Opinions on the straight blast

[kengar]

It's a technique not religion as my WC sifu said. We had guys that loooved the SB. Sifu had two of them spar a TKD BB who was in the class. Spinning back kick got one and a leaning side kick got the other when they tried it. Sifu had set them up and we learned a good lesson about focusing on any technique too much.

As stated above, if you're taking spinning back kicks there is too much of a gap between you and your opponant to initiate a SB. And you just don't start a blast at any given time. Get your first punch in, and if you see it snapped their head back or was solid and forced them off balanced to the back foot, then use your forward drive.

[Nutz]

As Mike_Brewer concluded, you have no business initiating the SB until after a good solid hit which has interrupted your oppenent (off balance, in pain, whatever). Remember, you take what you can get. If the SB is there, then take it. If not, then do something else. For me, I follow the Vu method of Blasting off a good shot to get into HKE. It works. As for a defense, I've seen two: Backpeddling/running away, and falling down. That's it. Period. If you do the SB as described here you will not be countered. Human physiology says so and experience has proven it.

I read a thread today that was discussing this same subject and found a funny article online about how to "defend" against the SB. The author's ideas were pretty baseless as what he assumes what you'll be contending with is not an appropriately applied SB. It should go without saying that if some yahoo just starts throwing punches at you, regardless of their speed or succession, and its not in the proper range, you'll have a variety of tools at your disposal for dealing with the situation.

[HtTKar]

The author's ideas were pretty baseless as what he assumes what you'll be contending with is not an appropriately applied SB.

Excuse My naivity, but what exactly is an appropriately applied SB? If it truly is just the opponent throwing left foot - right cross, right foot - left cross as the opponent is moving forward, how would that be any harder to defend against than any other technique? As long as you dont get trapped walking straight backwards like an idiot, you're in no less of a problem than you were to begin with.

Is a straight blast really just moving forward while throwing crosses?

If so, wouldn't it be too easy to duck sideways while putting your leg behind theirs, (faking a grab) and stand up moving forward into their waste, throwing them completely off balance?

again I think I am just missing exactly what the difference between a SB and a right-cross/left-cross combination.

[DJColdfusion]

Excuse My naivity, but what exactly is an appropriately applied SB? If it truly is just the opponent throwing left foot - right cross, right foot - left cross as the opponent is moving forward, how would that be any harder to defend against than any other technique? As long as you dont get trapped walking straight backwards like an idiot, you're in no less of a problem than you were to begin with.

Is a straight blast really just moving forward while throwing crosses?

If so, wouldn't it be too easy to duck sideways while putting your leg behind theirs, (faking a grab) and stand up moving forward into their waste, throwing them completely off balance?

again I think I am just missing exactly what the difference between a SB and a right-cross/left-cross combination.

I know we have several pages already and it may be difficult to read through, but you should read some of the previous posts about application of the straight blast.

Essentially, the straight blast is applied in a very narrow area of applicability. It is essentially a combination of right and left crosses (basically) but it is only applied when your attacker/opponent is reacting to a "desctruction" (elbow spike to opponent's cross, knee spike to opponent's round kick, whatever). In that split-second that your opponent is recovering from your destruction you utilize the straight-blast to move into clinch range.

[DJColdfusion]

Ithe straight blast is applied in a very narrow area of applicability.

I don't know about anyone else, but I find this sentence highly entertaining. "Applied in a very narrow area of applicability." What the hell does that mean? How about "The straight blast has a very narrow area of applicability."

Thanks

[DJColdfusion]

DJ:
Geez, man. You'd think your wife was an editor or something.

And the saddest thing of all . . . Yes, my Masters Degree is in English.

My saving grace, at least here, is the fact that my Wife and Mother in-law (both teach English on the Collegiate level) have no idea how to find this forum.

[mfern31]

Straight Blast fact!

I've been in about 20-30 street cronfrontations in the last 15 years. Straight Blast is useless.

[Hermosa]

Wow..bold statement..but its cool. 30 streetfights is alot..are you ok? What technique would you reccomend?..and how did you manage to get yourself into trouble So many times. Man, thats crazy..the universe must have it out for yu or something.

[HtTKar]

Thanks for the explanation. I am going to try this and see how it works.
We'll see how it goes.

[Nutz]

I've been in about 20-30 street cronfrontations in the last 15 years. Straight Blast is useless.

Knowing first-hand the effectiveness of the SB in real life fights, I'd say you probably need to reevaluate your training of your tools in general, and their expected application for a real life encounter. And another thing, to average 1.3 to 2 street confrontations a year for the last 15 years says volumes for your wisdom and/or character.

However, just because the SB is one of the most effective tool I've got, I do understand that it may not be that great for you being as everyone is different. But for you to say it is useless is a 100% fallacy, proven time and time again by hundeds (or even thousands) of its successful users.

