# Roof Block



## Hawke (May 17, 2008)

Greetings All,

When you guys do the roof block how much do you angle the tip of the stick below your stick hand?

Also do you punch the oncoming blow from the top with your stick hand or just brace for impact? Imagine punching the air with your stick hand palm facing away from you to meet the oncoming blow.  The stick is still angled down.

For me I recently learned that timing the punch with an oncoming blow allows me to receive much harder hits.  The punch structurally braces my body to receive the hit.

What are your thoughts?


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## Guro Harold (May 17, 2008)

Hawke said:


> Greetings All,
> 
> When you guys do the roof block how much do you angle the tip of the stick below your stick hand?
> 
> ...


 
Great questions which also are great points.

Interesting enough that I have been looking at this as well from some of the classical material that Tuhon Ray has been showing.

The roof block can be used as a power assist just by positioning the point at the attacker. For those who do the 64, moves 23 - 24.

Thanks again,

Harold


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## MJS (May 17, 2008)

Hawke said:


> Greetings All,
> 
> When you guys do the roof block how much do you angle the tip of the stick below your stick hand?


 
Picture holding the stick in our hand like we normally would.  When I hold it, there is a slight angle to it.  Now, bring the hand up, so the tip is now on a 45 degree angle down.  This for me is the most natural feeling.  

Also do you punch the oncoming blow from the top with your stick hand or just brace for impact? Imagine punching the air with your stick hand palm facing away from you to meet the oncoming blow. The stick is still angled down.

For me I recently learned that timing the punch with an oncoming blow allows me to receive much harder hits. The punch structurally braces my body to receive the hit.

What are your thoughts?[/quote]

Ditto.  IMO, if we didn't do this, we'd probably get hit.


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## Hawke (May 17, 2008)

I was thinking the empty hand version would be a high block.  In Kenpo (EPAK) we use an uppercut motion to establish a high block to meet the on coming blow.  Either in Kenpo or FMA this helps us to close the gap for an elbow strike, forearm strike, armbar, and/or take down both inside or outside your opponent.  I like what Palusut said about using this as a power assist.

Before this refinement I used to just brace for the attack and let it slide.  Funny since I would punch up in Kenpo and didn't see to use a similar method for FMA.  Cool when you see others arts compliment each other.

The Dog Brothers have some cool moves dealing with the Roof Block.


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## geezer (May 21, 2008)

I like your thinking about doing the "roof" agressively, like a kenpo rising block...but you can take it even further. Try making the roof a_ strike_ rather than a block. By exploding forward with real power, the roof fuctions as a simultaneous block and strike to your opponent's weapon/hand/arm (depending on your range) ...then continues past your opponent's deflected weapon to strike his head or body. This works best with well timed off-lining and is a staple of Latosa Combat Escrima.


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## arnisador (May 21, 2008)

That works great when your timing is on! I find I often can't get the timing to work on that unless the strike has been telegraphed. Over the years I use the roof block more and more as a covering device to let me enter closer (as popularized by the DBMA folks). 

Of course, sometimes your stick just ends up so that the roof block is your only real option!


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## Guro Harold (May 21, 2008)

arnisador said:


> That works great when your timing is on! I find I often can't get the timing to work on that unless the strike has been telegraphed. Over the years I use the roof block more and more as a covering device to let me enter closer (as popularized by the DBMA folks).
> 
> Of course, sometimes your stick just ends up so that the roof block is your only real option!


 
Good point, Arnisador!

An interesting point that I found is that when the roof block is executed from a 360 persective it become more of a covering. This definitely comes out in multi-man/scurmish drills (man in the middle).

The Professer encoded these in the last moves of Anyo Isa stick form and
stick forms Dalawa and Tatlo.

A good entry level man in the middle drill is to apply the movements of Anyo Dalawa when surrounded.

Thes movements can be seen in some variations of "Florette."

-Harold


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## Banakun (May 22, 2008)

Yep, the roof block isn't always a block and the execution depends on the situation... sometimes it's a circular "punch" which goes over your head, a forward-thrusting strike aimed at whatever (arms, face, throat), a half-strike (media) used to gauge your opponent's striking power... or even a move meant to be a strike preparation/chambering (winding up for a strong finishing blow... all of these... the most common usage is defensive though.  Same movement, different applications.


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## Brian R. VanCise (May 22, 2008)

I like to think of it as the roof cut! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  There are alot of variations with it from parrying to cutting to striking to delaying to altering the course of the incoming attack.  It is a very effective tool to have in your arsenal.


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