Blocking Punches or Avoiding quickening reaction time?

DragonFooter said:
Personally I think Parrying is a better idea :)

I agree. However, its going to depend on what type of strike is being thrown.

Mike
 
Dear Nick:

I would like to give you some food for thought but I am little worried that what I am about to say may be taken the wrong way. So before I start please know that while I think you are a bit young in your KMA career for this information. I would like to give you some thoughts from a Hapkido perspective. I also recognize that this ia a TKD group and I don't mean offense to practitioners if my post takes a particular view, 'kay?

In Hapkido we train in 3 different types of blocks. Early on we begin with what I bet most folks in TKD would call "hard blocks" with fist closed-- Rising, Inside, Outside and Downward. These are great for committed heavy strikes and kicks and for training the muscle-memory of the body to prepare for the lighter, redirecting or "parrying" nature of the open-handed Soft Blocks. The Soft Blocks also have a Rising parry, Inside and outside palm blocks, Inside and outside circular blocks and lower parries as well. The idea is less to block and more to intercept and or redirect the vector of the incoming attack. Since Hapkido has a large number of locks, chokes, pins and throws the parries are often taught with conversions that allow one to redirect the vcetor of the attack into some grappling counter.
The most misunderstood category are the "blockless" blocks-- evasions. If we were speaking of Western Boxing you would hear terms like "slipping" a punch, "ducking", "bobbing" and "weaving". The first rule of dealing with a weapon is to "get out of the way" and that still holds true whether the weapon is an item or a punch or a kick. Evasions are hard to teach and even harder to learn. They require constant polish regarding balance, combat distance and timing. They also require some modification of footwork relative to what you are taught when you first start your MA training-- not a whole lot, but enough to create problems and to require some dilligent study on your part. But if its any consolation even great people have had to modify things to deal with changes in their training. Look at M. Ali and his "rope-a-dope" strategy. We are all here to learn. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce
 
DragonFooter said:
Personally I think Parrying is a better idea :)

Right. I use the term "block" for parrying. Easily 95% of my blocks are parries. The term block comes from my karate background.

Paul said:
#1. I will also shamelessly plug Dan's (Prof. Dan; American Freestyle Karate) book. I got Dan's 1st Freestyle Karate book in 93' or 94' before Dan knew I was alive. ; I actually didn't know he had a second book on it until a few weeks ago, so I'll be getting that one soon. Heck, I have been meaning to read his first one again soon. It really is that good.

Anyways, the book is more directed towards the point fighter, however, I found that it helped my full contact fighting as well. So don't be biased because it is "point fighting," as the concepts are indeed universal. It's worth the few bucks.

Paul,
Actually, the book was directed at anyone who wanted to get better at sparring, not just the point fighter. It just so happened that I was a point fighter at the time but yes, the concepts are universal. That is why the book is still in print after being on the market for 22 years. As an aside (and another shameless plug), the second book has been hailed as good as the first one.

Yours,
Dan Anderson


Yours,
Dan Anderson
 
elcajon555 said:
I never said that you will never have to block or whatnot, I just said that is was bad and should be avoided at all costs. Instead of thinking how to block something, you should think how to get out of the way of something. Blocking takes away a lot more enegry then not getting hit and you shouldn;t train to block you should train to move and not get hit.

I'd still like to hear some of your suggestions and reasons as to why blocking is bad!

Mike
 
As I have stated when you block a kick or a punch you are still getting hit and that takes away energy. While if you move to avoid contact it takes less energy. In school we are taught not to block but rather move. Maybe we have a different opinion on what blocking is, I am not talking about putting a hand up to redirect a foot as you counter, I am talking about people who do the lower upper outer and inner blocks on all or most of the kicks and punches, they just stand there and block the attackes with the forearms(ie like whacking the shin with the forearm to block a front kick) and whatnot and that is heavy contact which takes just as much energy away because you are still getting hit. I don;t know maybe we have different concepts and visiluations as to what "blocking" is. Some things are just hard to explain through words with no demostrating.
 
elcajon555 said:
As I have stated when you block a kick or a punch you are still getting hit and that takes away energy. While if you move to avoid contact it takes less energy. In school we are taught not to block but rather move. Maybe we have a different opinion on what blocking is, I am not talking about putting a hand up to redirect a foot as you counter, I am talking about people who do the lower upper outer and inner blocks on all or most of the kicks and punches, they just stand there and block the attackes with the forearms(ie like whacking the shin with the forearm to block a front kick) and whatnot and that is heavy contact which takes just as much energy away because you are still getting hit. I don;t know maybe we have different concepts and visiluations as to what "blocking" is. Some things are just hard to explain through words with no demostrating.

