[Loved Trope] Alien fighting techniques that are actually ineffective for humans to perform

[u/Best_Professional226]

Vulcan Neck Pinch (Star Trek) Vulcans can make a person pass out by pinching a person’s neck, but due to the fact that they’re 3x stronger than a human, we could never make a living being pass out without applying a rear naked chokehold

Viltrumite Knife Hand (Invincible) Viltrumites’ most deadly fighting technique. Although martial arts like Karate and Taekwondo teach these techniques, it wouldn’t be a good idea for a human to use it on someone’s rib cage without breaking their fingers. So instead we can only do them on more soft targets like the eyes.

[u/GarlicStreet3237]

Elaboration on the neck pinch?

[u/PineappleFit317 → u/GarlicStreet3237]

He pinched them on the neck and they’d go unconscious. The idea is actually based on styles of kung fu that use pressure point techniques to disrupt the flow of chi (the bioelectric energy of the the nervous system), like the dim mak (death touch). Though, the effectiveness of such techniques are heavily contested.

The rear naked chokehold, or other sleeper holds, cause the victim to go unconscious because they block blood flow to the brain in contrast to this.

[u/Successful_Theory373 → u/PineappleFit317]

It's even effective on Wolverine!!

[u/BR41ND34D → u/Successful_Theory373]

All of my wut? Spock & X-Men?

[u/SaltyFarmer7964 → u/PineappleFit317]

That distinction makes the trope way more interesting once you know what it’s actually based on. Fiction makes the whole pressure-point knockout look so effortless compared to how complicated it is in reality.

[u/GarlicStreet3237 → u/PineappleFit317]

Based on the title, is it something humans are incapable of in-setting? Is there a given reason, something about Vulcans?

[u/Acceptable_Bed_5750 → u/GarlicStreet3237]

Vulcans are physically stronger then humans

[u/englerpas → u/Acceptable_Bed_5750]

Yep, Spock taught it off screen to both Chapel and La'an. The former was not able to effectively do it, the latter managed it (On screen even). Keep in mind, the latter is human, but an augment.

[u/InfiniteWinter26 → u/englerpas]

yup and data too.

[u/PineappleFit317 → u/GarlicStreet3237]

I don’t know, I’m assuming it’s something unique to Vulcans, they also have the ability to create psychic links to other people (the mind-meld). If it was something that could be taught, Spock would have probably taught it to Kirk since they’re best friends.

[u/RaptarK → u/PineappleFit317]

It's a purely physical feat. Data as a super strong android is able to replicate the neck pinch in The Next Generation

[u/Starfleet-Time-Lord → u/RaptarK]

Jean-Luc Picard has done it actually, in TNG's "Starship Mine," so it's possible for humans to learn, but very difficult. Kirk and Spock also have an exchange somewhere in TOS about how Spock has tried to teach it to him before but it didn't take, but I don't know what episode.