From Blocky to Circular Movement - A Simple Form Drill

[dancingalone]

Gotcha,
I guess I worry about what is the focus and at what point. A TKD arm bar executed works perfect. It still blocks and drops the person using hard linear lines. A HKD/Aikido version would block and create a circular force down almost a vortex. Two different ways to move and do the same technique and both work. I just think its awfully tough to get both right at the same time.
Now a Black Belt in Either style who has it down can then see the core technique done differently and then learn to do it in the new manner but its a lot for a color belt to take in while working on one style from either side of that fence.

I think some of the boundaries between hard and soft actually don't exist outside of ideal training situations. Let me give a small confined example to illustrate what I mean.

Consider the down block so prevalent in the beginning kata/hyung of the Itosu-based systems like Shorin-ryu or Shotokan karate or Tae Kwon Do. It's all over the place right? So it must be a good idea to use it as a hard counter to a roundhouse kick, right? Turn your hips into the block for the power and DESTROY the kick with your block. Well, it sounds good in theory but I think most would agree that it's actually a fool-hardy tactic to try to take on a full power round house kick with our forearm, even when it's augmented by our body weight. Strong power vs. even stronger power is usually a bad idea when the forces meet on the same plane with opposing directions. I would prefer instead in this situation to circle away from the ideal striking point of the kick and allow its power to dissipate before blocking or redirecting it. The drill described is a primary illustration of training for this scenario and while it may be a soft application, it is nonetheless the only viable one compared to a hard clash between forearm and leg. I believe this is still TKD.

Now if your style like Goju is to blur the lines then thats a whole new ball of wax but lets be honest its not TKD and its not Aikido its what you have found works and now want to teach. Not saying thats so bad either : )

Well, it's definitely not aikido. I do think it is Tae Kwon Do, however. We have to remember there has been a whole lotta stuff that has fallen under the TKD name since the fifties. Some of it has been more comprehensive than others. I myself am trying to recreate a TKD reminiscent of what I believe the Korean martial art prior to and during the Kwan era was. This means a striking based art where the use of the hands probably were primary to the use of the legs and given the widespread practice of judo then among Korean martial artists, there was undoubtedly a very good understanding of using distance and circularity to gain advantage even when the attacker is standing toe-to-toe with oneself.

 

[dortiz]

Consider the down block so prevalent in the beginning kata/hyung of the Itosu-based systems.

You can do that same block and move off slightly and then gather up the leg. Then sweep etc. Still in what I call hard style. I think thats similar to your description. Circular and soft would blend more and pull the kickers energy into that circling.

Again similar techniques but a circular/soft stylist would do it a little different. Again its about how you set your foundations move and use each others energies. Both are totally effective yet different ways to to it.

I dont think soft equals more hands than hard, I agree that TKD has let its hands techniques fade and commend any teacher that that preserves that value.

 

[dancingalone]

You can do that same block and move off slightly and then gather up the leg. Then sweep etc. Still in what I call hard style. I think thats similar to your description. Circular and soft would blend more and pull the kickers energy into that circling.

Again similar techniques but a circular/soft stylist would do it a little different. Again its about how you set your foundations move and use each others energies. Both are totally effective yet different ways to to it.

That's the eventual goal. I do want to teach some of those concepts to my TKD students. This drill along with others will seed the idea and introductory movements.

I think the different approaches can be reconciled eventually as I begin to teach more and more of my 'new' curriculum and I receive both direct and indirect feedback from the students. I am carefully monitoring the progress of my students and I am more than open to making changes as needed to further the goal of producing good martial artists. The beauty of this is that I have a laboratory of sorts in my TKD class with the students as willing and engaged participants.

 

[Cirdan]

Downward "block" eh? I call it my personal nutcracker. :hammer: