TKD, Karate, Rising Block (High Block) Concept and Theory Testing lab

JowGaWolf

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I will be using this as a testing lab for this type of block. The first step is to share some ways that this block is used. So if you use this block then then feel free to share how you use and and to explain how you use it (if allowed by your school). I will give some time for additional examples to be posted so that I and anyone else can explore and test it and gather information of what is working and what isn't working. This technique is found in a lot of systems so feel free to share variations of it, just add that you are posting a variation. Sometimes seeing a variation will helps to understand the original technique. I will be adding the variations that I know from the kung fu systems that I train latter on today.




 
I find it's a good way to clear their arm out of the way for a strike to the ribs or gut. It's also usually easier to grab their arm after a high block because you're in the way of them pulling their arm back.
 
Personal uneducated guess: it looks like a way to slap up the arms of an opponent in order to duck under them and deal damage.

I have a question: this seems more suited for short people that actually have to duck under the guard/arms of the opponent to deal damage. Is this technique of any use when you're taller than the opponent?
 
I have a question: this seems more suited for short people that actually have to duck under the guard/arms of the opponent to deal damage. Is this technique of any use when you're taller than the opponent?
Good question. Hopefully we'll get some people who can test that out for us.
 
Personal uneducated guess: it looks like a way to slap up the arms of an opponent in order to duck under them and deal damage.

I have a question: this seems more suited for short people that actually have to duck under the guard/arms of the opponent to deal damage. Is this technique of any use when you're taller than the opponent?

Everyone is shorter than their opponent when they have a deep stance.
 
Good question. Hopefully we'll get some people who can test that out for us.

These are things I drill every day. No testing of it required since we use it all the time.
 
If you have somebody who uses a rising block while sparring, pump fake them with a fast punch - then punch right under that block. But be nice, don't croak them.
 
The problem of these kind of hard block is it's too easy for your opponent to borrow your blocking force to against you.

- I punch your face.
- You use raising block.
- I use raising block to block your raising block. This will raise your arm a bit higher than you want to.
- You have just exposed your chest for my attack.

The raising block is different from the inside out or outside in block. At least the later stop at the center of your body. The raising block just expose your chest for no good reason.

If you

- punch while you do the raising block, it will make sense because you have closed the hole that you have just created.
- just do the raising block without punching back, it won't make sense.

Here is an example of raising block with punch. His "raising block" is more like "combing the hair", a soft block.

 
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The last video with the Black dude is good. Similar to Boxing's parrying with the elbow & forearm. I like to block body shots and front kicks this way. Against Mai Thai, it's a great way to get them to stop teeping as they're toes are hurting or could get broken.

The other videos, not so good.
 
Last 2 comments (if you jump over Rice :)) show is my issue with (karate) blocks. But I think the concept is the block is also a strike that hits the inside of arms (the weakest side) and should put you out of combat, so you cannot follow up.

Even if it was true, how do they deal with feints? Actually, one karateca (or more, but all on the same day) managed to defend against my feints and combos, being 3 times faster.
 
Personal uneducated guess: it looks like a way to slap up the arms of an opponent in order to duck under them and deal damage.

I have a question: this seems more suited for short people that actually have to duck under the guard/arms of the opponent to deal damage. Is this technique of any use when you're taller than the opponent?
You can compensate with a deep stance, but there are other ways to use it.
 
The problem of these kind of hard block is it's too easy for your opponent to borrow your blocking force to against you.

- I punch your face.
- You use raising block.
- I use raising block to block your raising block. This will raise your arm a bit higher than you want to.
- You have just exposed your chest for my attack.

The raising block is different from the inside out or outside in block. At least the later stop at the center of your body. The raising block just expose your chest for no good reason.

If you

- punch while you do the raising block, it will make sense because you have closed the hole that you have just created.
- just do the raising block without punching back, it won't make sense.

Here is an example of raising block with punch. His "raising block" is more like "combing the hair", a soft block.


I block your punch, you push my arm up higher. Now you have both arms up and I only have one. From this point, I can step behind you and shove to topple you over, because your center of gravity is very high, I can strike with my other hand, or there's all sorts of things I can do with my knees and feet towards your exposed legs, groin, and ribs.

One of the things we use it for is to set up a shoulder lock, and if you're going to bring both your arms up it's going to be even easier to bring you down.
 
For those who actually use the raising block against resistance, how do you make it work? What are the key points that make up the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful raising block?

Do you need to put power into it? If so, how? At first sight, I don't see how you'd put whole body power into it, do you just jump while raising your arm?

Edit: can you use it as an upward push in order to "uproot" your opponent?

I think these are good aspects to investigate in the test lab.
 
If you have somebody who uses a rising block while sparring, pump fake them with a fast punch - then punch right under that block. But be nice, don't croak them.

The same applies to pretty much any block, in my experience.

If you're practiced with it, you can then do a downward block to deal with the real strike.
 
For those who actually use the raising block against resistance, how do you make it work? What are the key points that make up the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful raising block?

Do you need to put power into it? If so, how? At first sight, I don't see how you'd put whole body power into it, do you just jump while raising your arm?

Power isn't really needed. You're just deflecting the punch upward. One of the things is you hold your arm at a 45-degree angle instead of a straight bar over your head. This is a similar principle to how tank armor works: they're built at angles so the bullets and shells glance off instead of going straight through.

You're not defeating the strength of the punch, but intercepting and redirecting it. Their force isn't going down, it's going straight. So when you go up, they have very little resistance against you.
 
@JowGaWolf I've gotten enough requests for videos of what I'm talking about lately that I'm going to ask my Master if it's okay if I post some. (He is concerned with the copyrights on his curriculum, so I want to make sure it's kosher before I do this).

If I do, my first few videos will be on blocks and stances. Why they are the way they are, why we train them the way we do, and how we apply them in a real setting.
 
If you have somebody who uses a rising block while sparring, pump fake them with a fast punch - then punch right under that block. But be nice, don't croak them.
I just talked to my wife today about that. If you raise too soon, you get punched. If you raise too late you get punched. There's a lot of holes in it. Ive been successful with it in the past but only as using it as an attack. Hopefully we'll get some videos of people explaining their approach. I don't doubt the technique, I just think there are many who aren't using it correctly.
 
For those who actually use the raising block against resistance, how do you make it work? What are the key points that make up the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful raising block?

Do you need to put power into it? If so, how? At first sight, I don't see how you'd put whole body power into it, do you just jump while raising your arm?

Edit: can you use it as an upward push in order to "uproot" your opponent?

I think these are good aspects to investigate in the test lab.
Good questions.
 
In DaveB's video, you see an interesting application of the block as what we would call a "check" in Kajukenbo: you strike upon entry then use the block to control your opponent by maintaining position and contact, jamming his arms, unbalancing him and making room for the next strike.

But again, the name of the technique is jodan uke, which means upper "reception" so I'd like to see how it fares as a means of receiving incoming force.
 
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