[mfern31]

Mike,
I know what the SB is ment for when and how to use it. I just feel that the SB along with other JKD teachings just simply dont work in a street situations. I grew up in a pretty bad area where you were either the aggressor or the victim, and I also was a bouncer at some pretty rowdy bars/night clubs that would explain my many violent encounters. I'm not a violent man these were just times where it was me or them. I love JKD concepts and its phylosophy but, like I've said before it worked really well for Bruce Lee because he train so intensely, most people dont ,I also think that JKD is alot more complex now than Bruce intended it to be. Bruce believed in simplicity, speed, formlessnes,strengh. If you look at some Kali or Silat technics they are anything but simple and would seem hard to pull of in real situations specialy in early stages of training. I also believe in sparring and alot of these technics you cannot practice at 100%. I dont believe that a technic can be learn to be deployed accurately and effectively by merely practicing carefully on a willing apponent. It takes 3000 reps for your body to learn the mechanics of any technic and be efficient at it. Most instructors cover 2-3 technics every week, and in a 1 hour class its hard to get 3000 reps in. One of the reasons I left my JKD academy was no sparring. They dont introduce sparing until phase 3 . If you were a bouncer you know half the battle if being able to take a punch, if you dont spar you wont know what your made of.

[mfern31]

Forgot to address certain people.

Nutz,
You dont even know me to speak of my wisdom or character so dont speak unless you have and inteligent arguement. Can you say you've been in that many streat fights to know what realy works, what about any seriouse competition. Do you even know what the SB is really called and where it comes from?

Hermosa
My experince has led me to believe that good Boxing and Thai Boxing (MUAY THAI) skills and some grappeling skills such as Ju - jitsu is what really works. All these arts are present in JKD. JKD fighting stance is a bit different than Boxing and Muay Thai, But works well , you just have to get used to fighting southpaw if your a righty and vise -versa. There are also a few kicks special to Bruce Lee's style that are worth learning. Just keep in mind that by disecting different styles even JKD itself and extracting whats really works is infact the spirit of JKD.

[brokenelbow]

The SB has always been a mystery to me.

It's been a while since I chased JKD but isn't the straight blast a method of closing and putting foward pressure on the opponent? I agree with mfern31 that the guys that use it well put alot of effort into it. But if it takes alot of effort to develope wouldn't something simpler be better? I've seen average JKD players, ( I was below average ) during sparring have their straight blast stopped by low front, side and back kicks and overhand rights. Granted they started too soon and went too long with the SB but those things seem to be common among many of the JKD guys that I've met.

...If we happen to separate from our opponent while we are landing these shots we could possibly put in a low line kick, blast again, and catch up to him. If we can’t we start the whole process over again.

Demi Barbito (1999) http://www.pfs-stx.com/pubs/straightblast.html

I like Demi's work but that sounds like a lot of effort, dangerous and to me would be fighting over winning. But I could just be missing something.

http://www.kerwinbenson.com/straightblastdefense.html

[Nutz]

Demi Barbito (1999) http://www.pfs-stx.com/pubs/straightblast.html

I like Demi's work but that sounds like a lot of effort, dangerous and to me would be fighting over winning. But I could just be missing something.

http://www.kerwinbenson.com/straightblastdefense.html

There's that Kerwin Benson bunk again. I still don't see what's so difficult to understand abou the SB. Look at the Vu tapes that Mike recommended. Everything you need to know about how to employ it *properly* is right there.

mfern31, you are correct. I do not know you. However, from your earlier post I got the impression that I know your type. However, I was incorrect in this instance as it seems the bulk of the referenced encounters came as a result of work, and not simply getting jumped on the street as many of mine were. From my profession I've encountered many individuals that fight a lot more than they should be because of personality traits, training, mental grooming, and old fashioned poor judgement. As for the history or origin of the SB, well, that's just not relevant. One doesn't need to know the history of the sun or how it works in order to use its light to read a book. The truth is for all to see. In my opinion, if you can understand this then you can understand the simplicity of what Bruce was trying to convey.

Here's a bit from Demi's article that could probably use explaining...

Remember, we have already made one good shot as an entry and now we are doing the fifty yard dash down our opponents throat. He’s been hurt and now he’s going backward, totally off balance, and we are firing a
thousand shots a minute. Head buts, knees and elbows by the dozen. If we happen to separate from our opponent while we are landing these shots we could possibly put in a low line kick, blast again, and catch up to him.

Think of the entry for the blast from, say, a good cross. Think of that cross as the first punch of the blast and that you're already into it. All you're really doing is continuing the shots in a flurry after a good hit has already been dealt. Whether the hit is a punch, kick, whatever is irrelevant so long as if can be "borrowed from" to gain on the opponenet and it has broken their balance enough that the following shots can be delievered. Once into it, the opponent is on his heals trying not to fall over backwards, typically flailing the arms around or ducking the head. Its at this point that the HKE elements of your arsenal can be delivered. This is where the saying (to the effect) that nobody ever practices their fighting art while running backwards or falling over. And that the exact result of the SB you should be looking for. If you happen to close the gap and get into HKE, then so be it. If you create a gap and end up needing to deliver some kicks to close in again, then so be it. That's what its all about, being adaptable and able to flow from one range to another and back again.

[mfern31]

Exelent point!

perhaps the origin of the SB is not important, but the SB was meant to be powerfull blows. Like you said after an initial strike its used as a transitional attack to keep your apponent off balance in order set up for onother strike. I dont like beating around the bush I belieave power strike after power strike. Most guys I've dealt with you dont want get that close to others you give then one good blow and they smile at you. I'd love to see these videos your talking about, are they video's of actual combat situations where SB is being used? Because I'm not interested in a intructional video of "How To" I want to see the SB in action.