Triple Blocking, the drill

 

 

A very good way in increase your speed as well 

as the power of your blocks,

Is with this short two person drill.

This may seem like a little thing,

 but I have found it is the little things

Which make the greatest impact in the long run.

Where today kata punches are most often delivered 

to the solar plexus,

There is every reason to believe they were delivered 

high, middle and low.

For example the kata Jion utilizes strikes to the head.

My original instructor used to do a self defense demo 

where he started

By striking to the head, the solar plexus and the groin

In rapid succession.

I am sure the part of the theory behind such striking 

is a way to use the over load principle,

 so many strikes so eventually one of them will get through.

Then training with Tristan Sutrisno,

I discovered this was a section of a two person set he used with his classes.

 

Using an extract of that set, this uses the 3 strikes and 3 appropriate blocks.

 

Attacker

1. High Punch

2. Middle Punch

3.Low Punch

 Defender

1. High Block

2. Middle Inside Block

3. Low Block

Where the three strikes alternate hands for each strike.

The blocks are all done with the same hand.

Sort of like Zorro did leaving the sign of the “Z”

.

That is what you should think of when performing the block.

And of course the attacker and defender then reserve their roles.

As the drill is performed,

They move faster and faster.

Making each technique remain crisp.

Avoiding the tendency to get sloppy.

It is very east to become to soft to handle speed increase.

 

 

Tom Lewis using the triple strike in a self defense demonstration.


The next steps -

At first the drill is done stationary, 

without movement.

The next step the attacker t

akes a step forward and delivers the strikes.
At the same time the defender takes a step backward 

and performs the blocks.

Again the next step the defender takes a step forward 

and performs the blocks.
The attacker takes a step backward and delivers the strikes.

Then take any kata.
Replace the strikes with triple strikes.
Work to perform it with speed and power.