what is the differance between a block and a strike

Some styles teach that all the blocks are also strikes do you agree or think they should be left as two different entitys

For example the shil lim tao in wing chun is all about one hand block and strike leaving you free to use the other hand and an leg if necessary he and its the first form

 

My opinion is that there are no "absolute" interpretations of how certain techniques should be used. I find that is detrimental to a martial artist's thinking.
I believe that blocks can be used as strikes and strikes can be used as blocks ... 2 for the price of one!

 

ok kickchick so what are they in wing chun its a single handed block and strike

 

ps sorry that as in simultaneous block and strike not one or the other its both at the same time can you think of a tkd example

 

i can think of a boxing example:


the cut:


if your opponent throws a jab a cut block is designed as a strike. You counter with the opposite hand, so in this case a cross would be the order of the day.


as the jab comes in you lift it up with your forearm as your cross is extended towards the target. This allows you to hit your opponent and cut his attack resulting in a block.


i am positive they can be both, in fact many jkd and lameco blocks are strikes.


the tala bartikal (veritcal block) from escrime only appears as a block when training in drills. However it is typically a strike to the hand in combat when put into action. It also has the option of stopping the stick and performing as a "true" block as well...



it's your cup of tea, drink it how you like,
joe

 

ahhh ok now so we have 2 topics one as in striking the limb coming at you and one where you block that and strike over/around.through simultaniously with the same movement can we get some examples of both...

 

I think blocking is too weak to be considered a true strike. And the more you commit to it, the less you wind up commiting to your actual attack, or, your attack comes slower, as you have to change your structure up. Also, I can think of plenty of curved-line attacks that, from a skilled opponent, would probably hurt the blocker's arm far more than any block is going to hurt the striking limb. Most of these are kicks.

 

If you block a jab & it catches the point of your elbow, was it a block or a strike?
If you down block an instep kick to the groin and your fist catches the metacarpals of the foot, was it a block or a strike?

My instructor also teaches that blocks are strikes, but it also has to due with not assuming that blocks are defensive moves.

 

Cal i geuss both are true i was told that traditional karate was designed to break whatever limb was attacking you then with the other hand kill/nockout the attacker ?
Tireces thats why i ask is it a block or strike because a block is entirly defensive and yes it can be hurt
but my first kung fu instructor 10 years ago told me to kick him as hard as possible and to continue i threw about 8 round kicks at his head and he "blocked" after 8 kicks i couldnt stand on my leg and when i went to fell down ...to this day i still have an indentation on my left shin bone from the kan sao

 

If you actually strike with such precision at a small, moving target, is it a miracle?

 

Tireces Crane and Snake kung fu (first 2 to mind though more have followed) have presure point strike blocks that are more specific than the meacarpals

 

Just because some traditional style has them, does that mean they work? Certainly not. NHB fighters would be taking full advantage of such things if they did work.

 

nhb ? ... nice hard bodie ? nice hat bro ?

 

No holds barred.

 

The fact is Pressure Points do not work the same on all people. Check the body types according to the FIVE ELEMENT theory. A fire type is weak in differant ways than an earth or metal type. the fact is that NHB sport fighters do them, they just do not underderstand the reson why thier techiques work is because they are attacking points. Even BJJ which is claimed to be this new Martail Art is teh JAPANESE jujistsu that was taght to the gracies 80+ years ago. examples:

punch to ribs --- triple yin crossing + punch to side of jaw -- stomach 5 + 6 = the boxers old 1,2

 

to add to it, when we study KATA Bunkai ( breakdown ) we say,

a BLOCK is a STRIKE is a LOCK is a THROW.

also be careful blocking kicks I am 6'3" 230 and if some tries to block a front kick with a down block things are going to break.
However a down strike to SPLEEN 6 or 7 just above the ankle slightly inside the leg does the trick.

 

Tireces;

quote:

"If you actually strike with such precision at a small, moving target, is it a miracle?

I totally agree that it is a low % shot, that is why I phrased it the way that I did. But if a block is aplied ofensively and you get the gravy, wasn't the end result the same as a strike?

 

A block can be a strike, however that's not it's main aim, a block is used to stop an attack and damage the attacking limb and/or setup an attack[rarely], if the block hits hard/damages that's an icing on the cake, but if you want to strike don't use a block - hit the moron in the nose with a punch!

|Cain|

 

We're trained to attack the incoming limb or to strike through it to attack the person behind it. In effect, both methods block the attack but their goal is damage to the opponent.

I haven't got the hang of using my legs to counterattack against an incoming kick yet so I still think of myself as a blocker in that respect.

Whilst that stands, I don't practice hard attacks with every move ie not every motion is a killer because that's not the way it's going to be on the street.. One time it might be 1-2-BANG then, BANG-2-3 or 1-BANG-BANG. And so I'll allow my counter to be soft in order to gain a positional advantage or somesuch to setup the big one.

rgds,
David

 

one of the principle I was taught is that the concepts of offense and defense are not really helpful or relevant. It's all motion... "geometry of pain"

Of course there are subtleties... parrying, trapping, etc...

We are taught how to block, but core to that is the block should inflict damage just as a strike would.