7. Stomach Meridian point 2 (ST-2)

In the infraorbital foramen between the orbicularis oculi and quadratus labii superior muscles.

This point is quite sensitive and will cause considerable local pain and can result in a knockout and severe nervous damage. Apparently, when struck, one feels a moving-down sensation into the chest and then into the legs, which will become weak as a result.

I show this in self-protection teaching as a vertical elbow strike. Place your hand behind your head so the arm is in a tight guard to the side of the head, with the point of the elbow forward (you can reinforce it with the other arm across your own face for more protection). From here we step forward into this point (or, being less severe, drop onto the pectoral muscle to cause winding), and there’s no ‘blocking’ – as soon as the unarmed* threat is perceived, step forward with the technique. [This is an offensive, rather than a defensive, technique, so care must be taken in using it to ensure you are legally justified to use a pre-emptive strike – i.e., they are about to physically attack you.]

In training, one should not aim for the heart side of the body in case cardiac events are triggered by accidental contact.

Note: muscles are symmetrical – the diagram is just showing separation.

* If you have been following my posts or train with me, you will observe that a lot of my self-protection techniques are only advised where you are 100% sure no weapon is involved.

8. Stomach Meridian point 12 – (ST-12)

In the midpoint of the supraclavicular fossa, or in the depression at the middle of the superior border of the clavicle.

This is an interesting point in the Dim Mak world, as it is used to take the will to fight away. You just cannot carry on fighting after this point has been struck, as usually the clavicle, which is quite a weak bone, will break, causing a great deal of local pain and a physical inability to use the arm. The clavicle is one of the few bones that can be broken with strikes (downward hammer fist recommended) without needing weapons, such as baseball bats or sticks.

If the clavicle is broken, this isn’t the sort of injury where you can just ignore the pain and carry on – you cannot physically use the arm on the side where the clavicle is broken.

Also in this area is the brachial plexus, which can respond to a hard strike with some arm paralysis.

This is also the area for the fictitious ‘Vulcan nerve pinch’ from Star Trek, and you can get an effect by pinching under the trapezius muscle, but nowhere near a knockout.