The occipital ridge is the region at the back of the head where the base of the skull meets the spine.
This general area is quite vulnerable, and as such offensive maneuvers (esp. in martial arts) have been created to target the occipital ridge. If the occipital ridge is hit with sufficient force, it will cause immediate blackout. Only trained combatants should consider this tactic as a mistake is capable of causing death.
Famous quotes containing the words occipital and/or ridge:
“in the absence of feet, “a method of conclusions”;
“a knowledge of principles,”
in the curious phenomenon of your occipital horn.”
—Marianne Moore (1887–1972)
“The self-consciousness of Pine Ridge manifests itself at the village’s edge in such signs as “Drive Keerful,” “Don’t Hit Our Young ‘uns,” and “You-all Hurry Back”Mlocutions which nearly all Arkansas hill people use daily but would never dream of putting in print.”
—Administration in the State of Arka, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)