WOW!! Ok. Now that I got your explaination, yes, we are talking about different things here. I can see where the confusion was. First off, I really dont know of anyone who, in a fight, would just 'stand there' and not move!!!!! When I was talking about blocking, I was referring to blocking during the course of the fight, while both people are moving. If your opp. throws a punch, kick, etc. and you block, of course, you're immediately going to move in for a counter attack.

You're right though..it is hard to get ideas and thoughts across to people online. Sorry for the confusion.

Mike
 
During sparring I prefer to use movement to avoid or make room. This is due to my background as a boxer.

My instructor said I was wrong and that I should block instead!!!!!!!!!!

I believe movement allows you to have all your weapons available for attack. If you commit to block you allow your opponent a second chance at attack.
 
Immediately after the block, a counter strike or kick should be done. To stand there and do nothing but block is going to result in you just being a defensive fighter. As for commiting to a block...again, keep in mind that as soon as the block is executed, you're going to be blasting him withe strike after strike. Your goal should be to overwhlem him with strikes so that he does not have a chance to throw anything else. Of course, that chance is always there, but if you put him on the defense, it should be a much easier time for you.

Mike
 
elcajon555 said:
As I have stated when you block a kick or a punch you are still getting hit and that takes away energy. While if you move to avoid contact it takes less energy. In school we are taught not to block but rather move. Maybe we have a different opinion on what blocking is, I am not talking about putting a hand up to redirect a foot as you counter, I am talking about people who do the lower upper outer and inner blocks on all or most of the kicks and punches, they just stand there and block the attackes with the forearms(ie like whacking the shin with the forearm to block a front kick) and whatnot and that is heavy contact which takes just as much energy away because you are still getting hit. I don;t know maybe we have different concepts and visiluations as to what "blocking" is. Some things are just hard to explain through words with no demostrating.

I've never really seen that partucular brand of blocking encouraged in sparring. The simple comcept of keeping your hands up, and preventing strikes etc from landing by keeping your elbows in position on the other hand, I count that as blocking too.
 
Marginal said:
I've never really seen that partucular brand of blocking encouraged in sparring. The simple comcept of keeping your hands up, and preventing strikes etc from landing by keeping your elbows in position on the other hand, I count that as blocking too.

Yes, so do I!

Mike
 
Nick,

If you truly want to become more proficient at reaction, its going to take practice, trial and error on your own part. While all these suggestions are great ones, it will ultimately depend on what you have found to be comfortable for yourself. This is where your personality and personal developed style come into play. Realistically, you will use both avoidance and blocks/parries to protect yourself as well as other more advanced techniques. These are qualities that come with time and practice. There's no one method to develop these skills, except to continue practicing IMHO.

:asian:
 
ThuNder_FoOt said:
Nick,

If you truly want to become more proficient at reaction, its going to take practice, trial and error on your own part. While all these suggestions are great ones, it will ultimately depend on what you have found to be comfortable for yourself. This is where your personality and personal developed style come into play. Realistically, you will use both avoidance and blocks/parries to protect yourself as well as other more advanced techniques. These are qualities that come with time and practice. There's no one method to develop these skills, except to continue practicing IMHO.

:asian:

Very true!! Rome wasnt built in a day, and your punching/blocking skills will not go from poor to great overnight either.

Mike
 
Block intercept or redirect.
Blocking is better then being hit but I'd perfer to just not let them get close at all.(think opponet losing real fast like)
 
Parrying = redirect the attacking tool of the opponent

Block= to stop the attacking tool to 0 mph

?????

Master always told us to use the block as an attack to the weak point of oppponent's attacking tool whereas parry to upset their equilibrium.

Hmm I'm confused now
 
DragonFooter said:
Parrying = redirect the attacking tool of the opponent

Block= to stop the attacking tool to 0 mph

?????

Master always told us to use the block as an attack to the weak point of oppponent's attacking tool whereas parry to upset their equilibrium.

Hmm I'm confused now

A perry is a redirecting movement. As for a block, that is a redirection also. You're not really stopping the punch. If you were gonna stop the punch, then a destruction to the hand would most likely be used. You'll see that alot in the FMA. A block though still can be used as an attack to the limb.

Hope that this helped.

Mike
 
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