Blocking exercises?

[ShoriKid]

We have a couple of blocking drills that we do, or at least I've taught before.

First one starts with you and a partner face in either horse or same side (ie. both in right leg forward) power stances. Measure your distance with a punch so that you will just hit them if they miss. Then one side iniates and will throw a series of 3 reverse punches at the stomach (chest works fine too). The defender will use use inward chest block, outward chest block and a sweeping high to low block, alternating hands. As soon as he completes the low block, he fires his own three punches.

It builds reaction and timing on the first punch, sensitivity to the movement once you've made contact, and the reaction to fire back after that last punch.

The Uke waza drills we did were partnered as well and pretty formal. Facing each other, again at a measure of a punch distance, the attacker would throw a series of punches, or kicks, aimed at one target from a moving stance, usually up right natural stance. Head, chest/abdomin, groin(belt knot for safety) were the targets. The defender worked a fixed defense, ie. rising head block, for the entire series. You worked to one end of the deck, stopped, made a formal, mirrored turn and went back up the deck in a new attack/defense pairing. The more advanced you were, the harder and faster the attacks were coming. It was also very important that the 'attacker' actually throw the punches and kicks so that if the block missed, the defender could be hit. Of course, control was used, but if your learning to defend against an attack that wasn't actually coming at your head, it screws up your timing and all the angles for when they really are flying at your face. you'll also learn at some point, why that the blocking hand already up and about to chamber down as the other comes into place drops into the center line!

These drills taught you much of the same as the first one. Timing, distancing(some of the stances had to 'slide' to keep the distance right) foot work and timing. As I said, as you advance, the speed, and power of the attack will increase. As your skill increases though, while the speed of the block will increase, the power your using will decrease. It becomes about timing and technique. You'll refine the subtle twists and deflections of a block.

A final one to mention here is what we refer to as a block/check/strike drill. Start in a lose, up-right stance. One side iniates action with a straight lead{assuming left lead to start for purpose of the description}. The defender will shift to off angle slightly to the outside. As you shift, the right hand will come up, usually open palm out toward the attacker, and 'block' deflect the attack off line toward your left. The left hand will then come in under the right, in the tradtional motion of a chest style block to 'check' the attack. This takes it further off line and keeps you in contact with the attacker. Firm, but supple preasure is applied so you can maintain the contact and read the attacker's movements. As the check comes into play, the right hand will strike, either from point of origin or chambering slightly, which again follows the motion of the traditional chest block.

Once you've done this a few dozen times to get the feel for it, start alternating back and forth on each punch. The drill will then advance to block/check/striking on the inside of the attack etc. There are multiple variations, but it would take forever to put into text what can be shown in a few minutes. I can do a more detailed description if you want via a pm.

I'm looking for some youtube video, but not really finding them right now for what I'm looking for, sorry there.

Now, there you have a few drills we do, descibed(albeit not very well), but for free. We do some others, but those are the basic ones that you can build on.

[Throwdown0850]

Thanks Shori Kid! thats a lot of info!