properly blocking

[rhoonah]

An important thing to remember is for one hand to always cover. If you block with your right hand, then your left should come back to center. That allows the left to block a potential 2nd strike.

Try not to over commit to a block, because you are no longer nuetral and your opponent can use that against you.

Block with speed and strength. Also use your legs. I like to lift my lead leg to block kicks when sparring. This allows me to keep my hands on guard and I can counter with fast kick if I just lifted my knee to block a roundhouse, for example. Also it can psyche an opponent out to hit your knee with their shin.

Move your body as you block... the 2 most fundamental ways to avoid being hit is to block it, or move offline. If you do both at the same time, you increase your odds of not being struck.

Look at your opponents torso and find ways that they telegraph their intentions... a move of the shoulder, leading with their head, shifting their weight, etc. These things can tell you what they are going to do.

Purely my opinions...

[h2whoa]

Your body should be conditioned enough that a block is a strike!!

[MATX1]

Every time you block in a kata or form, visualize the attack. Make sure you don't waste your efforts doing dead kata, visualization is the key to maximizing the potential. Repitition counts, but quality over quantity any day!

[Lazyeyedhobo]

In a real fight you should focus more on your footwork when evading attacks than blocking.

[MATX1]

If a fight starts really close in front of you then you may not have room to evade. Blocking is a vital skill

[rhoonah]

Blocking and footwork are integral when trying to not get hit. When they are both implemented together, you will be much more effective in not getting hit.

[shogeri]

I define a block as: a temporary transitional action in which one person deflects, parry's, side-steps, or controls the opponent in order to gain a target zone in which to strike.

In sparring, use enough force to redirect the strike.

Or you could try a parry or sidestep.

Why waste energy and or time trying to hit power with power, when your purpose is to win by points?

Time is the most valuable resource in tournament or sparring matches.

For that matter it is important out on the street as well, since fights should not go on for long periods of time, as this invites too many variables into the equation.

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However, on the street, those blocks should actually be a concentrated effort to debilitate your opponent.

It is actually okay to strike at limbs in order to cripple your opponent.

A smart opponent wants you to just block, that way, they set you up.

Your main focus is to not do what they expect you to do, or that they lead you into doing.

Conditioning yourself to 'make a block a strike' is one thing. However, you shouldn't have to condition your exterior structure in order to 'take a blow' while simultaneously hurting your opponent. This is not economic motion.

A strike is a strike, but it needs to be directed, with purpose, and intent.

Focusing on either manipulating a target range, or creating a target, another.

Forcefully open up or close your opponent. You do this by redirecting their center away from yours.

Remember all movement is telegraphed in some way or the other. Train your mind to constantly realize this one concept.

Side step along with a slight body pivot away from range of the strike is usually the first step in avoiding strikes.

Step in and follow your opponent from that moment on.

Be prepared for the opponent to follow through with a second strike, mainly by striking immediately after their strike is deflected or avoided.

Be thoughtfully aggressive in your attempt. That is use intention, not fear, as your primary anchor.

Do not spar or fight to just do something or to pass the time.

Spar and fight ~ to win.

Then learn something from it as you go, or using hindsight.

Expect to get hit. But do not welcome getting hit.

That is, especially, do not use the 'duck, cringe, run" technique.

Also, do not get trapped into the routine of the One-Two Method either.

That is 1) the opponent strikes, and 2) you block.

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Keep both hands up and out, with one partially in the front of the other. Keep moving your hands ever so slightly. This makes it harder for them to know when you are going to strike.

Do not bring your hands to close t your body, as this encourages trapping, and or jamming of your hands up against your own body. And of course, do not fully extend them out either.

Do not swing your strikes down. Coil and then spring (or pounce) upon your opponent with a strike, thus quickly bringing your hands back into place using your waist, and by slightly relaxing your shoulders back down, etc.

Use circular and V-Stepping patterns around and toward your opponent.

Do not stand and deliver blocks and punches as done in kata or when doing basic blocks, strikes, and kicking drills.

That is ~ be both offensive and defensive - while on the move.

Visualize yourself striking through your opponent.

The moment they start to move in, you move in. Keep your guard up, and already have a target picked out. Not their back, not their butt. Not their upper shoulders. But an actually target.

If you can't get see it, then it's not an immediate target. You may have to open them up (or close them) first.

It's okay to test the water, and see how hot or cold it is.

That is on occasion you will want to test for their reaction time, speed, and direction. Though it is a test strike, always strike at something tangible, and with meaning (intent).

I do agree with many of the posts here, save for some minor things regarding blocking for blocking sake.

I agree that footwork is the most crucial aspect of sparring, along with relaxation of your mind and body.

You must pull from the deepest part of your brain, and turn on the animal instinct within you, that is based upon survival.

You can't do this if your mind is cloudy.

You can use legs to block lower leg strikes, just remember to turn your waist, and slightly pick up your knee pushing it away or absorbing the blow. Most of the time you can just avoid the kick.

Never back away from a kick. Nine times out of ten this is a setup, for you to get hit with another kick or hand strike. Step in and or under a kick, and or move it yourself, by redirecting it.

Remember if you pivot your opponents strike, they might follow through with another spinning strike.

Full or partial kicks to stop other kicks is a waste of time, energy, and takes away from your true purpose, and that is to move in, redirect their center, and strike. Continuously, with meaning, and with rapid motion.

Again, there were many great posts!

Hope mine are helpful...

[/i]

[DN]

"Remember if you pivot your opponents strike, they might follow through with another spinning strike. "

Had one of my front kicks knocked away the other day, came through with a sweet spinning backfist

Lots of people dont think about using their legs to block other kicks, I saw a 4th dan stop a roundhouse kick with a front kick and deliver his own roundhouse to the other guys head.... a very impressive sight!!!

[Goju_boi]

While all of this great advice I do have one question for everybody.In my dojo we don't do low kicks, but I still want to know how to defend against them.How would I go about doing this?

[lgm]

While all of this great advice I do have one question for everybody.In my dojo we don't do low kicks, but I still want to know how to defend against them.How would I go about doing this?

It depends on how low the kick is. If the kick is directed below the knee, then you can either shift your leg/foot away (side step or move back your leg), and evade the kick, or you can block the low kick with your foot or lower leg. If the kick is to the groin area or inner thigh, then a downward block may also be used in addition to the defenses I suggested for below-the-knee kicks.