is it easier to knock someone out with a karate chop than with a punch or palm strike?

Answer 1

Yes, "karate chops" are martial arts moves- called a shuto in Japanese or knifehand strike- and like in Austin Powers, they can certainly KO someone. I'll explain how...
In the side of the neck, there is an area called the carotid sinus around the area of the carotid artery. Its job is to measure and monitor blood pressure. If you hit that carotid sinus correctly- meaning at the right angle, with the right amount of pressure- it will fool the body's natural method of monitoring itself into thinking the blood pressure just shot up dangerously, and tell the brain to shut down temporarily. In other words, the guy falls unconscious.
This is just as dangerous as KOing someone with a punch, which usually happens due to brain trauma when the head snaps backward suddenly from a blow. ANY time a guy gets KOed it is not a good thing.
Anyway, the question of it being EASIER is... well, not so easy. It does depend on the target of the blow and what the guy happens to be doing at the time you land that blow. If you get an absolutely clear shot at the guy's temple, you could KO him with almost any decently hard strike- no matter what you use. Same thing for what the old-timers would call "the button"- like he got hit on the button. This would be just to the side of the chin, and again almost any blow with a decent amount of force will KO the guy.
The only real difference between the strikes you are asking about is a GENERAL preference about what is better on striking different body parts. A punch is the most generally effective, but like people have mentioned, unless you are trained there is a good chance you will hurt your own hand as much as you hurt the guy you are hitting. A punch almost anywhere on the head CAN cause unconsciousness. A palm heel strike is very slightly softer of a blow because the palm heel is padded a bit more with muscle and body fat. As such, the blow is softer but you can use it in a closer quarters situation easier. You can also use it against a much harder target- like the top of the guy's head- without worrying TOO much about hurting yourself. The shuto strike or karate chop spreads the impact of a blow along a much smaller surface, allowing the impact per square inch to be greater. This does cause a lot of damage, but that damage can happen to your hand as much as to the opponent. You generally use a shuto against softer targets like the neck or groin, pressure points like the inside of the thigh, or against joints like the side of the knee or inside of the elbow.
All in all, the absolute easiest KO blows are that Austin Powers/Captain Kirk chop to the side of the neck and a typical Mike Tyson punch to the chin.
Hope this helps...
Sensei Cox

Answer 2

For a pretty comprehensive answer you should read sensei Cox's reply. I would add (having boxed, and studied karate, ju jitsu, and MMA) that for a moving target a punch to the jaw is the most effective knock out blow. Anyone who has watched MMA (Mixed Martial Arts as in UFC, Pride, UWC etc.) will see a contest where any blow to the head is allowed. This includes open hand strikes, palm heel strikes, punches, kicks, elbows (excluding downward elbows, particularly to the rear of the skull) and knees - the knockout ratio, by a wide margin, is with the punch - followed by the kick, knees and elbows. If the karate chop (knife hand strike) was more effective, then one would expect that karate practitioners who train in mixed martial arts would utilise this method, and further that their success rate would be high - this is simply not the case.

The knockout punch is effective in two ways, the first is to shake the brain inside the skull (the brain floats in fluid, and like a sponge in a bucket, does not move if you swing the bucket) causing it to make contact with the skull which causes unconciousness. Th rapid turnning of the head also compresses the carotid sinus, this causes a sudden change in blood pressure, and the brain shuts down.

The second is the caused by the cranial nerves at the rear of the jaw, a stright strike to the jaw can cause a compression of the nerves in the rear of the jaw, and this causes the brain to shut down, and of course there is the slamming of the jawbone into the skull at the rear that creates the knockout.

Note that a knife hand strike to the carotid sinus can cause immediate unconsciousness, but it would be extremely unlikely, in a combat situation, that this could be landed with sufficient accuracy and force to cause the knockout effect. There are few areas beyond the neck where a knife hand strike would cause a knockout.

Answer 3

I'll tell you how to ko with all three. 1) "karate chop" Areas to strike: a)Jugular vein (temporarily cuts off blood supply to the brain causing them to black out b)muscle that connects from the neck to the back (a sharp blow will bring them to their knees) 2) punch a) straight to the chin (right below the mouth) will take anyone down b)"Heart punch" DO NOT ATTEMPT!!!!! You have to punch the main area on the chest where the heart is located. This attack is difficult because of the angle the punch needs to be launched. You must jump into the punch and strike from an up-to-down angle. It can cause a heart attack or immediate cardiac arrest. 3) palm strike a) a slap in the face is actually quite effective when correctly executed. Slap across the face with your fingertips landing partially on the ear. The blow goes straight to the central nervous system. b)double slap strike. Actually this one is a fatal one blow strike. You don't need to know this one. It leaves a very big mess.

Answer 4

It depends upon what you train. If you train boxing, then hit correctly with your fist. A weapon (snake fist, palm, ridge hand, phoenix strike, knuckle rake, punch, etc) is designed to hit different targets. A fist is not appropriate to hit the throat in all cases. A "chop" can hit, from the right angle, can knock an opponent out. Is it easier... I would say it takes skill and positioning as well as setting up your opponent. It is far easier to pick up boxing or kick boxing (pick a style) and knock someone out with a punch or kick. A person who doesn't close their jaw/mouth is more likely to be knocked out with a punch or kick if hit to the face.

A 357 magnum does not knock someone out, it will inflict greivous injuries resulting in death or major health problems. That is not a knock out, that is a knock down, or killing.

Train

Answer 5

Karate chop? Dear Lord, what are the McDojo's teaching our kids these days?

The best way to knock a person out is a hard punch right to the jaw that snaps their head to one side, or up (uppercut).

This jars the brain and results in a KO.

Answer 6

No not really, the Knife hand (outside part of the hand, pinky side) or Ridge hand (inside part of the hand just below the thumb) does not make it easy to "knock someone out" it's more as a distraction to weaken the opponent for a much more powerful attack that should follow (like a punch or a kick).

knocking someone out works more to the persons stamina than the forcefulness of a strike.

Answer 7

palm strike allows you to deliver the most power. has slightly less reach.

You will instinctively cut back on the power of your punch as it will hurt your hand as well. palm strike (if you can land it) allows you to strike harder. I think the "karate chop" is not effective unless you are able to land it in a sensitive area (neck), the chances of you damaging your hand (little finger bones), when you can just as easily use a closed fist is foolish.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

By "Karate chop" I assume you mean knife hand strike. Yes. You are striking with a smaller area so you can deliver more pressure (force per area). Also, you can attack more vulnerable targets with a knife hand strike than you can with a palm strike or a fist.

Answer 10

It all depends I guess, on who throws the strike, and the power of it, and where the strike lands.

For example, Mike Tyson's punch, back when he was in top shape to the head? Probably KO you.

Don't know much about Karate.

As for a palm strike, believe it or not, sumo wrestlers pwn all in that division. They may be slow, but are strong as tanks, I've heard that they have moved cars with a carefully calculated palm strike.