Blocks

The Japanese word for blocking techniques is uke (literally, “receiver”). This rootword is also used to describe breakfalls (ukemi), because blocks are much like breakfalls; you don't stop the opponent’s techniques, you receive them. An attack is just a gift of momentum -- a malicious gift -- but a gift. Accept that gift -- take that momentum -- and then take it somewhere else. We don’t care where the opponent’s attack goes, or what it does, as long as it misses you. This is why Goshin-Jutsu typically foregoes the “hard blocks” of other karate styles; our blocks are more like “aggressive parries.” We focus more on redirecting an attack and closing in, rather than standing our ground and bruising the attacking limb.

Karate is only to be used in extreme situations where someone is in real danger of injury or death. For this reason, there is no first strike in karate and the opponent must always be the belligerent party. This is why every karate drill, and form begins with a blocking technique.

A plethora of techniques to block, parry, and ward an opponent’s attacks are listed below. Remember that blocks are most effective when they are combined with a simultaneous evasion. Evasions are defenses; blocks are insurance.

• Cross-body block
• Rising block
• Downward-fist block
• Shutō block
• Ude uke
• X-block
• Grasping block
• Pressing block
• Ridgehand block
• Hammerfist block
• Scooping block
• Kakiwake uke
• Crescent kick block
• Nami-ashi uke
• Knee block
• Punching block
• Thumbknuckle block
• Kakutō uke
• Sweeping block
• Chūdan uke
• Wedge technique

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