Defensive Strikes and Parries
This is a better way, in
English, to describe the actions we are undertaking. The English terms, normally
used, tend to be exclusionary and not correct enough. ‘Block’, is normally
defined as “to stop”, leaving out an important ingredient of the movement. We
define it as meaning “to attack and redirect an incoming weapon” and ‘Parry’, to
mean, “to redirect an incoming weapon”. The Japanese
“Uke”
means a more realistic “to receive”.
Blocking Strikes
By adding the word
‘Strike’ with ‘Block’ we are attempting to bring the name of the technique more
in line with the normal definition. In reality, it matters not if the hand is
open or closed during execution of the movement. When the hand is described as
closed; it is for training purposes.
Inward:
Movement of the arm, is from
the outside of the body towards the inside (centerline). Arm is bent 90° at the
elbow, the hand is closed, wrist is straight and shoulder height. The arm moves
45° forward, impact is on the ulna with the forearm at a 45° angle, elbow one
hand’s distance from the ribs. When on impact, the arm twists, it is called an
Inward Twist. The Inward Circular and the Inward
Circular Twist are the same as the
above two; except, the arm doesn’t stop and continues to move the same direction
in a circular manner. The 45° blocking strike is executed by
the arm striking downwards at 45°. The
hand stops at solar plexus level, arm horizontal, elbow on the ribs. The
Reverse Inward has the elbow up
(pectoral muscle height) and the hand down. The arm is vertical, parallel to the
centerline. If the hand remains on the hip or in a front pocket it is called a
‘Wing Strike’.
Outward:
Movement of the arm, is in a circular motion from the inside (centerline) of the
body towards the outside. The arm is bent 90° at the elbow, forearm at a 45°
angle. The hand is closed with the wrist straight and shoulder height. Impact is
on the radius, elbow is one hand’s distance from the ribs under the hand. The
Outward Twist is the same as above; except, on impact the arm twists in the
direction of travel so the ulna intercepts.
Same as the Outward, the
Outward Extended
moves forward 45° at a 45° angle, the wrist is about shoulder high, elbow,
approximately, two hands distance from the ribs, and no longer under the hand.
the arm twists in the direction of travel with the
Outward Extended Twist.
and the Outward Upward is identical to the
Outward Extended Twist; except, the arm moves upward at a 45° angle; the
elbow is slightly above the shoulder; hand is above the head. The
Outward
Circular, in all its variations, doesn’t stop and continues to move the
same direction in a circular manner. The Double Outward, also, has many
variations.
Both arms move at the same time. Sometimes they cross. When they don’t, as in
the ‘Wedge Block’, neither crosses the centerline
Upward:
The closed hand, palm in, wrist straight, in a crescent motion,
crosses the centerline to the opposite shoulder then continues upward, 45°
forward, elbow down. Over the head, on impact, it twists (distributing the
energy of the strike along the arm from the radius to the ulna), elbow moves to
the outside and straightens out with the wrist on the centerline (redirecting
the weapon to the outside of the body). The arm rebounds; and, returns to; bent
90° at the elbow and shoulder, forearm at 45° angle, over and in front of the
head. The Upward Circular blocking strike is the same as above;
except, the arm doesn’t rebound and continues to move the same direction in a
circular manner. In the Double Upward, both
arms move at the same time. Sometimes, they cross, as in the ‘X’ block.
When they don’t, they don’t cross the centerline.
Downward:
Movement of the arm is downward and outward from the inside
(centerline) of the body towards the outside; traversing the solar plexus plane.
The elbow straightens inline with the hand at impact, the ulna absorbing the
blow, one hand’s distance from the ribs. The hand is closed and centered on mid
thigh.
The Downward Circular, in all of its variations, tends to inscribe
a 360° arc. A prime example: after completion of a Reverse Inward the arm
circles, palm out, 360° to a Downward Straight blocking strike position.
