Blocking kicks and hook punches

[Snarlin Stef]

hi all...

i have a questions for some of the more experienced fighters here.

when i block low kicks i lift my leg and intercept the kick with my shin. when i get kicked above the waste (but below the armpitt) i usually absorb the kick with my arm (elbow if possible). that is where I have the problem. Is that the proper way to block hiigher kicks? It seems that even by absorbing the kicks it wears me down. What is the proper way to block a round hous kicks above the waste?

I have the same problem with swooping hook punches. My headgear is such that it is hard to see hook punches with my periferal vision. thus I end up "absorbing" hook punches with my arms. wheras straight punches i can parry or block/intercept with my gloves. What is the proper way to block large swooping hooks?

it seems that absorbing round house type kicks and hook punches with my arms works... but still eventaully wears me down... especially vs heavier set or stockier people than myself.

please advise
stef

[jules]

Well i won't call myself an "expert" but i will try to help you...

when i block low kicks i lift my leg and intercept the kick with my shin. when i get kicked above the waste (but below the armpitt) i usually absorb the kick with my arm (elbow if possible). that is where I have the problem. Is that the proper way to block hiigher kicks? It seems that even by absorbing the kicks it wears me down. What is the proper way to block a round hous kicks above the waste?

Well, when i was doing blocking drills with a guy who was 6~7inches taller than me, he told me to block with my shin straight and not at the usual 45% angle.

I have the same problem with swooping hook punches. My headgear is such that it is hard to see hook punches with my periferal vision. thus I end up "absorbing" hook punches with my arms. wheras straight punches i can parry or block/intercept with my gloves. What is the proper way to block large swooping hooks?

Dude as long as your head is not getting hit i say it's ok. Besides you will block alot of straight punches with your arms also...

[JP Prideaux]

If I have enough distance and i see any kind of mid-kick coming my way I just step back and 'sweep' it away with my hand (the Kyokushin fighters do this a lot). If its up close and I get a kick coming to my higher midsection I'll trap it with my arm - get the other hand behind their neck - swing them off balance and the pound their base leg and then either push their head downwards for a jumping knee OR I push them away into a high kick.

If im a bad mood and not in any frame of mind for technique I just throw them to the canvas after ive trapped their leg and hit the other a few times.

[Damian Mavis]

If you block torso aimed kicks with the arms and your opponent is wearing shin guards, it will hurt and wear you down but it's doable. If you block a full contact shin kick with no protection with your arm you can easily lose the use of that arm for at least the rest of the fight. It's good practice to force yourself not to block with the arms.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[Snarlin Stef]

ok... i agree... then what do you do to block them then? its not always practical to parry kicks... especially if you are in close enough or if the kick comes in fast enough and you are already tired.

so what to do? i guess its time to bust out the UFC replays

[Damian Mavis]

I'm sorry Snarlin I thought you knew the other option. You shield with your shin, just like a leg kick but raise the knee higher. If a full contact shin kick is coming at your torso and you can't get outta there or move to the side and trap it (hopefully minimizing the impact as you do so) you raise that knee and shield for all you're worth.

I personally make a wall with my shin and forearm (with my elbow meeting my knee and my hand up by my face) because sometimes I'm just not fast enough to shield high enough and the impact hits right above my knee at my elbow which hurts but not as bad as taking it in the softer part of the forearm and tricep. I'm thinking if I was faster on the reflexes for torso level shields I wouldn't have to make that wall... but the bonus is I am blocking my head at the same time so if I misjudged the target I'm pretty much fully covered.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD