Open vs. Closed Hand Blocking

[joesteph]

I prefer the relaxing feel of an open hand (by "open hand" I mean a loose fist with fingers curled and thumb touching the side of index finger).

This is interesting, Ed. I tried this as an alternative to a "true" fist years ago when I took TKD and was cautioned against using an open hand (with fingers curved). I was shown this hand position by one of the black belt instructors, after her husband wanted me to use a fist to block--or not block the kicks at all, but move away.

It's actually an effective block, harder than the open hand I was using to redirect kicks, but its real use seemed to be blocking with power, and when my finger joints hit the incoming kick, it hurt the person I sparred with. That's when I went back to open hand with curved fingers, but I always remembered this hand position, as it didn't involve the wrist bone, wasn't actually a hammer fist, and I couldn't smash my thumb against the shin as the thumb was pulled back as you described, touching the side of the index finger.

[ninjanurse]

When I spar, I tend to close my fists a lot. But for Combat Hapkido and DT training, I find them opened up a lot more for trapping and such. I do think that open hand has more options available for follow up.

I agree...it is about the options for follow up and the intentions of the situation that dictate which to use. Students will get more skilled at determining this as they gain experience but until then set drills and predetermined scenarios give them food for thought.

[bushido_man96]

For everyone in LE professions, the open hand works out nicely due to the heavy emphsis on controlling with minimal force rather than beating into submission.

Well, there's got to be a downside to every job .

This is true. Open hands look a lot nicer in court, if things happen to show up on cameral.

[bushido_man96]

When I spar, I tend to close my fists a lot. But for Combat Hapkido and DT training, I find them opened up a lot more for trapping and such. I do think that open hand has more options available for follow up.

I agree...it is about the options for follow up and the intentions of the situation that dictate which to use. Students will get more skilled at determining this as they gain experience but until then set drills and predetermined scenarios give them food for thought.

Yeah. With the TKD sparring, the opportunity to grap anything isn't allowed, and the closed hands keeps me from getting my fingers jammed up by hard kicks. However, if I could seize while sparring, I would probably open them a lot more.

[Prostar]

I would suggest that if you are going to use an open handed or closed handed block, fine, do it. Just don't do it by accident.

Make a point of training with a specific open handed technique just as you would with a closed hand. Decide consciously how you want to use which. If not, you run the risk of coming up with something in-between and ill defined.

One unhappy possible result can be to stop a roundhouse kick with your thumb. It hurts...a lot.

[Shotokan-kez]

At the start of training our students are encouraged to use closed hands for blocking, open hand is then used as they progress. I mainly use closed hands for scooping up a front kick to turn them round, exposing their back. Also i like to use a closed hand to 'jam' a block, for instance when blocking a chudan punch blocking it and countering at the same time.

I use open hands while sparring and doing freestyle, fast work. I just find it quicker and more convienient. However i do have to keep my fingers as close together as possible because i have bent my fingers back many times...ouch that hurts!

[the beast]

It all depends on the situation. If I just want to redirect the strike, or grab hold after blocking I'll use open hand. If I want to use my block as a strike to inflict more damage to my opponent I use closed fist and block hard.

[FitOrDie]

I tend to have them loose, because the only time you want to tighten your fist is right before punching. Otherwise it slows you down. However, my blocking is pretty much that of a boxer without gloves (forearms and elbows if I can), so I couldn't offer an opinion on parrying (other than it is usually ineffective in real confrontations).

[tallgeese]

Ineffectve or not really depends on how you define parry.

Some longer more circular ones might indeed less than ideal. But, I've used open hand movements that I'd call parryies plenty of times with good sucess. Granted, mine tend to be shorter and pretty much work in an explosive fashion out of a boxing position, but they are still parries as I'd define them.

[joesteph]

Ineffectve or not really depends on how you define parry.

Some longer more circular ones might indeed less than ideal. But, I've used open hand movements that I'd call parryies plenty of times with good sucess.

I remember working with Tai Chi "circular" blocks in the past, and my friend had attended a seminar that emphasized how these blocks are not actually circular.

It'll sound odd, but the path is elliptical. Its resemblance to the circle can fool the onlooker--and the student, who's forcing the circle. An elliptical movement is nearly circular, can follow the body's natural movement (you're moving your hand and arm and shoulder and hips . . .), and is the path actually taken.

Tonight, my teacher was having us redirect a middle punch in such a manner that it swung up and wound up slipping into a trap, while the other hand performed a strike. Then we altered this redirect to extend the opponent's punching arm out straight to lock the shoulder while the other arm aided in control. Neither of these moves were actually circular, but an onlooker would think my partner and I were performing circular redirects. If a colored line were drawn in the air, you'd see they weren't circular at all, but elliptical, and followed the natural movement of the body to execute the moves.