History Main / PressurePoint

* In Creator/MelBrooks' ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'', the hero is infiltrating the Big Bads' flagship. He tries the Vulcan Nerve Pinch on the guard, who asks our hero what he's doing. The hero [[SarcasticConfession tells him straight up]], at which point the guard [[DoWrongRight corrects him]]. ''"Like this?" "Yeah...."''

* In ''Film/KillBill'', there's the "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique", which is used by Pai Mei in the backstory of to slaughter an ''entire temple'' because one of its members accidentally insulted him. Specifically, when Pai Mei nodded at him, he didn't see it and respond. [[spoiler:It was later taught to the Bride, who used it to... well, [[TitleDrop kill Bill]].]]

->''"You ever watch Mr. Spock on'' Franchise/StarTrek? '''Cause if you don't shut your cakehole, you bloody idiot, I'll be happy to demonstrate his Vulcan sleephold for ya'."''
-->-- '''Nick Hopewell''', ''Literature/TheLangoliers''[[note]][[WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic Did he just make Star Trek sound badass?]][[/note]]

* In the ''Literature/WarriorCats'' book ''Path of Stars'', Slash's rogues use a technique that involves them hitting exactly the right spot on a cat's limb temporarily numb it and gain the advantage.

In martial arts, can overlap with KiAttacks, as ki/chi flows in the body are supposedly the underlying mechanism of both pressure points and acupuncture according to certain Eastern practices.

** Happosai also used it as a full-on therapy to turn a [[IllGirl sickly, bedridden child]] into a LifeEnergy-draining accomplice, who was stuck as a child because of it, but [[DualAgeModes regains her true adult body]] upon [[EnergyAbsorption absorbing]] {{Battle Aura}}s or {{Ki Attack}}s. A similar therapy can seal away this power, but [[ThanksForTheMammary the location of the pressure points]] make it [[AccidentalPervert a dicey proposition]].

* A KiAttacks example: Ty Lee from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' hits on pressure points to block the chi of her opponents and paralyze them in combat. She can also use this to disable the ElementalPowers of benders for short periods.

* Discussed in Creator/TamoraPierce's ''Literature/ProvostsDog'' trilogy, being about a medieval police force. It's a variant of TapOnTheHead called the "nap tap"; a precision blow to the chin delivered with a baton. Goodwin's is legendary.

* In ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'', [[ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes Dev-Em]] strikes a point in [[EvilTwin Satan]] [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Girl]]'s neck in order to paralize her. Unfortunately, she shakes the effect off in a matter of seconds.

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Survival", the Seventh Doctor paralyzes a bullying physical education instructor by pressing a finger on his forehead. Also a standard "Venusian karate" tactic of the Third Doctor.

* Your funny bone. Actually, it's the ulnar nerve that's located near the elbow, but if you happen to hit it... OWWW!

* The comedy ''Film/LaGrandeVadrouille'' has an interesting approach to a neck chop. When characters of Creator/LouisDeFunes and Bourvil are locked in a cell they call a prison guard and shout "Heil Hitler!" raising arms in a Nazi salute. Turns out, the salute is a perfect position for neck chops from both sides, and a soldier answering "Sieg Heil!" isn't expecting it. Of course, they didn't care about the guard's survival.

* Pressure Points and Pressure Secrets in ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' work by "tearing or crushing organs and nerve clusters with lethal precision." Both are considered cinematic skills, although an early edition of ''Martial Arts'' stated that GMs could keep an open mind about the former in a "realistic" campaign. On the other hand, the second one is so powerful that the game gives a word of caution about its potential GameBreaker status.

** The Vulcan MindMeld uses this technique as well, manipulating nerves and blood vessels in the face until the subject is in a relaxed state and open to the MentalFusion.

** Cologne uses another to make Ranma's skin super-sensitive to heat so that he can't use hot water to [[ModeLock undo]] his [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting transformation curse]].

* Appears in ''Literature/EncyclopediaBrown'' in a story where Bugs Meany demonstrates his "judo" skills, including a pressure point knockout. [[spoiler:Encyclopedia Brown points out that it's faked because the targets went stiff and fell forward, whereas the physiology of how the body is laid out means someone rendered unconscious while standing will naturally fall backwards]].

