No blocks in Karate?

[infinitehand]

I know it's a loaded question so please fire away.

Someone unexpectedly throws a ball, a wad of paper, a rock, whatever at you and instinctively you throw your hands up or move. Same when a rock hits the windshield on the highway, there is a very low chance of the rock coming through the windshield yet we flinch any way, why? Becasue the human body was designed to protect itself.

Why then in Karate, do we spend decades practicing foreign "blocks" as "blocks" when we are already naturally programmed to deflect of cover up?

Yes I understand our natural responses need training too, but hopefully by now you get my point.

So my question: "Are there blocks in Karate?" I mean really.

Try not to split hairs here. I know people "modify" traditional karate blocks to make them faster or have replaced them all together. Lets look at the full motion of the technique, both hands working together.

Let's examine:

The meaning of "Uke"

The real reason for the "chamber" or Hikite

What's happening in between

What happens when you combine it with stepping or shifting.

[tallgeese]

That's a great topic you post, infinitehand.

From my martial education, I've been led to the conclusion that most "blocks" found in kata are actually part of another motion altogether. Usually a joint locking movement. Some are probably a variant of training the "flinch response", particularly the softer, open hand movements. But largely they are not "blocks".

If you look at the work Tony Blauer does with his SPEAR system you'll find it built off of the "flinch response". It makes a ton of sense and builds what he calls a "bridge to the next move" It's excellent work and well thought out. It's used by police and military combatives instructors at a widespread level largely due to it's effectiveness and the thought process behind it.

It's much easier to sharpen and train a natural response than build an artificial one to do the same thing from a less efficient look.

[cheesefrysamurai]

There have been strikes since caveman times, people using bones as clubs since the beginning of time and yes. . . . when someone feigns or tries to hurt us we instinctively protect ourselves but yes, I believe there are blocks in karate. Its not about enhancing or reenforcing instincts (IMO) its about improving upon them, and creating new superior ones.

These techniques were born, not from the knee jerk reaction when someone tries to strike your groin, but by analysis, trial and error and systematization.

My instinct pre training was not a chudan or jodan, the fact is my natural reaction often it leaves me totally vulnerable to attack - ie blocking my face exposing everything, or protecting my groin, again leaving everything but my groin unprotected. I am not thinking to defend/attack when a buddy jokingly feins a groin strike (yes i have some idiot friends), i cringe and protect.

I think there are multiple purposes to the way the karate blocks are designed. They range from protecting vital areas to blocking with proper parts of the arm so as not to get hurt, not to leave yourself vulnerable . They also may redirect so you don't break the momentum of the opponent and it can be used against them. And like said before, they are often the bridge to the next technique

I don't feel karate is an extension of our instinct,(as much as I would like to think otherwise) I believe we train as hard as we do to make it instinct.

[brickshooter]

On top of what was said about Karate blocks doubling as arm breaking techniques, etc...

The more strong an attack, the less effective a deflection becomes. And at a certain point, one has to get the forearms out there and "block." Get one of those TKD guys and have them throw a head high kick at full power. If you try to deflect it, they'll often go right through your deflections.

Anyone see the latest trend in MMA? They're starting to use the spinning wheel kick. Good luck deflecting that monster. It's like trying to deflect a baseball bat. Speaking of which, if your attacker pulls out a baseball bat, you better have either strong forearms or lightning feet.

[RW]

There have been strikes since caveman times, people using bones as clubs since the beginning of time and yes. . . . when someone feigns or tries to hurt us we instinctively protect ourselves but yes, I believe there are blocks in karate. Its not about enhancing or reenforcing instincts (IMO) its about improving upon them, and creating new superior ones.

These techniques were born, not from the knee jerk reaction when someone tries to strike your groin, but by analysis, trial and error and systematization.

My instinct pre training was not a chudan or jodan, the fact is my natural reaction often it leaves me totally vulnerable to attack - ie blocking my face exposing everything, or protecting my groin, again leaving everything but my groin unprotected. I am not thinking to defend/attack when a buddy jokingly feins a groin strike (yes i have some idiot friends), i cringe and protect.

I think there are multiple purposes to the way the karate blocks are designed. They range from protecting vital areas to blocking with proper parts of the arm so as not to get hurt, not to leave yourself vulnerable . They also may redirect so you don't break the momentum of the opponent and it can be used against them. And like said before, they are often the bridge to the next technique

I don't feel karate is an extension of our instinct,(as much as I would like to think otherwise) I believe we train as hard as we do to make it instinct.

But, why do we pull our hand behind our ear and THEN start the block when doing a shuto uke? Wouldn't we be hit square in the face by the time the hand retreats to behind our ear? Why do we pull our closed fist towards our ear before performing an ude uke?

I have never understood that. It doubles the time it take too do the block. Plus it opens up the guard. That can't be good...

[muttley]

There have been strikes since caveman times, people using bones as clubs since the beginning of time and yes. . . . when someone feigns or tries to hurt us we instinctively protect ourselves but yes, I believe there are blocks in karate. Its not about enhancing or reenforcing instincts (IMO) its about improving upon them, and creating new superior ones.

These techniques were born, not from the knee jerk reaction when someone tries to strike your groin, but by analysis, trial and error and systematization.

My instinct pre training was not a chudan or jodan, the fact is my natural reaction often it leaves me totally vulnerable to attack - ie blocking my face exposing everything, or protecting my groin, again leaving everything but my groin unprotected. I am not thinking to defend/attack when a buddy jokingly feins a groin strike (yes i have some idiot friends), i cringe and protect.

