Finally found a practical application for the augmented outside block

As I stated earlier, concerning writing a description concerning the augmented block. Here it is!

In Kwon Bup, we use this block as you enter into a throw technique.

With this specific technique, the augmented hand, is in position for a quick switch grab. I would like you to understand, that I am explaining this in a very basic manner, as if we are white belts, very basic.

In the higher ranks,(brown belt) we train this from a fighting stance, with greater speed and resistance.

This explanation will be used while being attacked with a wide stepping punch. (seems to be a favorite amongst untrained fighters)

1)The attacker steps forward with the left foot and executes a left punch.

2) The defender slightly shuffles in, (if needed) left foot forward and executes a right augmented block. The defender, then hooks the right hand over the attackers left arm.

3) The defender starts to circle the attackers left arm down and across. The defender steps behind the attacker with the right leg into a horse stance- this places the defenders right leg, behind the left leg of the attacker-as you transfer the attacker's left arm to his/her right and hold it with a left hook, against defenders body.

4) The defender extends the right arm across the attackers neck and pushes back towards the rear. (from here you can throw, takedown, whatever)



There are a few variations, and the base of this technique, is from a couple of the forms we do, one of the pinans and Sipsu.

Again, just a very basic discription. But, I thought I'd share this variation.

The supporting fist on the elbow, for a push technique, is used in a different way with this throw/takedown technique.
 
I was sparring today, and figured the best way to avoid hurting my arms when I absorb a roundhouse kick is to block with me elbow. That's still not quite enough, so I put my other hand next to it as a support. As I was doing this, I realized it was an augmented outside block.

This technique has always confused me in the forms. Placing your hand to the side of your other elbow didn't really help much with the strength or leverage of a block with the hand or wrist. But it makes a lot of sense if you're reinforcing the elbow.

It works because it changes your body structure. It's not about added muscle so much as it is changing the structure that absorbs the incoming power. A standard chuden uke block requires the arm to resist rotational force being applied, if the strike is to the forearm, and the body to simply absorb the blow if the incoming force is applied to the upper arm against the body. By adding the other arm to the base of the elbow, you lock the body structure to accept the incoming force as rotational energy around the core.
 
What's good for one is not always good for another.

If I'm sparring and my opponent purposely blocks my roundhouse kick with an elbow, oh man, he' going to catch hell from me.

I agree! I was class sparring one guy who would "low block" my turning kicks.

But what he really was doing was hammer punching my toes on purpose. I told him the first time to not block my kicks because he is hitting my toes.

After he kept doing it, I got quite annoyed and was more direct. "Stop punching my toes"!

He thought it was a good move. At best it was a dirty move, akin to "accidentally" throwing a kick to the groin.
 
Re: Augmented blocks - Obvious interpretation is to provide extra power to the move and aid the defender in stopping the attack. There is another way to look at it from the viewpoint of old style traditional karate oyo, or "hidden" techniques. Guthrie broached this view in his post above recognizing that traditional katas have throws, breaks and locks (not often understood since the true meaning of katas were largely lost during the last century.) Such moves were the norm in Okinawan karate prior to 1900. (As well as after, though not taught to the general public, or to the Americans who brought the art back to the States.)

It is sometimes helpful to look at a kata's previous move and following move to help interpret the move in question. It is possible that a piece of the attacker is in the "augmenting" hand and the series is a grappling technique of some sort. Naihanchi (Tekki in Jap.) was designed as mostly a grappling form. A downward "X block" or downward double "backfist", or augmented low "block" found in several katas is often a throw or takedown after grabbing the opponent in the previous move.

A look at the Bubishi and the writings of the Senseis of old lend credence to this viewpoint and give us all an opportunity to discover new things in our martial art by imagining, analyzing and executing kata from this perspective. It puts some excitement back in those boring katas we thought we knew so well.
 
I agree! I was class sparring one guy who would "low block" my turning kicks.

But what he really was doing was hammer punching my toes on purpose. I told him the first time to not block my kicks because he is hitting my toes.

After he kept doing it, I got quite annoyed and was more direct. "Stop punching my toes"!

He thought it was a good move. At best it was a dirty move, akin to "accidentally" throwing a kick to the groin.
Your opponent is using the "metal" strategy (metal cut wood) to deal with your "wood" strategy (long reach kick). If your opponent is good in the metal strategy, his hard block suppose to hurt your kick. When your opponent does that, you need to change your wood strategy into fire strategy.
 
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If it were no rules, I would agree. But just like you can't punch to the head (WT), you can't punch toes.
Sometime the sparring rule can be misleading. Even if the rule doesn't allow head punch, but if you use your head to block my punch (this had happened so often in no head punch rule), is that your head problem, or my fist problem?

If you send inter-continental missile to attack my country, do I have the right to use my defense missile to shot your missile down?

If you throw a

- punch, your opponent gives you a hard block on your arm,
- front kick, your opponent drops his fist on your toes,
- side kick, your opponent drops his elbow joint on your instep,
- low roundhouse kick, your opponent turns his shinbone into your kick,

who's fault is it? You attack him. He just play defense and protect his territory.

In the following clip, the downward block is designed just for that purpose - to block a front kick.

 
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Sometime the sparring rule can be misleading. Even if the rule doesn't allow head punch, but if you use your head to block my punch (this had happened so often in no head punch rule), is that your head problem, or my fist problem?

If you send inter-continental missile to attack my country, do I have the right to use my defense missile to shot your missile down?

If you throw a

- punch, your opponent gives you a hard block on your arm,
- front kick, your opponent drops his fist on your toes,
- side kick, your opponent drops his elbow joint on your instep,
- low roundhouse kick, your opponent turns his shinbone into your kick,

who's fault is it? You attack him. He just play defense and protect his territory.

In the following clip, the downward block is designed just for that purpose - to block a front kick.


Using the elbow to "block" kicks on soft tissue areas of the lower leg/foot is a commonly used tactic in WT sparring. A person cannot be overt about it or will get warned/penalized.
Fighters have padding on the shin and instep and the speed of the kicks and body position greatly reduce the opportunity. A strategic thing.
Raising your leg to block a middle roundhouse is usually a bad idea as the kick is powerful enough to knock you back and off balance or knock you down. The mechanics in Olympic sparring are just very different.
 
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