** The Vulcan nerve pinch, which is apparently effective against the vast majority of humanoids ''and'' some non-humanoid aliens. As an interesting bit of history, the origin of the pinch [[ActorInspiredElement came from]] Creator/LeonardNimoy's insistence that Spock would not perform an aggressive karate chop to subdue an opponent from behind. Demonstrating on Creator/WilliamShatner, he showed the director that this new technique would be convincing enough on screen. Although it was never explicitly explained onscreen, the ability was, according to Leonard Nimoy in [[WordOfGod his autobiography]], supposed to combine a precise attack on the target's anatomy with a telepathic jolt to explain why the technique was so fast and reliable. [[VoodooShark Which doesn't explain why non-Vulcans such as Data are occasionally shown to use it.]] Presumably the writers of that episode were under the impression that it simply required more precision than a human could match, which would of course be no problem for the android Data whose physical abilities are superhuman in every way.

[[folder:Comicbooks]]

** ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}} the Terminator
* The comic version of Kevin from ''Comicbook/SinCity'' has the ability to make people go numb with pressure point attacks. It's also implied that this was his method of killing.
* The villainess Faora likes to use these techniques. Since she has SuperStrength, they can even work on Franchise/{{Superman}}.
* Superman himself uses these from time to time. When Batman got possessed by a sentient cloud of kryptonite once, Superman pokes him in the side and Batman's body collapses, with the kryptonite wondering why he can't move anymore. When Superman tried this on Maxima, she was tough enough to shrug it off.

* ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' introduces Hit, the greatest ProfessionalKiller in Universe 6. By combining pressure point strikes with [[TimeStandsStill the ability to freeze time for 0.1 seconds]], he's able to defeat Vegeta without breaking a sweat (though he remarks that Vegeta is the first person to live through his attacks).

** The most powerful and difficult variant of the Hyuga clan's skills involves striking certain points on the body to prevent the target from using their [[LifeEnergy chakra]]. Since these chakra points have to be hit with ''extreme'' precision to work and the natural variations in human biology mean they won't be in the exact same spot on each person, the Hyuga clan's XRayVision is required for this particular fighting style to work.

** The most powerful and difficult variant of the Hyuuga clan's skills involves striking certain points on the body to prevent the target from using their [[LifeEnergy chakra]]. Since these chakra points have to be hit with ''extreme'' precision to work and the natural variations in human biology mean they won't be in the exact same spot on each person, the Hyuuga clan's XRayVision is required for this particular fighting style to work.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego'' episode "The French Connection Caper", just when Coach Brunt was about to crush Carmen to [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence death by bear hugging her]], [[DeusexMachina Shadow-san]] suddenly stuns Brunt unconscious with the Vulcan nerve pinch, saving Carmen's life.

* Parodied in as episode of ''WesternAnimation/CodeNameKidsNextDoor'' Numbah 3 tries to take out henchmen this way, but only succeeds in relieving some neck strain, with Numbah 5 having to do the job and telling Numbah 3 to knock if off after the third attempt.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego'' episode "The French Connection Caper", just when Coach Brunt was about to crush Carmen to death by bear hugging her, [[DeusexMachina Shadow-san]] suddenly stuns Brunt unconscious with the Vulcan nerve pinch, saving Carmen's life.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego'' episode "The French Connection Caper", just when Coach Brunt was about to crush Carmen to death by bear hugging her, [[DeusexMachina Shadow-san]] suddenly stuns Brunt unconscious with the [[PressurePoint]] on the neck, saving Carmen's life.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego'' episode "The French Connection Caper", just when Coach Brunt was about to crush Carmen to death by bear hugging her, [[Deus ex Machina Shadow-san]] suddenly stuns Brunt unconscious with the [[Pressure Point]] on the neck, saving Carmen's life.

* Parodied in as episode of ''WesternAnimation/KidsNextDoor'' Numbah 3 tries to take out henchmen this way, but only succeeds in relieving some neck strain, with Numbah 5 having to do the job and telling Numbah 3 to knock if off after the third attempt.

* Played for laughs in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS10E9MayoredToTheMob Mayored to the Mob]]", where Homer acquires the skill off disabling people for half an hour using the Spock touch. Promptly he applies this technique on his family members just for fun and even on himself in order to skip the 30 minutes waiting time until supper.

-->''"You are already squished, zura."''