tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post4782646406202524554..comments2024-01-25T20:45:56.650+08:00Comments on The Way of Least Resistance: Hard blocksDan Djurdjevichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-53000845536306034022011-10-13T06:55:19.985+08:002011-10-13T06:55:19.985+08:00Hi, and thanks for reading and for your query. My ...Hi, and thanks for reading and for your query. My firm view is that shorin-based karate uses a higher percentage of torqued blocks and a lower percentage of circular blocks (there are some, but not as many as in the Naha te systems) . Shotokan is derived from shorin ryu. I think it follows that any linear blocks in shotokan should (and were originally designed) to be torqued. That is how I was Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-17596101359378469772011-10-13T01:54:41.246+08:002011-10-13T01:54:41.246+08:00Hello Dan,
As always I love reading your blog, an...Hello Dan,<br /><br />As always I love reading your blog, and as usual I feel that the time I'm investing in karate would be better invested in Australia with you.<br /><br />I come not only with praise, however, I actually have a question.<br /><br />In shotokan most (at least the basic) "blocks" are along a very linear path. Correct? That means that to make it an efficient soft Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-63763684640489119742011-08-01T07:12:04.852+08:002011-08-01T07:12:04.852+08:00What I disagree first is that a surprise attack co...What I disagree first is that a surprise attack comes from the front and thus you can even see anything to block it with the flinch.<br /><br />A surprise attack is something a person doesn't even notice, until the damage has long since been done. Assuming any surprise attack is from the front or can be seen before it deals its damage, that is what I disagree with.<br /><br />What I'm Ymar Sakarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-23059339330065769112011-07-08T20:04:00.771+08:002011-07-08T20:04:00.771+08:00Thank you for those very astute observations Refer...Thank you for those very astute observations Referee.<br /><br />I suspect you're right. I was thinking more that fighters would become conservative about being hit, but the rules are something that I hadn't factored into the equation.Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-48688264889458674332011-07-08T17:10:48.601+08:002011-07-08T17:10:48.601+08:00I’d like to give a short comment on your opinion t...I’d like to give a short comment on your opinion that we may see blocking becoming more frequent in martial sport competitions. Judging by the content of the text I suppose you’re talking about intercepting blocks. <br /><br />As a referee for jujutsu sport competitions I have to express my doubts about blocks ever playing a role in that type of activity. Blocking is by all means an indispensableRefereenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-78052197731899887972011-07-08T04:06:35.529+08:002011-07-08T04:06:35.529+08:00The idea of simultaneous attack with defense, by p...The idea of simultaneous attack with defense, by placing attack in front of defense, makes it almost irrelevant what it is called. The key point is that by combining them together, the OODA loop is made unified rather than separated than one loop for defense, another for attack.<br /><br />This is the same effect where karate forms done by internally aggregating and discarding inefficiencies, Ymar Sakarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-9631720451566399822011-07-06T20:08:03.750+08:002011-07-06T20:08:03.750+08:00Hi Sanko, thanks for your comment.
"Hard blo...Hi Sanko, thanks for your comment.<br /><br /><i>"Hard blocks in ITF TKD don't “push”; instead they “bump” against the attacking limb. Because there isn't a push, the blocking arm doesn't “roll” against the attacking arm; rather, it “spins” against the attacking arm at the moment of impact; i.e. at the moment the “bump” occurs."</i><br /><br />I agree with your remarks and Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-10276149538603879572011-07-06T13:09:05.884+08:002011-07-06T13:09:05.884+08:00Dan,
I was thinking about your comment about us (...Dan,<br /><br />I was thinking about your comment about us (ITF Taekwon-Do) probably having to block perpendicularly to the limb in order to “rotate” on one spot. Actually, very few hard blocks in ITF TKD reach the target limb perpendicularly. I can think of a few, but they are actually seldom used relative to the other blocks. Most hard blocks reach the target limb at an acute angle, usually at SooShimKwanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08864922377526465321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-76787276882876780732011-07-06T10:06:14.506+08:002011-07-06T10:06:14.506+08:00An excellent summary.
