Is the heart stopping punch real? Separating fact from martial arts fiction
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5 min read
While legends of the 'death touch' known as Dim Mak persist in martial arts folklore, medical science points to an extremely rare, but real, phenomenon called commotio cordis as the actual explanation for a blunt impact stopping the heart. The legendary notion of a perfectly placed heart stopping punch that kills instantly is a misconception, though a perfectly-timed blow can, in rare instances, be fatal.
