Kata Blocks

[sensei8]

All Karate styles rely heavily on blocks. They're in kihon, kata, and kumite.

In kihon, blocks are the techniques that deter any attack. In kata, blocks are either an actual block or a deflection or construed as a throw. In kumite, blocks are treated exactly as a blocking movement and nothing else.

All kata starts with a block...Why?

Your thoughts!!

[Wastelander]

All Karate styles rely heavily on blocks. They're in kihon, kata, and kumite.

In kihon, blocks are the techniques that deter any attack. In kata, blocks are either an actual block or a deflection or construed as a throw. In kumite, blocks are treated exactly as a blocking movement and nothing else.

All kata starts with a block...Why?

Your thoughts!!

Well, I was always told that kata start with a block because it signifies the defensive nature of karate--a physical representation of karate ni sente nashi (karate is not the first strike). Of course, the thing we call a "block" isn't always really a block, as you mentioned, so it can also play into Motobu's take on the same concept--karate wa sente de aru (karate IS the first strike). Either way, the kata starts by responding to an attack in some way, which still represents the idea that we should not try to start fights but should defend ourselves from harm with vigor.

[Dobbersky]

I would suggest that this would be ALL Traditional Karate Styles as opposed to ALL Karate Styles As Mine, althought concidered as Traditional is Partially modern in concept.

Apart from a few, most "blocks" in Ashihara Karate are Soft deflections as opposed to Hard impact "stopping" blocks. I think even our Shin Block is more of a deflection too.

[ShoriKid]

I don't know there sensei8, in kumite we use blocks to deflect, entangle and if they open the opportunity, throw take down. Low blocks were put to good use clearing someone's hands so I could land a punch. Chest blocks to tangle up hands and allow me to get into very close range. They aren't picture perfect as you will see them in kata, but kata and conflict are very different things.

The more I work application do bunkai work, the more I believe that kata open with "blocks" because it is about gaining control. Stealing initiative, controlling limbs, breaking balance, all so you aren't on your heels as it were. You receive the attack, break the opponent down so they can't continue that attack and then counter.

[MasterPain]

All kata starts with a block...Why?

Because Miyagi and Funokoshi were short guys who had to counteract to get in striking range even when in attack mode???

[bassaiguy]

My grandfather, who gave me my first exposure to MA, used to say, "Sometimes you have to be willing to take a hit to get in on a guy." He didn't mean that you have take a punch to the jaw, what he was saying is that sometimes you have to allow your opponent to open himself up by taking a swing. I look at blocks in kata in that light. We're not being passive in the face of aggression as much as we are being strategic in the application of our techniques.

I also think that ShoriKid is right when he discussed the various ways that blocks interrupt and break down our opponent's flow.

Finally, many styles have historically done a lot of conditioning, which effectively turned blocking limbs into hard attacking limbs. Many schools have gone away from this. In my Shotokan classes I've added conditioning drills I've stolen from Kyokushin and Okinawan karate to emphasize this. We also do traditional Shotokan gohon kumite with contact to emphasize the importance and power of blocking.

[chrissyp]

My grandfather, who gave me my first exposure to MA, used to say, "Sometimes you have to be willing to take a hit to get in on a guy." He didn't mean that you have take a punch to the jaw, what he was saying is that sometimes you have to allow your opponent to open himself up by taking a swing. I look at blocks in kata in that light. We're not being passive in the face of aggression as much as we are being strategic in the application of our techniques.

I also think that ShoriKid is right when he discussed the various ways that blocks interrupt and break down our opponent's flow.

Finally, many styles have historically done a lot of conditioning, which effectively turned blocking limbs into hard attacking limbs. Many schools have gone away from this. In my Shotokan classes I've added conditioning drills I've stolen from Kyokushin and Okinawan karate to emphasize this. We also do traditional Shotokan gohon kumite with contact to emphasize the importance and power of blocking.

i'm new to shotokan, and i'm still undecided about the blocks (i come from a kickboxing/mma background)...have you used these block in a full contact situation? How effective are they?

[ps1]

Are they all blocks? I think they can be seen as blocks. At the same time, the gedan barrai (low defend) can also be seen as a gedan kentsui (hammerfist). It can be further broken down into prepatory movements. Prepatory movements, such as bringing the arms in position to perform a gedan barrai can be full techniques as well.

In that much, I think it's more a matter of perspective and preference.

So my answer would be, they don't all start with blocks. But surely they can all start with blocks.

[ShoriKid]

ps1 has much wisdom in his posting.

[Harkon72]

It's a fact - There is no attack in karate, only counter attack - To meet an attack, first you must block.