Defense Form: Movement 1- Double block and Palm Thrust

Hello, everyone and welcome back!

Today we are looking at the first movement that features in the Defense Form. The nice thing about blocking and striking moves in forms is that they are at least obvious. You can easily see what they were meant to do and are not really open to other possible interpretations.

Well- at least here you are getting the discussion from the creator of this form, so you really don't need to exert yourself trying to guess what I was doing. I'll tell you. 

When I first took up Karate I have, like many white belts, learnt to block a punch and then to counterattack. That was basic practice and prearranged sparring drills for you. Later on I found out the hard way that landing a block did not always put you in the clear. In free sparring situations your opponent does not come at you with just one punch. In fact, he does more than just punch then...

As I always did back then, I went and done some research. It was a while until I found a book on Freestyle Karate in our local library (I really wish I can remember who the author was because that book has had a huge influence on me. Well- I was 17 when I found it...)

This was where I have learnt about the effect of blocking across someone's centre line. I have found out later that the centre line is also very important in Wing Chun, but I have first learnt about it from a book on Karate.

Thing is- many schools of Karate don't really care to teach their students about the centre line and their weaker students have extra trouble finding a chance to hit back when they are under attack.

The principle is simple. The centre line is an imaginary line that runs vertically from between a person's eyes down to between his legs. If you block a punch in a way that it is deflected away from your opponent's centre line you have one more hand to deal with. If you however manage to beat an opponent's arm across his centre line you obstruct that other hand and you have a chance to counterattack.

Like many katas that I have seen before this one starts by blocking and countering to the left. Most of the katas I have seen starting with a block and counter have only one block and then the counterattack. I have realised that these forms will train you to smack away the first hand that comes your way and immediately follow up with an attack. This approach actually works in many instances, but will also have you walking straight into a punch in a fair amount of cases.

So- I decided to train myself to notice when I am blocking against the inside or outside of my opponent's arm. If I block against the outside of my opponent's arm I would immediately follow up with a counter-punch as I know that the other hand is shut off for a brief moment.

If I block against the inside of my opponent's arm, however, I cover the other hand with my free hand before I counterattack. 

I seem not to be the only one who thinks like this as we find double blocks in many of Karate's katas.

This is also why Wing Chun teaches its students these 8 basic defense positions.

We know, however, that fights are unpredictable at times and you won't always be able to close up your opponent's centre line or you might find that you need not worry about that other hand if your counter is quick enough. Still- it is a good principle of which to be mindful. 

From a Japanese martial arts point of view this move is an example of go no sen- attacking after your opponent's attack has been spent or diverted. In next week's post we will have an example of tai tai no sen, but with distinctly Chinese Kungfu techniques.

Until then- train hard and stay well! :)