# Regarding Dim Mak **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 14, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550 "2008-02-14T03:10:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ben1122us](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@ben1122us](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ben1122us)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/1 "2008-02-14T03:10:20Z")
I was intrigued as a martial artist, and as a person in regards to the article on the mythical “DEATH TOUCH.” Before I begin I would like to say that the peoples of China and Japan have a good standing in keeping proper records or documentation. I state this because I wish to tell a story I saw on a televison broadcast in regards to this subject. Putting it plainly there was only one recorded event of the “DEATH TOUCH,” being used. It was in China and the recpient of the “DEATH TOUCH,” took some time to expire. After which the attacker who was apprehended by the local magistrate was put to death for the crime of murder. Either the condemed man whom utilized this tecnique was a martial arts master who could hit in such a way as to cause this type of death, had some sort of “Chi,” flow or what ever or was just one lucky, and unlucky S.O.B… Either way the answer may have died with him. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/2 "2008-02-14T03:25:50Z")
Uh, ok. Personally I put Dim Mak right up there with fairies, trolls, and unicorns. It ain’t real. Marc ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/3 "2008-02-14T03:49:58Z")
That’s what we WANT you white people to think. Muahahahaha. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/4 "2008-02-14T06:47:25Z")
In this [video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I), a Kiai master who claims a 200-0 record bets $5000 that he can use his Chi touch to defeat any opponent. Judge for yourself. I don’t know if Dim Mak is the same as Kiai, but I suspect the result would be the same. Here’s a [video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=qa1nzD-n25Q&feature=related) on someone who claims to have a “death touch”. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/5 "2008-02-14T14:07:03Z")
That first link had to be one of the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen this side of a Billy Blanks karate movie! Awesome. Marc ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/6 "2008-02-14T14:17:03Z")
[QUOTE=The Controvert] In this [video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I), a Kiai master who claims a 200-0 record bets $5000 that he can use his Chi touch to defeat any opponent. Judge for yourself. I don’t know if Dim Mak is the same as Kiai, but I suspect the result would be the same. Here’s a [video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=qa1nzD-n25Q&feature=related) on someone who claims to have a “death touch”. [/QUOTE] That just looks like a bad kung fu movie. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/7 "2008-02-14T14:23:06Z")
Oops, I hadn’t watched to the end. Hee hee. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/8 "2008-02-14T16:32:47Z")
(Channeling Mr. Lissar, karate guy) It’s ridiculous. I _think_ (hazy memory) he recently read something that said that death touch could be translated “this will hurt”, and just means a blow that could be temporarily disabiling. Unfortuntately it’s all very hazy. Anyway, only Vulcans can do the real Death Touch. I’ll show him the video when he gets back from work. I’m sure he’ll think it’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/9 "2008-02-14T20:43:05Z")
[QUOTE=HazelNutCoffee] That’s what we WANT you white people to think. Muahahahaha. [/QUOTE] Um… does this mean I’m immune? Or is there an even more grisly fate awaiting my black a– _GURK_ ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/10 "2008-02-14T22:05:49Z")
[The Master Speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040521.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/11 "2008-02-14T23:01:04Z")
I personally have the Dim Sum Touch. I hit people and dumpings come flying out of them. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/12 "2008-02-14T23:50:27Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] I personally have the Dim Sum Touch. [/QUOTE] [Cantonese enthusiast] Well that’s really like ironic and shit because the “dim” in “dim sum” literally means “touch”. “Dim sum” =\> “touch heart”. [/Cantonese enthusiast] ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/13 "2008-02-15T00:08:26Z")
[QUOTE=Enfant Terrible] Um… does this mean I’m immune? Or is there an even more grisly fate awaiting my black a– _GURK_ [/QUOTE] I always wondered what they did with the cage [Jim Kelly’s](http://www.whiterose.org/pete/blog/images/bbjones.jpg) body was found in at the end of _‘Enter the Dragon’_. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/14 "2008-02-15T02:57:35Z")
Was anyone else reminded of Dragon Ball Z? In the second video, that was totally a kamehameha. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/15 "2008-02-15T06:08:39Z")
Since this thread’s topic is [one of Cecil’s columns](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040521.html), I’m moving this thread from IMHO to Comments On Cecil’s Columns. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/16 "2008-02-15T14:27:24Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] [Cantonese enthusiast] Well that’s really like ironic and shit because the “dim” in “dim sum” literally means “touch”. “Dim sum” =\> “touch heart”. [/Cantonese enthusiast] [/QUOTE] Hey no kidding? Only on the Dope does a bad joke turn into new facts. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/17 "2008-02-18T03:43:04Z")
Martial artist here. Ain’t no such thing as the Dim Mak. Far too many legends and BS surround martial arts training. Yes, there are pressure points all over the human body that cause everything ranging from excruciating pleasure to excruciating pain. No, there is no single pressure point that causes delayed death. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/18 "2008-02-18T09:42:28Z")
[QUOTE=Clothahump] Yes, there are pressure points all over the human body that cause everything ranging from excruciating pleasure [/QUOTE] Care to share where that one is located? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/19 "2008-02-18T12:10:22Z")
[QUOTE=tim314] Care to share where that one is located? 😉 [/QUOTE] There are a few of those points, but they have to be touched repeatedly for the effect to work. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-dim-mak/437550/20 "2008-02-18T12:43:57Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] [Cantonese enthusiast] Well that’s really like ironic and shit because the “dim” in “dim sum” literally means “touch”. “Dim sum” =\> “touch heart”. [/Cantonese enthusiast] [/QUOTE] But, in fact, the origin of the martial arts phrase was from a line of repartee uttered by one of the martial arts masters, facing an opponent from Brooklyn: “Your outlook is pretty dim, Mac.” ::: ducking :::