Open Hand Blocks

[joesteph]

My art is a non-contact one, and while the closest one can come to real life is by sparring, the dictate is non-contact. When I last sparred, I used open-hand techniques consisting of slapping down, or to the side, punches thrown by my opponent, and when kicks were delivered, I used open-hand blocks with more thrust against them.

Although the punches need not even be blocked--they are not going to make contact; they are going to fall short by about six inches--I still keep my hands up in a high guard, like a boxer, so as to keep training to protect my face and ribs. Kicks fall short as well.

When punches came in that sparring session, I did not wait for them to reach the climax of their power just short of my face; instead, I slapped them rapidly, during the movement from his firing position and my face, and frankly, it was without much effort. When kicks came, due to the distance he was from me (to launch the kick but come up short--non-contact), the blocks were at the apex of the kick, with no harm done to my hand.

My instructor admonished me.

When I learned the use of open-hand blocks in the past, it was not only to parry but to redirect, and I would also try to intercept the attacking leg, but within the movement, not at the apex, possibly catching it. I believe this is trapping if going further.

How do you feel about open-hand blocking techniques? Do you believe they have a genuine value, or that they are really useful only on odd occasion? Do you redirect when sparring, or do you feel that that's only done in self-defense drills and have little application other than knowing this aspect of the art?

Edited September 20, 2008 by joesteph

[ShawnMiller]

Using open hand parries and redirection is very practicle, the only thing I like better than that is to destroy the arm are leg that is attacking you.

I have to say though non contact, not even light contact? There is no need of blocking or redirecting anything that is not going to hit you. That teaches you to block attacks that are NOT REAL. Futher more that also teaches that attacker to strike to not hit the target! If you are after fitness thats ok, but if you are after practicle self defence or fighting move on.

[Truestar]

I was doing this a bit this morning. Each Saturday we advanced guys come in a do some sparring and grappling above the norm in class. One guy who has been training with us recently did more Olympic style TKD and showed me this. It definitely is great for sparring in class, I don't know how tournaments would take it though.

I find the hardest part of doing this is remembering what to do afterwards. Instead of moving back you should move to the side, that way you have a better way of counterattacking immediately after blocking. Once I learn to start perfecting the technique I'm positive it will come in handy.

[tallgeese]

Most, if not all, of my parries are open handed in nature. This firstly creates less tension in the arm. This allows for faster motion to intercept.

Secondly, it tends to lend itself to redirection and parry rather than hard blocking. when used in conjunction with body motin, this is much safer as a rule.

Also, it allows for easy grabbing of the offending arm once the parry is conducted. This way, you can more eaisly instigate a joint position of some sort.

Keeping the hands open also keeps your arms more fluid for striking and allows for faster strikes from your guard position. It will also tend to let you get off eye gouges and such very well.

Just my thoughts on the matter. I rarely keep a closed hand for a block. The only regualr exception is a closed fist if i"m doing a boxing style block fo a hook punch close to the head.

[doug_kissaki]

I have to agree that almost all real blocks are done open handed.

Many people miss the point of the techniques that we learn as rising blocks, forearm blocks, and down blocks are not actually blocks at all. In fact, the hand/arm movement just prior to the "block" is actually the block. What many consider the block in a controlled dojo environment is actually used after blocking the attack to further deflect the attack, strike, or unbalance the opponent.

[joesteph]

Each posting so far seems to build on the other. The open-hand block, as I gather from the responses, is practical and versatile. I have to admit that the block I like the least is the traditional down/low block against a kick; I think that I'm chancing fracturing my forearm/wrist.

[doug_kissaki]

Again, using this technique simply as a block is not effective. It is virtually impossible to stand in place and use your arm to block a leg unless you are much bigger than your opponent.

If blocking a kick you must shift your body out of the way.

The "down block" is very effective as a bread from a grab or even a throw.

[tallgeese]

I try not to block kicks with extened arms. It is a great way to get them hurt.

Lower line kicks should be blacked by the legs themselves. Midle kicks, picked up by the elbows. Head high kicks, yes have to be covered by the arms. I still prefer to simply use movement to evade, but we all know that plans do have a tendency to fail you during a real altecation. Covering with the foremarms here is generally the way to go. I do use a tight pattern to do so however. This protects the arm better during the block.

[joesteph]

I have to say though non contact, not even light contact? There is no need of blocking or redirecting anything that is not going to hit you. That teaches you to block attacks that are NOT REAL.

I hear you, Shawn. If someone is sparing in a non-contact dojang, as I am, the closest s/he can get to training in blocking, IMHO, is by open-hand blocking.

You do have to "reach" for a punch, as stepping in may mean walking into it, but it does give you a reference point for practice, especially if you can block while the punch is in motion, not at its climax.

Kicks are more difficult, especially since you may want to move in while blocking, but there's extra length to travel because that kick is non-contact, meaning its apex is already at least half a foot away from you. The best open-hand block may be, say against a roundhouse kick, the opponent's knee (as I've watched on an Expert Village Aikido video), but that means moving in. Walking into a kick isn't on anybody's To-Do list, but you don't have to reach for the kick (as opposed to the punch I described, above) to practice an open-hand block; a drawback is that you're blocking at the apex of the kick, not quite the same/as effective as slapping down a punch that's in motion. Open-hand blocking against a roundhouse kick, though, if it can be at the knee, I think gives you a greater chance of trapping that limb with the free, non-blocking, arm.

[James Bullock]

I do not advocate using the forearm or hand to block any type of kick. There is too much potential for breaking the hand or arm.

I tend to use interception, jamming, evasion or utilizing my legs to block an incoming kick.