Do You Block?
Goju-ryu karatedo clip
Look at 1' 38" to 1' 58" of the clip. Look at how the karate sensei blocks the punches. Do you block like this in your aikido practice? I have seen my aikido teacher blocks as such. I have seen even Kancho Shioda blocks like this against tanto yokomen-uchi attacks in his videos. Do you think it is good to develop this skill in your aikido practice. If not, why not? Thanks for your opinion. Boon. |
Re: Do You Block?
Not on a first date... We had a very large ex-goju guy in the dojo for about a year, fun to practice with and hard to hurt who did use the same blocks. Effective, but never too sure whether to incorporate them or not.
Yes, a decent block is better than the more standard "block with body/face" that seems to creep in because people think their body movement is sufficient and neglect basic defense. However, blocks have a tendency to make things quite static and remove any of the flow to ride on - unless they're done as well as that instructor managed which was more of a deflect than what I'd normally see as a block. So, possibly just a terminology thing, but I prefer deflect, blend or lead to block - but anything that protects my exquisitely chisled features is not to be sneezed at. |
Re: Do You Block?
No, or at least I try not to.
IMHO in Aikido it is better to "blend" with rather than "block" against. |
Re: Do You Block?
Ushiro Sensei teaches an Okinawan style of bujutsu. Sanchin kata is one of the five katas taught. His "blocks" are more akin to the perfect blending that we try and achieve in Aikido. I frankly find his "zero power" execution far more devastating that what I observed on the that video clip. His teaching have certainly propelled my Aikido and budo to better levels.
Marc Abrams |
Re: Do You Block?
I practice both soft deflections and more direct, penetrating blocks. Each of them have their uses. I only do the more direct "attacking the attack" type blocking with a few students who don't mind the pain involved in being blocked this way. Generally, I teach my students to deflect rather than completely halt a strike.
|
Re: Do You Block?
I think that the type of block done against yokomen uchi is done with different timing than the one in the video. When I do that block, I enter to catch the uke early and unbalance him. In the video, it appeared to me that the technique was dead as soon as the strike hit the block.
I have also done other blocks that move uke, making a space for me to enter. Blocks can also be done after a strike has been avoided to prevent uke from recoiling or moving in a certain direction. Blocks in Aikido are to me, not purely defensive, but are done dynamically with correct timing to affect the position, balance, and flow of energy of the attacker. Depending on how one wants to execute a technique, I find that these blocks may or may not be necessary; as I mentioned before, they are not done for defensive purposes. If one has good tai sabaki then the attack can be avoided without any contact at all. |
Re: Do You Block?
The block is a good block, but does not look aiki to me. I can do the same with almost zero effort. Unimpressed.
|
Re: Do You Block?
To block means to stop to me. No aiki.
|
Re: Do You Block?
Boon and I come from the yoshinkan tradition, where the word used is yoke, as in ayate yoke (cross hand block), and yoke comes from yokeru, to avoid.
So no, I would not interpret what I've been taught about blocking to mean stopping, and yes, I would consider what I've been taught to be VERY aiki. Best, Ron |
Re: Do You Block?
Quote:
|
Re: Do You Block?
blade against blade
bone against bone both is crap. It's only right if you like bruises... |
Re: Do You Block?
No. I think it teaches wrong proprioception. I trained like this for years and I am still working hard to overcome those bad reflexes.
On a different note, I see alot of things that they are doing well, but also alot that I used to do that I don't agree with anymore. |
Re: Do You Block?
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Boon |
Re: Do You Block?
Quote:
Quote:
But let's try: Basically, your arm is totally relaxed - but almost in position - and when the strike approaches you energise your arm by extending it slightly and hit the strike. It should look like a block, but it is infact a hit. If you do it direct, then it is a hit/block - and takes no efort at all. The harder he hits you the more it hurts him - as long as your timing is perfect. If you do it within circular Aikido movement then, it is still a kind of hit (but less of a block because you moved). This is not what they do in Karate. Oh, and this hit/block is forward - like in Aikido, not sideways - like in Karate. |
Re: Do You Block?
I prefer not to block, assuming the term "block" is defined as absorbing the power of a strike by me arms, without movement. Blocking is the last resort, in the sense it is an inferior response, but, in some cases, blocking saves one from absorbing with face\head body ...
I do not know the Sensei in the video, but in his blocks, I seemed to feel something more then a mere block. Note the loss of balance on the part of the person being blocked, and the "minor" rotating and deflection being done with the block. In a sense, this opens the topic of the difference between "blocks", " deflections" and "attacking the attack early on", each has a role. I must admit I did not get the same feeling from the punches at the end. but watching without sound, I was not sure at all about that section and its connotation Amir. |
Re: Do You Block?
Everytime I block Sensei I ended up on my knees because he does a counter technique to me. He repeats to me that a block gives him something to work on and that is wrong. He showed me a couple of weeks ago that if I want to block I need to concentrate on Uke center so that the block turns into an actual attack towards Uke.
|
Re: Do You Block?
Quote:
The block is complete "aiki" because you are taking uke's balance and redirecting his striking power to the outside. I do it forward and to the side or just to the side - it doesn't matter much. From what I can tell the instructor in the video is doing the same movement - he is moving into the strike, turning his wrist/forearm out at the point of the strike, and taking ukes power. Spike |
Re: Do You Block?
I'm not kidding - 30 secs is possible for most people as it is totally natural. All they have to do is see/feel it.
|
Re: Do You Block?
Quote:
Quote:
|
Re: Do You Block?
I didn't think there was such a thing as "blocking" in karate. What is commonly referred to as a "block" in karate is usually referred to (in Japanese) as "uke" - i.e. to receive. ;)
|
Re: Do You Block?
The karate teacher doesn't just block. If you see the clip carefully, you can see that the teacher is rotating his forearm and hit the attacker's forearm slightly at the impact timing. It's not only parrying but also blocking. Then the attacker feel very acute pain. The more powerful attack, the more pain.
Maybe 30secs. is too short... but 1min is enough to catch this idea once you see it. 30 secs. is just for 'Catching' the idea. Of course, you have to spend some time to apply it in real situation. The karate teacher is applying the idea in karate block. In aikido, this kind of technique can be applied to irimi and even in tenkan. But, I bet many teachers will never like it. :) ps. I learned it from Rupert many years ago(1999 or 2000??). he he. |
Re: Do You Block?
I have trained with Rupert in the past and distinctly remember the class where he taught us the particular block/parry/extension whatever. I don't know if it was thirty seconds, as I don't generally run my stop watch during classes, but it did not take long to pick up what he was showing us.
I trained with Rupert over the past 10 or so years while we were both living in Korea, and if we were not separated no by more than 2/3rds of the world, I'd still be training with him when I could. He is an outstanding teacher and one of the major influences on my aikido. So if you happen to live in New Zealand, take the time to seek him out.... Regards, Joe |
Re: Do You Block?
Quote:
|
Re: Do You Block?
:D I was wondering if anyone was going to catch that one...You're very clever....;)
|
Re: Do You Block?
Quote:
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:41 AM. |
Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.