Blocking useless?

[JowGaWolf]

It was a huge parry though. From what I can see in general is people were swinging bigger punches. And so blocking.

You look at say mike Tyson and a block would not stop one hook let alone the ten he is hitting you with.

Just occured to me that you might have been referring to the parry itself being big as in over extended. If so, then yes that parry was way too big. As a rule I extend my parry just a little beyond center line, vs trying to push the entire arm with my arm. The rest of the push is done with my feet.

Parry and block are separate principles. If I manage a parry (usually my preference), power matters less. But with a full-on block,I don’t have the mass or muscle to oppose Iron Mike’s punch.

Yeah I wouldn't want to block a full on Mike Tyson punch. I give with punches of less power as is. I'm a big believer of not fighting power vs power in that context. If I'm lucky I'll be able to spar with my Sigung later this year, and that's the exact situation I'll be in, where I'm out powered. My game plan will be to flow with his power because there's no way my body will last if it's serving as a punching bag.

I want to be like floating tissue, no matter how hard his strikes are, I won't suffer heavy damage. I'm definitely nervous about it.

A lot of boxers tried to block his hooks and paid the price. Some people just hit too hard to try to block it. Tyson would hit a guard until it failed or until so much attention was on the guard that it opened his opponents up for an upper cut.

 

[stonewall1350]

Yea. I think the title is meant more for shock value. Of course blocking has value. So do slips and evasions. The fact is...we wouldn’t have it if it were useless. I remember when I was young and got into a fist fight I used a hard block on someone and knocked him down (go figure I fell in love with grappling then lol) as a result of taking control of their arm. Blocking makes sense if you can do it right and follow up. I also watched the kung fu instructor in my gym use a block offensively. He knocked someone backwards into a wall with it during a spar. Was the coolest **** I’ve ever seen.

You won’t stop a fight by being purely on defense. So blocking alone won’t cut it. But a block followed by a control hold or maybes wicked nasty head butt? That would be nice.


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[drop bear]

Yea. I think the title is meant more for shock value. Of course blocking has value. So do slips and evasions. The fact is...we wouldn’t have it if it were useless. I remember when I was young and got into a fist fight I used a hard block on someone and knocked him down (go figure I fell in love with grappling then lol) as a result of taking control of their arm. Blocking makes sense if you can do it right and follow up. I also watched the kung fu instructor in my gym use a block offensively. He knocked someone backwards into a wall with it during a spar. Was the coolest **** I’ve ever seen.

You won’t stop a fight by being purely on defense. So blocking alone won’t cut it. But a block followed by a control hold or maybes wicked nasty head butt? That would be nice.


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It is the issue of trying to address each punch individually. Which if they are coming at speed and numbers. You just can't reliably do.

So one punch at a reasonable range. Sure. But not combinations.

Now evasive movement, covering and closing that gap works against 1 punch or lots of punches. So when fighting conservatively, as in a street fight blocking can realistically be frowned upon.

That way you don't get caught out by that punch you don't expect as often.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

It is the issue of trying to address each punch individually. Which if they are coming at speed and numbers. You just can't reliably do.

So one punch at a reasonable range. Sure. But not combinations.

Now evasive movement, covering and closing that gap works against 1 punch or lots of punches. So when fighting conservatively, as in a street fight blocking can realistically be frowned upon.

That way you don't get caught out by that punch you don't expect as often.

I look at blocks primarily as "oh ****" tools. If the punch is coming and I'm caught flat-footed, a block buys me a bit of time to act like I know what I'm doing. The concept of blocking a flurry is, to me, similar to the idea of capturing an individual punch. It might happen, but probably only if you are doing something else to control the situation well. In a flurry, you might use an actual block against some key punches to buy some room for an entry or counter, but if you're just trying to block all the punches, you'll eventually fail and get clobbered.

 

[KenpoMaster805]

in every Martial arts we need to used inward outward upward blocks down ward block even extended we also have universal block over head block and so forth so yea block is not useless

 

[Headhunter]

in every Martial arts we need to used inward outward upward blocks down ward block even extended we also have universal block over head block and so forth so yea block is not useless

Well no you don't /need/ those blocks at all. Yeah they're good but not essential. Boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, Mma. They dont block like that and they do alright without it.

Frankly universal blocks are pretty stupid. You'll never use them in a real situation they're just there to complete categories. That's my biggest problem with kenpo. A lot of its great but some of it is completely impractical and its justified to be in there for category completion

 

[lklawson]

No it really doesn't. As we have rules that allow small gloves, no gloves and grappling. And people still don't block in the old timey boxing method.

It was viable because the standard of boxing allowed people to get away with all sorts of stuff that they cannot capitalize on in modern or relevant combat sports.

The book is obviously wrong.

Big gloves. No grappling. And yet he is predominately blocking.

You can keep claiming it, and you can keep being wrong. Ta

 

[Gaucho]

Most of those videos are much better if I mute the audio and spare myself the horrible background music.

 

[Tez3]

Maybe if blocks don't work for you, you don't understand how they're designed to work within your system, and why they're there.

or you are blocking with the wrong party of your anatomy?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The concept of blocking a flurry is, to me, similar to the idea of capturing an individual punch.

If I want to get my opponent's

- leading leg, I have to step in. When my opponent kicks me, I can get his leg without stepping in.
- punching arm, I have to step in. When my opponent punches me, I can get his punching arm without stepping in.

If my opponent moves in toward me, I don't have to move in toward him. It will save my footwork and that can be my advantage.

If I want to get my opponent's head

- When his arms are protecting his head, I can't get his head.
- When he punches me, his head will be exposed and I can get his head.

If my opponent opens his head to me, I don't have to open his guard. His punch can give me some advantage.

In other words, when your opponent punches you, that's the best time for you to move in.

 

[drop bear]

Just occured to me that you might have been referring to the parry itself being big as in over extended. If so, then yes that parry was way too big. As a rule I extend my parry just a little beyond center line, vs trying to push the entire arm with my arm. The rest of the push is done with my feet.

Yeah I wouldn't want to block a full on Mike Tyson punch. I give with punches of less power as is. I'm a big believer of not fighting power vs power in that context. If I'm lucky I'll be able to spar with my Sigung later this year, and that's the exact situation I'll be in, where I'm out powered. My game plan will be to flow with his power because there's no way my body will last if it's serving as a punching bag.

I want to be like floating tissue, no matter how hard his strikes are, I won't suffer heavy damage. I'm definitely nervous about it.

A lot of boxers tried to block his hooks and paid the price. Some people just hit too hard to try to block it. Tyson would hit a guard until it failed or until so much attention was on the guard that it opened his opponents up for an upper cut.

Yeah but you don't just stand there eating punches. Cover or no cover.

 

[drop bear]

or you are blocking with the wrong party of your anatomy?

Chin parry?

 

[Gaucho]

Chin parry?

I think an earlier poster referred to that technique as the Face Block.

I don't know how you'd say it in Okanawan.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I think an earlier poster referred to that technique as the Face Block.

I don't know how you'd say it in Okanawan.

I think it’s pronounced “ow”. I don’t know the kanji for it, though.