I think there are multiple purposes to the way the karate blocks are designed. They range from protecting vital areas to blocking with proper parts of the arm so as not to get hurt, not to leave yourself vulnerable . They also may redirect so you don't break the momentum of the opponent and it can be used against them. And like said before, they are often the bridge to the next technique

I don't feel karate is an extension of our instinct,(as much as I would like to think otherwise) I believe we train as hard as we do to make it instinct.

But, why do we pull our hand behind our ear and THEN start the block when doing a shuto uke? Wouldn't we be hit square in the face by the time the hand retreats to behind our ear? Why do we pull our closed fist towards our ear before performing an ude uke?

I have never understood that. It doubles the time it take too do the block. Plus it opens up the guard. That can't be good...

You are thinking too kihon based there. Get away from that, start looking at freeing up your art and interpreting the moves.

[brickshooter]

There have been strikes since caveman times, people using bones as clubs since the beginning of time and yes. . . . when someone feigns or tries to hurt us we instinctively protect ourselves but yes, I believe there are blocks in karate. Its not about enhancing or reenforcing instincts (IMO) its about improving upon them, and creating new superior ones.

These techniques were born, not from the knee jerk reaction when someone tries to strike your groin, but by analysis, trial and error and systematization.

My instinct pre training was not a chudan or jodan, the fact is my natural reaction often it leaves me totally vulnerable to attack - ie blocking my face exposing everything, or protecting my groin, again leaving everything but my groin unprotected. I am not thinking to defend/attack when a buddy jokingly feins a groin strike (yes i have some idiot friends), i cringe and protect.

I think there are multiple purposes to the way the karate blocks are designed. They range from protecting vital areas to blocking with proper parts of the arm so as not to get hurt, not to leave yourself vulnerable . They also may redirect so you don't break the momentum of the opponent and it can be used against them. And like said before, they are often the bridge to the next technique

I don't feel karate is an extension of our instinct,(as much as I would like to think otherwise) I believe we train as hard as we do to make it instinct.

But, why do we pull our hand behind our ear and THEN start the block when doing a shuto uke? Wouldn't we be hit square in the face by the time the hand retreats to behind our ear? Why do we pull our closed fist towards our ear before performing an ude uke?

I have never understood that. It doubles the time it take too do the block. Plus it opens up the guard. That can't be good...

Reason 1:

You're learning muscle memory. Whenever you perform Shuto Uke (or any other technique) during kihon training, it requires maximum contraction and extension so that your body can "feel" the technique and recall the motion.

In application in a real fight, your body will automatically adjust to the timing of the attack. Reacting to a quick strike, you hand will move little but your body will still remember to turn to apply the force.

Reason 2:

Then there's the attack version of Shuto Uke.

[lowereastside]

It depends - A few years ago I was having a conversation with a friend - he related to me that he had gotten into a fight - the person he was fighting picked up some beat up broom stick in a garbage can and swung - an over the head strike - my friend did an upward block ( right out of the Karate textbook ) broke the stick and hit the guy. and that ended it.

No blocks in Karate? I can't tell my friend that - the block probably saved him from getting his head bashed in.

Individuals really have to look deep into their art(s) - karate - Kung fu - judo -ju-jitsu .........and PRESSURE TEST to see what works and don't work for them. Your also have to go outside the BOX. Last Summer a friend of mine set up a Seminar for me in Philadelphia. The seminar had 27 participants almost half of them were Teacher(s) or Teacher level. Since they came from different backgrounds in Martial Arts - I decided on a little experiment - I went up to each one of them and started throwing jabs - a boxer(s) jab ( and I have not boxed in years ) and guess what? only 2 individuals were able to deal with it - It was a real eye opener. What works and don't work - Individuals have to find out for themselves. What works for someone may not work for someone else - and what works on some individuals may not work on other individuals.

[mal103]

Yes and No

In early traing you use them as blocks, at some point you will (hopefully) learn that they are multi purpose moves.

Think about every blocking technique, they all have halfway positions, look at the first part as potentially being the block and the latter part the response - either a stike or grapple.

Ever seen the film Bad day in black rock, Spencer Tracy played a one armed man who was attacked in a bar, he deflected the punch and then struck at the neck - a parfect Shuto Uke....

Split each blocking move into 2 steps and look at the first part. Shuto/Gedan barai both bring the hand up by the head, Inner to outer block starts with moving your hand to your opposite hip, Age Uke puts the opposite hand straight up to block, Soto Outer to inner block deflecting a punch on the way up/out.

You naturally do some of these while sparring.

Next look at the other hand when in the halfway position, it is either striking, or grabbing, or even keeping them back as you prepare to strike back.

The grabbing then brings you uchi/soto against their arm/head, Age brings their arm down as your forearm smashes upwards. Also think of Gedan Barai, maybe it's not blocking against a kick or low punch, we often use it in combinations after a Chudan punch, what do most people do after a good punch in the stomach? This puts Gedan as holding their head/shoulder while you hit them.

You can get different techniques out of a simple blocking technique.

Best thing to do is to drill them with a partner, then a non willing partner to see if you can get them to work and if they work for you.

2 other points, don't try to match them to other MAists attacks as they are not meant to be.

Also don't always assume someone is punching you in the head/stomach, most attcks start with a threat/grab/push, as the attack has already started then we can justify the next move. Always best not to be there though....

[Harkon72]

There is a philosophy that all blocks in Karate are really strikes, and each one should end the fight there and then. But in my experience, you can block to lead into another technique. The Hikate, or reaction hand can block, strike or grab an opponent; for example, with Shuto Uchi on knife hand strike, common in most basic kata, there is a Haishu block with the back of the hand as you draw the front hand to your ear; then an open hand block with the rear hand before you strike (or block) with the front Shuto Te. This is what makes Karate such a wonderful discipline - the endless variation and field for interpretation. I wish you soft and hard blocks with strikes that follow or lead. Osu!