Open blocks

 I recently post on lain Abernethy’s forum about one of the issues of using large blocking movements. In this article I am going to expand on the ideas presented in that post.

 People who study bunkai and application to the forms movements are usually in agreement that many of the movements labeled as ‘blocks’ are in fact something else. The reasoning behind this is very sound. As an example ‘San Makgi’, for this movement to be a used as a block we have to have a very specific situation and also be confident enough to block 2 attacks at the same time. 

Clearly, when we take some movements as blocks we run into a few problems. However, there is one more problem that is worth discussing. That is one of natural movement and mindset. When we are protecting ourselves or in a state of panic and fear, we tend to make ourselves small and be in a tight position. Our hands come up tight round our head to protect ourselves from whatever is coming towards us. 

Even if we are prepared for an attack this can happen. If we look at MMA competitors or boxers, who are in a highly conditioned and in a high state of readiness, they will still resort to bringing the hands up in a protective posture rather than blocking each individual attack. This is a natural defensive movement and as such is very difficult to override. Especially when we are not prepared for an attack.

Now if we take this into consideration and then look at the blocking movement in many of the patterns, we can see that the exact opposite is happening. We are extending our arms and infacting offering ourselves less protection than the more natural position that our body wants to adopt when under threat. We can see this clearly in the openg positions of many of the patterns, Do San or Joong Gun for example would have us in fairly open postures in response to an incoming attack. 

Now you can make the argument that the movements in the patterns represent ideas and the ‘openness’ of the movements is there just for demonstration purposes. However, I don’t feel this has much validity as the amount we have to change the movements to make them practical would render the original movements useless.   

I have stated before, but it is worth repeating that I feel in many cases the cross hands ‘chamber position’ is  a much better defence. It is closer to our natural flinch response and puts us in a better position to grab limbs and execute counter attacks. 

I have written before how that can be seen in Do San, but we can also see it in Yul Gok with the middle forearm block and even the low block in Chon Ji can be better applied in this way.

Are there times when an extended block may work? Yes, of course there are, but as well as the movement we have to consider the mindset required for that movement to be effective. To be that open and to move forward into an attack we have  to be aggressive and have some degree of confidence.

This of course goes for other movements as well. Whenever we train we need to consider the not just the technical and physical aspects for a technique but also the mindset required to make the technique work. Mindset itself is something that we need to spend time working on but that is for another article.

San Makgi – The most misunderstood ‘block’ in Taekwondo

I mentioned in a previous article that Do San was the most hated pattern in TKD, but how it contains some very strong applications. The same can be said for san makgi. When teaching Toi Gye, it is difficult for new students and teachers to go through the section of the pattern with 6 san makgi in a row with a straight face. The movement looks so odd and unmartial, I have heard it called may things, cowboy walking, space invaders, this silly move, and many more things.

The mainstream application, to defend a kick or a punch, has a lot of common flaws in it, and generally leads instructors and practitioners to view it as an exercise to work the hips.

In an effort to give it some martial validity, some teachers present this as a forearm strike with a block and even a kick added. I have a few issues with this particular interpretation.

Firstly, you are changing the basis of the movement. When executing san makgi we are driving both arms,  and one leg with the hips at the same time, of you change it in to 3 movements, a kick, block and forearm strike then you are changing the way that the movement is being performed. You can read more about my views on movement variance here.

Also, why a forearm strike, it seems a fairly impractical attacking weapon, when a knife hand would be much more effective and in keeping with the attacking tools that are represented throughout the patterns.

Even the kick seems like a little bit of an afterthought when I have seen this being demonstrated it always seems cramped and uncomfortable for the person demonstrating the kick. Techniques, as a rule, should never looked forced or uncomfortable.

So, my take on san magki is a little different.

Going back to a recent article I wrote on stances and applications, I suggested that sitting stance is mainly used in tripping and throwing movements. This is exactly what I think san makgi is.

What is seen as a kick, is actually stepping over/round the opponents leg. We are aiming to have our ‘kicking leg’ land either in front or behind our opponent lead leg, depending on the orientation of the opponent, either facing towards (leg behind) or away from you (leg in front). This puts us in the position to throw our opponent over our leg.

Our arms are going to be used to pull the opponent over our lead leg. The back hand on the opponents arm and the front hand on the body. Again it depends whether the opponent is facing you or facing away from as t where your hands are.

The hip motion brings the movement of the hands and feet together at one time, planting the foot as we pull our opponent over

Of course to do this we have to gain position, this s the reason for the repeated movements in the Toi Gye pattern., as the opponent moves back to avoid the first attempt then  they open themselves for the second, front to back, or vice versa

 

To complete the sequence we have another misunderstood move, doo palmok miro makgi. If we use the application above, then the purpose of the ending block is easier to understand.

If the trip is done to the front, then there is a danger of it not having much effect, more just unbalancing the opponent. They can easily just get back up and continue their attack. Doo palmok miro makgi helps us to maintain the dominant position by wrapping the arm and helping us locate the head of the opponent.

With this application of the technique I believe that there is less changing of the movement from thr way it is presented in the patterns. Making it a stronger use for the movement rather than changing everything to make it fit the block punch system. As with everything else, the techniques cannot be taken on surface understanding, they have to be trained and adapted to the person and situation only then can it be included into a personal system

I realise that explanations of techniques are sometime difficult reading. I am hoping soon to make some video demonstrating the various application that I have discussed here.

Until then I hope that you enjoy my discussion on the various techniques.

 

Happy Training!!!