Non-TV blow to the head

I think smacking your head on the floor would do the trick.

I needed some similar info and got a lot of interesting and helpful responses here - http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36810

If they're both on the ground, or disoriented, have him recover first and put her in a sleeper. It really works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UFWd0KzmDo

Don't knock concussions.........they've helped me forget plenty of bad things.

Head injuries are extemely variable. Some blows that seem fairly light can be incapacitating and some can fracture the skull and yet the person walks around with a headache. Or dies. You'll do fine with your scenario, a fight, other person trained gets one more blow (with or without a weapon or ground impact to make things tougher on your character).
The TV annoying stuff comes in when people take blow after blow with no ill effect, but you've already said you're not doing that noise. Good for you. (The other TV thing w/ head injuries is the phooey of someone waking up the victim every hour all night. Aurgh. That is diagnostic, not therapeutic, and seriously gone the way. Please don't do that.)

If you're up for it, go outside with a friend. Have friend grab handful of dirt (that is a very small amount) and throw it at your face from an arm's length away. Wear glasses if you want. I think you will find the handful-o-sand trick a silly TV moment that should die.
You can still see. Your blink reaction is fast and wonderful. And involuntary. It will likely save you from getting any dirt in your eye, but whatever goes in, is very unlikely to incapacitate you.

W/out a weapon, bad guy may hit her where the skull is thinnest, at the temple. However, he may use his knee, heel or ball of foot (toe if wearing boots) to strike, generating much more power than a heel of the palm or knuckle punch. What's he wearing? (Legally boots are often classified as dangerous instruments, upping the level of felony assault charge.)
Because he's a trained bad guy, he subscribes to the MAT theory of fighting. Most Available Target. Sure the most important brain area is back and low, but it's also the best protected, with the thickest bone. He may strike parietal, temporal, basal, frontal areas. It will not kill your credibility when he hits one area v. another.

You can hit her behind either ear, or a strong blow to either temple. Don't hit the temple too hard though or you'll kill her. There are other places and ways to hit someone in the head without weapons, but they usually result in death.

Have Fun,
Jeff

There's something they do in the military called "thunder from heaven" which involves striking a certain muscle. I believe it uses both fists and the victim is struck in the upper back from behind. It's said to infallibly cause unconsciousness, but a very well-conditioned body has to be hit very hard for it to work.

Head injuries are very variable as said earlier. A glancing elbow to the temple knocked me out for 20 -40 minutes or longer with effects lasting no long. (my brief attempt at humor, no long lasting effects). The "glass jaw" boxing stories have to do with the jaw mashing the tmj (temporal-mandibular joint) getting compressed to the point that it overstimulates a nerve cluster just behind the jaw, but head anatomy was a long time ago and not my cup of tea and I dont remember the name of the nerve cluster. A blow to the mid upper abdomen can also knock some people out when done properly, which usually means an unsuspecting, relaxed victim. The back of the head blows are more likely to just piss people off since the back of the skull is much stronger bone and the thinking part of the brain is up front, or result in an injury that will lead to lasting problems. Having the bad guy use his hands is better than a weapon since there are no sharp projections on hands that would punch holes in the skull. A favorite scene I hated was a movie where someone is knocked out from behind with a ball peen hammer. If a blow like that knocked someone out, they'd not likely ever awaken.

it may have been said, but my first thought is that she falls and hits her head on a rock, or branch...something like that...knocks her unconscious for a bit, but no irreparable harm done...

Horseshoes said:

If you're up for it, go outside with a friend. Have friend grab handful of dirt (that is a very small amount) and throw it at your face from an arm's length away. Wear glasses if you want. I think you will find the handful-o-sand trick a silly TV moment that should die.
You can still see. Your blink reaction is fast and wonderful. And involuntary. It will likely save you from getting any dirt in your eye, but whatever goes in, is very unlikely to incapacitate you.

Click to expand...

My understanding of this particular tactic was as a distraction, not any kind of incapacitating move. Throwing dirt/sand/object at your opponent's face would make them turn their head or raise and hand/arm to block which buys you time to run away or close in.

But I could be wrong...

If you hit her hard enough behind the ear she'll drop like a sack of potatoes.

Have Fun,
Jeff