The reverse twin to the Outward Upward Twist is the Downward Extended
blocking strike. The arm is
45° forward, elbow approximately two hands distance from the ribs; no longer in
line with the hand, bent, and pointing to the outside. The
Downward Straight
has the arm 45° forward, straight at the elbow, and moves
from the outside of the body towards the inside (centerline) Palm in or
Palm out. The
Double Downward
blocking strike uses both
arms at the same time. Sometimes they cross as in the ‘X’ block. When
they don’t, they don’t cross the centerline.
Parries
Are executed in the same manner as the majority of the blocks. I don’t need to
bore you by repeating the descriptions covered in the
Blocking Strikes. Instead, I will cover
those movements that are different or not found in the
Blocking Strikes.
Inward:
The Inward Brushing is like
the Inward; except, the hand moves forward for the intercept; retracting,
it ‘brushes’ along his arm redirecting it to the opposite shoulder. The
Inward Downward parry ‘presses’ his arm down to solar plexus height. The
hand is 45° forward, forearm parallel to the ground, elbow bent 90°, one hand’s
distance from the ribs. The Double Inward parries use both
arms at the same time. Most of the times they cross. The Lower Inward
parry moves below the solar plexus; intercepting with the palm, fingers pointing
down, elbow on the ribs.
Outward:
Outward Brushing like the
Outward; except, the hand moves
forward for the intercept, then, “brushes” along his arm, as the hand retracts
to the shoulder, redirecting the arm past. With the Outward Upward
the arm moves upward at a 45° angle and is nearly straight, The elbow is
slightly above the shoulder; hand is above the head, using the Reverse Knife
Hand. The Outward
Downward parry is limited by
height constraints to a narrow zone extending from the pectoral muscle to the
solar plexus. The arm moves just like the Outward; except the hand
circles until the forearm is parallel to the ground and forces his arm to the
outside of the body at solar plexus height.
Upward:
Movement of the arm, is from the outside of the body towards the inside
(centerline). Arm is bent 90° at the elbow, the hand is open, wrist is bent at a
45° angle. Contact is with the palm. The arm moves at a 45° angle upwards; as
well as forwards, to redirect upwards, with the forearm at a 45° angle, elbow
two hands’ distance from the body. Could, be called ‘Inward Upward’.
In the Circular Upward parry, movement
of the arm is along the centerline, straight up, circling 360°, the arm, itself,
is straight, until 15° past top dead center. Usually used against the outside of
the incoming strike. The Upward
Downward
Outward parry is the continuation of the Inward Downward
parry motion to the outside of the body. The elbow is head height and the hand
is palm out, pectoral muscle height,
45° forward.
Downward:
The Downward Outward
parry is used when the incoming strike is below solar plexus level. It is
executed in the same manner as the Upward
Downward
Outward parry. The back of the hand may be used.
Palm:
Is used along the centerline
to intercept and stop a push. The fingers are pointing upwards. The Downward
palm’s arm is slightly bent, and moves down the
centerline to below the groin.
Crane:
The wrist is bent forward,
hand in a Crane position. Also known as a ‘Scooping’ parry. It is
used to redirect and catch the incoming arm or leg in conjunction with many of
the parry variations. The Crane Hook, or ‘Hooking’
parry, is the exact reverse. With the wrist bent back, the back of the hand
is used to ‘Hook’ or ‘Scoop’.
Combinations
Double:
Combines simultaneously the Downward Straight blocking strike
with the Inward Parry. After the two elbows meet, the arms continue in
the same direction with the parry arm becoming a Downward blocking strike
and the other arm becoming an Outward blocking strike.
Manji:
As you step back, both hands move to the front pectoral muscle positioned
vertically; front hand on top. They simultaneously block as you pivot to a
fighting position; the front arm Inward
blocking strike and the rear arm Downward blocking strike.
Trap:
Simultaneous
Inward Twist
blocking strike with the right and
Inward Parry with the left, stopping and pinning his incoming weapon against
the blocking strike’s forearm.
Folding:
Like the Trap except; the
Inward
or Inward Twist blocking strike is
delivered to the crook of his elbow ‘folding’ his arm.