciae latae at the upper end of the vastus lateralis muscle. SP10 and ST34 are on either side of the upper knee. SP10 is located on top of the saphenous nerve, at a point where it lies very close to the surface, and is therefore much easier to hit than above at SP11. A direct blow to any of these will cause the leg to buckle. Strike SP11 on a line driving down and through the other side of the knee so as to impact the nerve against the end of the femur. Strike SP11 and GB31 more or less dead-on. ST34, on the outside of the knee, is an ideal target for breaking the knee or dislocating the joint. A stomping kick on a line driving toward the ground directly under the assailant's body is the proper angle of attack. The back of the knee, right above the calf, in the bend, is BL40 which is located atop the popliteal artery and vein as well as the tibial nerve. Even a glancing blow will hit the fibial nerve instead. It is also a weak point in the joint of the knee. Driving through and down at about a 45 degree angle will take the leg out and may dislocate the knee.
Upper body- on the face, the mental nerve, infraorbital nerve, and buccal nerve are all viable targets even at extreme close range, as when pinned to the floor or against a wall. Targets corresponding to these nerves include ST2&3, LI19&20, GV26, 27&28 and CV24 on the chin. All of these respond to pressing with the knuckles in and downward, in a small circle, somewhat like the motion of knocking on a door. CV22 at the suprasternal notch and ST12 behind the clavicle, just next to the tip of sternocleidomastoid, about straight up from the nipple. Both can be activated by hooking behind the bone and pressing down and forward, pulling toward yourself. These attack major arteries and nerves, which sets off alarms in the body. Though some would call these "knockout" points, I consider them more control points or "get off me points" as I sometimes call them. However, stab wounds to these clavicle points can result in a significant arterial bleed. HT1 is located in the armpit, atop the axillary nerve, artery, and vein, in front of the teres major where it is overlain by the latissimus dorsi. It may be punched, but responds best (in my experience) to being pinched and rolled as with a "crab claw" type of technique. This point could be grabbed and shaken, as with an eagle or tiger claw, but the vital anatomy tends to get missed or lost under the musculature. Furthermore, this is not a good control point because it grants no significant leverage over the limb so as to facilitate locks or submission holds. What it IS good for is use as a "get-off-me" point. The crab claw leaves the fingers open so that it does not stop the assailant when they reflexively try to get away. As they jerk backward, it may open up targets in the neck, torso, or groin. At the front of the armpit, more into the chest, is PC1 just above and to the outside of the nipple in men, or at the convergence of the armpit and breast in women. Note that this point is BEHIND the pectoralis major muscle on the long thoracic nerve. The upper and lower subscapular nerves run near here as well as branches of the subscapular artery. This point gives us access to the deeper tissues which protect this vital viscera. Because it is behind a large sheet of muscle, it would take a very hard and deeply penetrating blow to go through it. While this can be done with a well conditioned ipponken, I personally recommend the "crab claw" once again, this time going in from the side (by the armpit) then pressing into the chest cavity, driving toward the spine, with the fingertips. As with HT1 this is not a good control point, but causes significant enough shock to potentially result in "neural override" causing the body to react to protect itself in spite of the assailant's intentions. Both of these points can help you when pinned down and your arms are trapped at your sides, below theirs.
Feet and hands- There are many, many points in the hands, feet, fingers and toes, with entire schools of massage and acupressure devoted to complete treatment of the entire body using these points. However, for self-defense purposes, my experience has shown me there are really only a few worth mention. It will help to remember that the foot and hand mirror each other similarly to how the leg and arm do. Simply put, they are practically the same structure with all of the vital points in relatively the same locations. The big toe and the thumb are twins, the pinkie finger and pinkie toe, and everything in between. (or, for the arm and leg- elbow=knee, wrist=ankle, hand=foot, forearm=shin, upper arm=thigh, armpit=groin). TW3 and GB41, LI4 and LV3 are situated similarly between the 4th&5th, 1st&2nd digits respectively. Feel for the "V" in the bones, press straight down, then angle in toward the center of the "V" and you should experience significant pain. There are major nerves and blood vessels in both locations. In fact, serious enough trauma could cause a significant internal bleeding, thought it is rare. There is another point, though it has no significance in acupressure or acupuncture which I am aware of, but it sits between the 3rd and 4th digits, about the middle of the back of the hand or top of the foot, but slightly up from dead-center, more toward the digits. Again, feel for the "V" in the bones, just above the harder, raised portion that transitions into the joint where it connects with the limb. Same method of application, press in, then toward the crux of the "V." Now, it should go without saying, but trying to grab and "claw" the foot points is useless when the assailant is wearing shoes. Nonetheless, they still work as leverage points for applying joint locks. When applying locks it helps to think in "small circles" and "point-counterpoint," that is to say apply pressure in a circular manner while applying counter-pressure into the next point that imaginary circle come into contact with, pressing that point in turn toward the other. The points are TW3-L8, LI4-H6. GB41-K6, LV3-BL62 and the "extra" points connect to PC6 and BL60 in the hand and foot respectively.
