How close/compact are your “blocks”

Spartacus Maximus · Black Belt

This is somewhat difficult to explain without visuals, but with little thinking it isn’t too complex. One of the fundamental principles of ukewaza(blocking, redirecting, parrying) in Okinawan Karate is that these start and end very close to one’s body. For example the “rising/high block” starts near the chest around sternum level. In the ending position, the distance between the raised forearm and one’s head is about that of a fist’s width.

How do other systems or style approach and this principle(blocking/checking close to one’s body). Is it as widespread as it seems?

singularity6 · Pre-Black Belt

Ours are not all that compact at all, and in relation to a previous post, not all that efficient (in my opinion.)

Our high block, for example, starts off with us crossing our arms in front, to the point where you're almost touching elbows. One fist is up by your ear, and the blocking hand is down around the waist. The motion of the blocking hand comes from below the waist to above eye-level. The claim is that you're protecting your vitals by crossing (doesn't make sense to me, but that's what we do!)

Our knife hand blocks are also much different than what I see in other styles. Our double knife hand middle block starts off with our hand up in the air - blocking hand is palm in near ones ear, and the other hand is straight up overhead, almost to the point of where one is overextending their reach. The blocking hand then comes virtually straight out into a blocking position, and the other hand is supposed to make a scooping motion that terminates near your sternum.

It is of my opinion (here it goes... lower belt spouting off!

) that these excessive motions were designed for show. They do make the forms look pretty nifty!
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Spartacus Maximus · Black Belt

Indeed , “reaching” or over-extending outwards is a common mistake. Perhaps the next most commonly occurring mistake is for people to “chase” incoming attacks when attempting to block. This leaves one open and worse still, takes more energy as well as robbing the technique of power making it less effective and less likely to succeed against the momentum of a powerful committed attack.

JR 137 · Black Belt

The biggest superficial difference I see between Japanese karate and Okinawan karate is Japanese styles like to exaggerate the movements, making them very big and long; whereas the Okinawan systems appear to be very compact. The most obvious example I can think of is enkei mawashi uke, or the circular block at the end of kata like Sanchin, Tensho, and Saiha. I’ve been taught to have the arms pretty much fully extended, whereas the Okinawan stylists I’ve seen keep in very short and compact.

IMO how these blocks are done during kihon line drills and kata and what they look like isn’t relevant; it’s the application and use of them that’s important. If you use them the right way in application, it’s not going to look like either way when a punch, kick, grab, etc. comes at you. Where the strike is aimed and how fast it’s coming is going to dictate the “size” of the block. And how the karateka interprets it’s bunkai.

I’ve seen the high block/jodan uke being taught as high above the head and close, closer and further away from the forehead, etc. Some people emphasize it being further away from the head so when the strike hits the arm, the blocking arm won’t hit the head. Others emphasize in close for efficiency in movement.

I say it all depends on what’s coming at me, where it’s aimed, and how fast. I also think there’s not much point in over analyzing the block because the actual block itself is the smallest part of it - if you time it right and use correct footwork and body movement, the block is more deflecting the strike than anything else. If I get to the right spot at the right time, the “block” is pretty much pushing the strike further away, thereby giving me a bigger counter target. Far easier said than done

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Ours are very close AND compact to the body; receiving requires it to be so. We've never blocked before, nor do we plan on it ever; that's very alien to us. To us, the way we receive is akin to how a wide receiver catches a football; effortlessly natural.

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Wastelander · KF Sensei

There are times when large movements can be useful, but yes, in general, our uke-waza are pretty compact and close. I have definitely noticed a trend of Japanese styles to make their movements much larger. When I did Judo, it was explained to me that we learned all the throws in very large, exaggerated forms, because under the stress of competition, your movements tend to shrink, and I did find that to be the case. That is a reasonable explanation, but the difference is that the throws of Judo still work the way they are intended if you do them larger/exaggerated, but the uke-waza of karate don't, typically.
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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

When I teach the "blocks," I teach to keep the arc of travel to the endpoint in a tight arc. Middle blocks have the arm at about 90 degrees. High blocks finish like yours, a fist width from the head and a fist width above the forehead. Down blocks finish no more than 6 inches above the knee.
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