Thanks - from one life-long...An excellent summary.<br /><br />Thanks - from one life-long learner to another.Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-35363853303262574752011-07-06T09:21:36.688+08:002011-07-06T09:21:36.688+08:00Thank you. As a kyu grade student of many years we...Thank you. As a kyu grade student of many years we have always been told to put our faith in the process and that one day it will become clearer. Articles such as this start to open the door a little for me - I always wondered how we could use the chudan uchiuke in real life but Dan has shown that it is the evasion, then movement and the mechanics that are important along with setting up for theabchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03892217457677666116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-30708615574964324122011-07-04T14:37:38.983+08:002011-07-04T14:37:38.983+08:00"Did you tell the Masters you trained with in...<em>"Did you tell the Masters you trained with in Taiwan to stop disparaging karate when they asked when you were going to give up karate and go along the True Route?</em><br /><br />It is worth noting that my teachers have all been both external and internal martial artists. My first primary teacher, Bob Davies, studied karate as well as aikido, wing chun and Filipino arts. Then he Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-33613612379978994572011-07-04T14:20:03.410+08:002011-07-04T14:20:03.410+08:00I am debating forcefully, but I am by no means ups...I am debating forcefully, but I am by no means upset.<br /><br />My "take" traditonal martial arts is that they feature a <em>lot</em> of defensive movements like deflection. I do not agree for one moment that they are "attack-centric" along TFT's lines. Far from it. You would have gleaned my viewpoint from my countless blogs dealing with civilian defence, "Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-69695247645423560622011-07-04T12:44:34.953+08:002011-07-04T12:44:34.953+08:00I treat every martial art the same. If there is a ...I treat every martial art the same. If there is a flaw with their methodology, I'll point it out. I make no exceptions on this point. I speak primarily of external martial arts here, because that is the material you present the most for argument.<br /><br />I really don't see why you become upset, Dan, at my treating all martial arts equally. When you speak of all martial artists, I Ymar Sakarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-32654989795133355402011-07-04T12:41:29.925+08:002011-07-04T12:41:29.925+08:00"Let me put it to you this way: you simply do..."Let me put it to you this way: you simply don't have an "mental timeline" when you turn around to see a punch heading for your face. "<br /><br />All the deflections you have shown, the punch is far away enough that it isn't in the target area. Not within half or a foot at least. It is more than enough to see the punch coming. If a person acts (including react), he Ymar Sakarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-81893241056141976322011-07-04T12:18:47.097+08:002011-07-04T12:18:47.097+08:00"When instructors say "the block always ..."When instructors say "the block always precedes the strike", people get the idea that their first priority is the block."<br /><br />Btw, Dan, if you don't believe this is true or disagree with it, you can test it out yourself and see for yourself one way or another.<br /><br />Get a bunch of your students who are ready, but new, to the whole blocking thing you just Ymar Sakarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-19078989205483915842011-07-04T12:17:05.962+08:002011-07-04T12:17:05.962+08:00You are absolutely correct Sanko. It is only a ma...You are absolutely correct Sanko. It is only a matter of degree. I post quite a firm view on this blog because it reflects my personal preference and also because it stimulates debate.<br /><br /><em>"Since I've started to write regularly for Totally Tae Kwon Do magazine, I've started to realise that my idea of “standard” ITF TKD is not necessarily someone else's idea of “Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-49712644593664748602011-07-04T12:09:49.943+08:002011-07-04T12:09:49.943+08:00Ymar, if I can distill your post down it might be ...Ymar, if I can distill your post down it might be to something like this:<br /><br /><em>"Yes, defence precedes offence in a physical timeline. But you need to have a mental timeline that is the reverse [if that is possible - I suspect you mean a mental framework that is "attack-centric" - ie. one that ignores defence]. If you don't train with that mental attituded [ie. "Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-19737087409919256172011-07-04T12:06:51.702+08:002011-07-04T12:06:51.702+08:00A couple of people I know on the net took Rory Mil...A couple of people I know on the net took Rory Miller's seminar training. It's got an interesting flavor, from their reports and from Miller's website. I also came into contact with Marc MacYoung's website from a recommendation to read Miller's book concerning violence and police tactics/psychology.<br /><br />http://northstarmartialarts.com/blog1/?p=1776<br /><br />Person in Ymar Sakarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-79443259588854781262011-07-04T11:47:09.405+08:002011-07-04T11:47:09.405+08:00Dear Dan,
Our disagreement is only one of degree,...Dear Dan,<br /><br />Our disagreement is only one of degree, both technically (in the differences in our respective systems) and personally (in the way we understand and personally apply our systems).<br /><br />Hard blocks is only one of the four defensive techniques employed in ITF Taekwon-Do and not the one I by default prefer. The others are soft blocks, guards and body shifting—e.g. dodging.SooShimKwanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08864922377526465321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-88341579019322371272011-07-04T11:22:35.872+08:002011-07-04T11:22:35.872+08:00It got too long to be broken up in 2 or less comme...It got too long to be broken up in 2 or less comments.<br /><br />http://ymarsakar.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/block-or-attack-which-comes-first/Ymar Sakarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-21301453333064133252011-07-03T21:04:43.145+08:002011-07-03T21:04:43.145+08:00Sanko, it just occurred to me that if you're a...Sanko, it just occurred to me that if you're attacking the limb at 90 degrees, any roll might indeed spread the pain but not reduce your opponent's (because you're striking to one spot and one spot only). My strong view would be against this "force on force" method. It seems to me that this is not a deflection, which wedges into the attack at an angle and deflects it off Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-63445471039197672912011-07-03T21:00:09.584+08:002011-07-03T21:00:09.584+08:00Thanks for your comments.
While I respect your &q...Thanks for your comments.<br /><br />While I respect your "lab testing" I'm afraid I don't understand how spreading the force through rolling could do anything but reduce the impact force to the attacking limb. This is because the rolling action not only spreads the force on your limb - it spreads the force on your attacker's limb. Are you sure you aren't rolling just Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-49217919427744358382011-07-03T20:29:48.919+08:002011-07-03T20:29:48.919+08:00Dan, another "meaty" article; with, as u...Dan, another "meaty" article; with, as usual, much to contemplate.<br /><br />Two things, from an ITF Taekwon-Do perspective, that jumped out for me were (1) the general distinction you made between hard and soft blocks regarding when the torque starts (before impact or during impact) and (2) the idea that hard blocks are used to “break [the] opponent's structure.”<br /><br />1. ITFSooShimKwanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08864922377526465321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-6711981484022411432011-07-03T17:29:58.633+08:002011-07-03T17:29:58.633+08:00I agree Jo that body movement is a big part of mak...I agree Jo that body movement is a big part of making deflections work.<br /><br />In fact, body movement and evasion is essential - whether we're talking the wing chun bong sau or the age/jodan uke from karate. In each case, shifting the body (whether the whole body or just a torso adjustment or leg bend) is critical in shaping the angle of deflection.<br /><br />This is particularly true Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5135073576999431197.post-73351425466797150242011-07-03T17:27:30.175+08:002011-07-03T17:27:30.175+08:00Ymar, you said:
"When instructors say "...Ymar, you said: <br /><br /><i>"When instructors say "the block always precedes the strike", people get the idea that their first priority is the block. They don't think of it as something they need to setup in order to get the strike they wanted to get in the first place. This difference in intent produces very different training results. To the degree that after numerous Dan Djurdjevichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352771904545108503noreply@blogger.com