Another problem with nerve centers is that they are not in the same place on everyone. In some people, major organs are missing or are in the wrong location, such as a person born with one kidney or a person with his or her heart on the right of the chest rather than the left side. In other people, nerve centers are not in the right place. If you have tried using pressure to the nerve behind the jaw hinge on various people, you know that in some people the nerve is so deep that it cannot be effective manipulated. In a self-defense situation, it is difficult enough just getting to a pressure point area without having to poke around trying to find the nerve. At the fist poke, the person will move away and not allow you to touch that area again. If you watch pressure point demonstrations, the opponent is always a student of the demonstrator or a willing believer; thus, the opponent is cooperative and does nothing that might disrupt the demonstration. Unless the opponent is restrained in some way, he or she will just twist or pull away from the pressure. If this is the purpose of the technique, such as to make an unruly demonstrator stand up, then the technique serves its purpose. However, it in no way prevents the demonstrator from counterattacking.

When free-sparring, you know how difficult it is to strike a person in the front of the torso. Imagine trying to hit just the solar plexus. If you only try to strike nerve centers, you will get your butt kicked before you ever strike one effectively. Demonstrations of pressure point attacks that use willing subjects who are not resisting or striking back are not practical; they are just entertainment. When under stress, fatigued, or stunned, one of the first abilities to go is your fine motor skills, which will make it difficult, if not impossible, to attack precise points.

When sparring, you are not afraid of serious injury or death because this is not the objective of the opponent's attacks. You are free to use risky techniques, since their failure will not result in your possible death. When you are in a fight for your life, are you going to be thinking about what pressure point is best, is it open, and how to put pressure on it? If you do, it will be too late—you will be dead! When your life is at risk, you cannot rely on something that may work under some circumstances; you must rely on tried and true, instinctive techniques. When under stress, fatigued, or stunned, it is doubtful that you will be able to think cognitively about possible pressure point attacks. If your first pressure point attack does not work, you will not get a chance to apply another one and the opponent will now be prepared for this type of attack.

What about the demonstrations of knockouts that are made using only a slap?

The only knockout slaps that work on people who are not students of the demonstrator are ones that strike the carotid sinus. The strike is done with the knife edge of the hand striking the side of the neck, pushing back into the carotid sinus with the beginning of the strike, and then pushing sharply into the artery. A small sinus behind the carotid artery tells the brain when high or low blood pressure is occurring in the body and acts to counter it. When struck, the sinus tells the brain that extreme high blood pressure is present, causing a sudden drop in blood pressure, which may lead to dizziness, a faint, or unconsciousness. Some "masters" strike the wrist before the neck slap in a supposed secret combination that causes a blackout. The wrist strike is a useless distraction, only the neck strike will cause a blackout.