Throwing a knock-out blow is one of the most effective ways to survive a fight. But this should only be done for the purpose of survival. Because of the damage to the brain caused by knock-out blows, one should refrain from doing it unless totally necessary.

There are three common ways on how to throw a knock-out blow – by hitting the jaw or chin, by hitting the temple and by stabbing the throat of the opponent with your fingers. All three need accuracy and force. Thus, if you are to throw a knock-out punch, you should learn how to hit your target accurately and how to make your punch more forceful through proper body movement.

We like to view self-defense as disabling or disarming your threat in as quickly as possible. While we definitely don’t think you should ever start a fight, if you are ever being physically threatened or attacked – we want to equip you with the tools to finish them. Delivering a knock-out blow is about precision as much as it is about power. If you’re being attacked by multiple people, you don’t want to be preoccupied wrestling with one while the others start attacking you. We assure you, it doesn’t happen like the movies where you have multiple one-on-one fights gauntlet style. It is more like a swarm of hyenas. Collect yourself, be composed, and strike.

Target: Chin or Jaw

Here is a simple instruction on how to throw a knock-out blow by hitting the chin or jaw with an uppercut or side swipe.

Left Leg Forward, Hands on the Side

If you are right handed, keep your left leg forward and your right leg slightly bent at the back. This will give you more balance and force when you throw the punch. Then bring your arm to your side. Loosen your movement as fluid movements will bring more momentum and force to your punch.

Tighten Your Body

Breathe and tighten your muscles tight before you throw a knock-out blow. This will make your punch more forceful. This will also make you calm, which is good for continued confrontation if your knock-out punch did not work.

Aim for Your Target – Jaw or Chin

Aim for the middle of the chin to make the head of your opponent snap backwards. If you are aiming for the jaw, make sure that you hit hard and you make your punch a bit curved so that you will have balance once you have delivered your blow.

Use Your Waist and Hips

To make your blow more powerful, twist your waist and your hips while you throw a knock-out blow. This way, you will have more momentum, which will increase the power of your punch.

Target: Temple

If you are aiming for the temple, you can follow the first two steps above – leg position and tightening of the body through breathing. Then, follow the steps below.

Aim for the Temple

Use your hips to generate more force when hitting the temple. Make a quick curved blow on the side of your opponent’s head. If your opponent is out cold, you should walk away but be cautious for possible retaliation.

Target: Neck/Throat

This is a very dangerous knockout blow because it can severely damage the windpipe of your opponent so make sure that you do this only in life-threatening situations for your survival.

Follow the first two steps on the instructions on how to throw a knock-out blow on the jaw, then follow the steps below.

Aim for the Dent in the Throat

Make a peace sign with your index finger and middle finger still touching your hand. Use these bent fingers to stab the throat of your opponent.

When hitting, aim for the base of the neck – the dent where the collar bones meet – this will prevent your opponent from breathing, which will result in a knockout.