How to Avoid Accidentally Killing Your Opponent in a Fight

You’ve successfully defended yourself and your girlfriend. But the other guy isn’t getting up, isn’t leaving, and seems to be lying there as if he’s been resting for a while. It’s possible you’ve inflicted injuries incompatible with life. You don’t have to be Nikolai Valuev or Fedor Emelianenko to send someone to the afterlife with your bare hands—sometimes it just takes an unlucky hit to a certain spot.

Back of the Head

This is a dangerous area and a favorite target for professional assassins. The cerebellum is especially vulnerable here, and the risk of death is very high. If you need to stop an opponent with a head strike during a street fight, avoid hitting from behind. The safest way is a palm strike to the forehead from slightly below. If you hit correctly, the head will snap back and the opponent will be knocked away.

Temple

The temporal bone is so thin it can easily break, and fragments can enter the brain. The sides of the head are less protected (even heavyweight boxers sometimes take punches to the forehead on purpose). Any blows to the side of the head are dangerous because the brain shakes inside the skull more than with direct hits, which can cause hemorrhaging.

Nose

Upward palm strikes to the nose are very dangerous, as they can drive the nose inward. A powerful blow can break the bridge of the nose, and the bones can penetrate the skull. The consequences depend on the force of the strike. If there’s a significant weight difference in favor of the striker, the injury can be fatal. Side blows to the nose can cause displacement, large dark bags under the eyes, and possibly several weeks in a plaster mask.

Jaw

A blow to the jaw is dangerous because it can knock a person out. While a knockout may mean victory, a deep (severe) knockout is a concussion, with the risk of facial injuries and other serious consequences. A broken jaw means months with medical supports and a liquid diet. If it heals incorrectly, lifelong problems can result. In legal terms, this is considered “serious bodily injury.”

Adam’s Apple (Larynx)

A strike to the Adam’s apple can cause suffocation or damage the trachea. A blow to the side of the neck can cause pinched nerves, fractures, or unconsciousness (if the carotid artery is hit). This is especially dangerous for someone who has spent their life at a computer—their bone and muscle structure is weakened, and they’re prone to scoliosis and osteochondrosis. Taking such a hit could result in lifelong disability.

Kidneys

A precise, focused blow to the kidneys can be fatal—kidney failure or rupture and internal bleeding can occur. Blows to the lower abdomen are also dangerous—there are the spleen and liver. A knee or foot strike to these organs can also be deadly, especially if the blow is well-placed.

Inner Surfaces of Arms and Legs

The inner sides of the arms and legs are very sensitive to strikes (though relatively safe for both participants—a person won’t be killed by such a blow). The outside is protected by strong muscles, but veins and arteries run close to the skin on the inside. That’s why blows to the outer shoulder or thigh are relatively painless, while those to the inner side are much more noticeable. Strikes to relaxed muscles are also more painful.