Clinch and shove instead of blast?

[Ryu (non-working password]

Hi everyone,
I was training with a friend yesterday, and we basically worked on clinching skills during sparring. One side would put on the gloves, and go for it, and the other guy could only clinch when appropriate, etc.
As I've stated before I do not like the straight blast as much as other JKDers, but I wanted to get some opinions on this.
When I sparred yesterday, I would get past the punches, clinch, and drive my partner to a wall, etc. where I would headbutt, knee, and elbow. Obviously he can't bob or weave from this postion, and if he tries to push me off he's open for headbutts, etc.
Do you think that a clinch and shove tactic is as effective as the straight blast? It's a surprising move, the person is still "running" backwards, and if he lifts a knee to kick, etc he's going down usually. I've used this before, and I even feel it can serve the same purpose as a SB when trying to split people up in a mass attack scenario.

The only drawbacks is that you can't push crazily on a guy once you clinch because if he knows how to use the momentum to throw you he will, AND if you clinch with a guy in a two on one situation and drive him backwards to split the people up, there is a chance you will get stuck in the clinch, and possibly swarmed on.

However....I don't think the SB is a magical move in a mass situation anyway...

So what do you all think?

Ryu

[gungfuhero]

It sounds like you can use it well, so go for it. The only thing that I can think of that the blast has over the clinch and shove is that you are inflicting damage as you apply pressure. On the flip side, the clinch and push is probably easier to pull off timing wise. It's not so much a question of better or worse, but... well, you know the rest of the JKD speach

thanks for sharing the experience

[MikeJKD]

Ryu,
As always, man, use what works for you. However, since that makes for a boring, obvious, and dead-end reply, I'll give some personal insight as well.
Being largely trained by Paul Vunak, I love the blast as much as anyone out there, and have used it to great effect in both sparring and real-life altercations. In bar fights when attacked by several people, I've been able to sucker one guy and then blast through another to get myself outside the "predator's circle" more than once, and it's worked extremely well as a way to get me to the clinch without taking punishment. I've even been fortunate enough to finish a few fights with a blast (finish meaning that I knocked the guy down and ran for my life...). However, as a bouncer, I have had a lot of occasions where blasting wasn't appropriate, and had to rely on a lot of clinching and dumog to get the combatants out the door. And, as any bouncer will tell you, the second you jump into the middle of a fight, you're a target too. Clinching and moving the opponent without ballistic tools can work well, and I have probably had more real fights that I clinched and DIDN'T hit than fights where I blasted, so is it effective: Resoundingly, yes. But, the reason I know that is because I have had to fight under the constraints put on me by the boss-man and been prohibited from hitting, and as we all know, when you're under pressure, you will try your best to make even the stupidest shit work. Left to my own devices, however, I'd blast (in some form... not necessarily a jik chun choi straight blast, but throwing a lot of straight shots and rushing forward as the bad guy goes backward...) whenever possible, because comparing the two strategies, I've been hurt less when I hit than when I didn't.
Bahala Na,
Mike

[pfsjkd]

Ryu,

We call what you're doing the 'crash'. We don't blast much here, although it's taught.

The crash can be applied very much like the blast. The drawback as was mentioned before, is that you're not inflicting damage until you get to the clinch, but an advantage is that you don't risk damaging your hands on someone's hard head.

As for the multiple attacker scenario, you can crash and shove effectively, but you must use situational awareness to prevent getting inbetween attackers. You don't always have to shove straight backwards. In fact, we're taught to continuously move your opponent (push forward, push to the side, pull forward, pull to the side, etc.) keeping them from establishing a base (or countering your direction of movement) while employing HKE. Therefore I believe it's possible to manuever your opponent inbetween you and other attackers. If they're able to pull away from you, you just crash with the next closest person (assuming you don't have the chance to run).

[Water Dragon]

Ryu,
You, my friend, have just discovered the Hsing-Yi mentality.

[Twisted up]

I CERTAINLY feel the blast "works". However, using it against someone in your own gym who is familiar with it is another thing. Especially if that someone is familiar with YOU using it.

I was always taught to create pressure when clinching though being carefull not to get thrown yourself.

The concept of pressure on your opponent is a basic one that works. If you're pushing someone backward, they're not going to have much in the way of offense.

Seems like common sense, just try and work the blast when your opponent least expects it. Plus, you must sprint in when blasting. No other way is going to work.


John