Block, then counterattack.

 

Even that is basic. A more advanced student will simultaneously block and counterattack.

Even that is basic. A more advanced student might not block at all. If a punch is coming, he might simply punch the attacker in the face before the attacker's punch can land. Blocking is slow. Even the fastest block is not as fast as a swift punch. Sometimes we divert the attacker's punch with our own punch. He misses and we hit him in the face (or wherever we desire).

The more advanced a student becomes, the less he relies on simple blocks.

But at a very, very advanced stage, a student might revert to blocks to destroy the attacker's arm. This sounds very severe, but actually it is very humane. Which is worse, a broken arm or a broken neck? Can you imagine the damage an expert would cause if he hit an attacker in the face? A broken arm is much more humane and should stop the fight.

My good friend and senior Sensei Pat Nakata once told me about an incident. A guy ran up and tried to punch him (I'm leaving out the details that led up to this, but it was not Nakata's Sensei's fault). Nakata Sensei punched the guy in the head and knocked him out. While he was unconscious, a policeman came. Nakata Sensei started to explain what happened. Without warning, the guy regained consciousness and jumped up. He was ready to continue the fight and had no idea that he had been knocked out. Fortunately, Nakata Sensei and the policeman talked him down. Actually, the guy was impressed when he realized that he had been knocked out by such a well known Karate Sensei.

But the point is -- he wanted to keep fighting. Being knocked out did not permanently injure him (he probably did lose some brain cells). He could have kept going.

But he probably would have been unable to continue if his arm had been broken. And that would have been more humane. If he had been able to continue, he could have been killed. (Also, he certainly picked the wrong person to mess with.)

Why you block will shape how you block. What are you trying to accomplish?

In the dojo, someone punches and you block. In the real world, it is not so simple or nice. My Kenpo friends often say that the fight isn't over if the attacker is still standing. When you block, are you thinking of simply stopping or avoiding a punch, or starting a process leading to the destruction or incapacitation of the attacker?

Block and counter should not be thought of as two things. They are parts of the same thing.

Just something to think about.

Respectfully,

Charles C. Goodin

on simple blocks.