In this video lesson I explain and show an easy pressure point knockout. Listen to what is said, and use your imagination for other ways to strike the same area.

This one is for anyone who wants to understand what makes a pressure point knockout work, rather than just watching it happen.

Do Pressure Point Knockouts Work?

People ask me this all the time. The honest answer is that the target alone is not enough. A knockout comes from hitting the right place, at the right angle, with the right kind of power, on someone whose balance and attention are already compromised.

When boxers knock someone out with a shot to the jaw, that is a pressure point knockout too, whether they call it that or not. The principles are the same.

What Makes It Work

There are a few key factors:

  • Location. You need to know where the point is, not roughly where
  • Angle and direction. The same spot hit at the wrong angle may do very little
  • Relaxed power. A short, relaxed strike that travels through the target, what I call a waveform, puts far more energy into a point than a stiff, tense punch
  • Set-up. Taking the balance or distracting the person first makes everything easier

Once you understand those, you can strike the same area with different tools: a palm, the edge of the hand, a forearm, and so on. That is why I say use your imagination.

Common Mistakes

The commonest mistake is chasing the point on someone who is standing square and ready. It rarely works. Set it up first.

The second is too much tension. People think a knockout strike must be huge. It does not. Speed and relaxation matter more than muscle.

Train With Control

This is important. Pressure point knockouts are dangerous. Never practise them at full power on a training partner. Learn the location and angle slowly with a cooperative partner you trust, use very light contact, and do your power work on a bag or pads. Any training involving knockouts should be done with experienced supervision.

In self-defence, use only the force that is reasonable for the threat you face.

Take It Further

To learn pressure point targets properly, start with the FREE Pressure Point Fighting Mini-Course. For the complete system of points, angles and waveforms, see the Pressure Point Fighting Course.