A while back I wrote an article on blocking in self defense. Over the past few months I have gotten a number of questions via email concerning the best way to block in a selfdefense situation. Recently we have been filming our new Street Self Defense 101 "The Basics" DVD. Since I wanted to cover some basic blocking it gave me thought to write this newsletter today. Blocks that are taught by most traditional martial arts (excluding some of the Chinese styles) are not really very effective on the street. Most of them start from the shoulder or chamber and take way too long to really be used in combat. Also the starting positions leave you wide open for attack. For self defense I teach that the hands should be held vertically, and fairly close to the body. Most blocks should be done horizontally as opposed to up and down. Use body rotation and some slight bending to deflect and avoid direct contact if possible. Try using your hands and upper arms to deflect and block the face attacks and the forearms and elbows to defend the lower body attacks. Only dropping the hands quickly to deflect or block a low kick or an uppercut punch and then immediately bring them back up to the basic defensive position. Never reach when blocking. Try to keep the hands fairly close to the body and centered. This way you will be in position to block again or for an immediate strike. I don't believe in focusing too much on blocking in self defense. Obviously the initial attack must be blocked, parried or evaded but after that you should be attacking. If you don't immediately conter attack (and keep attacking) you will stay defensive and eventually get hit. No matter how good you are at blocking skills if your attacker is not concerned or worried about getting hit himself, you will evenually get clocked. Your mind set should not be on defending (after the initial assault) but on attacking and moving forward. The old saying 'a good offense is the best defense' holds true in a self defense situation.
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