Though Frank Dux's brick-breaking demonstration is purely fictional, the Dim Mak ("Death Touch") is a legendary move fabled in Chinese martial arts folklore. The Dim Mak is an accu-pressure attack where the attacker quickly strikes his opponent several times (in sequence) at various spots on his body. Striking an opponent in this method can result in broken bones, paralysis/painful muscle spasms or even instant death. Pei-pei Cheng's character Jade Fox uses a paralyzing Dim Mak-type attack in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
According to Frank Dux, the character played by Donald Gibb was based on two individuals: ex-biker and jujitsu practitioner Richard Robinson and Swedish karate champion Kurt Peterson.
The character the film was based on claimed to be trained in ninjitsu. However, in the training sequences, he appeared to be learning judo, kendo, muay thai, along with fictional martial arts.
Q
No sex before a fight?
A
Many fight enthusiasts were befuddled when they saw JCVD's character engage in sexual intercourse with the blond reporter in the film, undermining the age-old rule of having no sex before a fight.