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Hey teachers here's one to play with. Have your students work on any pre arranged two person set. It doesn't matter what it is. Have them wait a little longer to perform their block.Wait until the strike is actually on its way before blocking. After missing many of the blocks, you'll notice how short and crisp their blocks are becoming. To be able to deflect or block the attack this way, will allow them to actually get a better look at the incoming strike. Do the block required, but just hold off slightly. NOW! teach them to use their one piece movement in their blocks. Everything beginning and ending at the same time. This allows the blocks to be very effective and strong. I've talked about this many times. I've demonstrated it many times. Now, I'd like you to teach it. Have the attacks come short of contact for safety. You will be able to detect a successful block or a miss. What you want, is for your students to explode into that block. Be very strict about waiting longer.In a short time they will become very successful doing it this way. Remember-----Nothing succeeds like success. -------Happy Trails ------Art

Worked on this last night. Try meeting the attack from all points. No pre notice of the attack. Picking up the attack and moving at the same time. This becomes easier when you have practiced "moving in one piece" for awhile. Not an easy drill, but it pays benefits. As soon as the attack is detected, the "one piece movement" explodes into that attack. As I've mentioned before, some of the blocks will not catch all of the attack. The idea here, is to at least deflect enough of the attack to get off your strike. Not all blocks will be perfect. You must train to get enough of that attack ,to be able to stop any more. When you are "attacking the attack", your attack should be almost at the same time. I posted a topic I called "The Next Level". This is going to the next level. ----Happy Trails-----Art

How long can you wait before you begin your block in kata? I've picked up tons of material to post from watching students - including my own. Something that I see quite a lot is the block beginning too soon in kata. Since you can move your hands faster than your feet - you must hold that block until your step is very close to complete. This will FORCE you to make the block faster. Coordinate your block with your step to get this done. At the advanced level, you'll be sliding through the movements, coordinating the slide and block. Too many actually block nothing. Meaning, the block is not done at the exact moment of the attack. Granted, it is kata. However, it should take on the appearance of reality. I'm speaking of the "one piece" movement. Everything ends at the same time. That foot and blocking hand finish together. This makes that block very crisp and strong, because your entire body is involved in the block. I have drills for this one piece method. This will move you through the kata smoother and quicker. Quicker without actually moving faster. It simply has no wasted bodily movement. This carries over into the prearranged segments of the training as well. Also fighting. SO--- hold that block longer. It happens almost when the foot is settled before you pull the trigger on the block. Try this for a crisper, stronger approach to kata training. ----Happy Trails ----Art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN-ehlr ... load_owner
This kata lesson goes with the post above. Holding the block until the last instant. This makes for a crisper, stronger block. It's also much more realistic. Many begin blocks too soon. This occurs in kata because there's no real attack coming at you. Firing yourself in a one piece movement results in a very powerful block. I'm kind of a stickler on this type of movement in kata's. I want an explosion into the block and not just placing yourself there. Watch how long my student Maurice Soque waits until he blocks. The stance is almost complete before he fires into the block. When you block this way in your prearranged kumite's, it really brings reality into the set. ------Happy Trails -----Art

Here's a drill that will aid in your understanding of crisper, realistic blocks. Begin by simply placing your hands on your chest. Thumbs touching your chest with the palms facing each other. From this set up you will turn and block various punches. Begin slowly until you feel comfortable. Kicks can be added later. Turning right and left using both hands. On the complete turn make sure your hands stay on your chest until you're completely around. Notice how each block fires from your chest in short arcing bursts. This will not occur at first. You will make alignment corrections to allow for your hands to fire faster. Not all blocks will be circular. Depending on where you are picking up the attack. Working constantly on moving in one piece. Meaning that your turn and block actually become one movement. Now begin putting a counter strike in your turn and block. Hands firing right from this set up. Now everything is moving together. Turn - block - strike - together. Practice moving at the attack as you strike. Do not strike stationary. Meaning that you are moving at the attacker as you strike off the block. This keeps you strong into the strikes that follow. You'll be making corrections constantly as this drill continues. You'll feel it when you are moving in one piece. You will know right away when you get it. It's very fast, and very strong when everything fires at once. When startled, hands snap to the chest. From here you have a much better chance of dealing with anything incoming. Everything is firing from the chest. Try this drill. Takes a little time to feel comfortable doing it, but it'll pay off when the s--- hits the fan. ------Happy Trails -----Art

Now refer to the "Art's Lesson" on "Blocking". I'd like you to try the drill posted above, using the block in the video lesson on blocking. Now here's the thing here. Experiment with various blocks. Remember ---keep those hands on your chest. Always working for that "One Piece" movement. I really believe you will figure out what block works for you. The block that allows you to explode right from the chest is the one you want. After you've figured this out, see what you can accomplish with your hands at your side. Trial and error my friends ------nothing is easy when looking for success. This is a drill that will help you in deflecting sudden attacks. It is not really difficult avoiding attacks that are determined early. It's the ones that appear out of nowhere that are difficult to handle. Nothing is certain, but this drill may save your butt one day. Work it. It'll pay dividends.-------Happy Trails -----Art

Adding to the post above. Taking the sudden attack with hands in tight along with a crisp angle. Keeping in mind that you are deflecting the strike. When deflecting a sudden strike, your snapping angle must be in unison with your hands. If you do not move off line you'll be taking the strikes full impact. That's a no no. A one piece move with the crisp arcing block, along with a slight turn will take the power from that attack. Watch some of the video lessons on this method. That is why I prefer the tight downward arcing block along with a quick shoulder turn. This being the initial response. It puts you in the kitchen for some in-fighting. Now we talk about in-fighting right? It's all tied together. --------Happy Trails------Art

Played with this last night in class. Maurice Soque (7th) was going over off line movement. This associated with the block in a "one piece" movement. This thread is in full view now. "How long can you wait" becomes very important. I like to see when I pick up the attack. It becomes very visual when you practice this. Of course, you are looking at the attacker here. However, it does get you sharp when that quick attack begins. I made the point that the attack seems to become slower as you get better at this. Do not move until you detect that attack beginning. You'll quickly become aware that you do not have time to actually step away. Your snapping off line movement becomes more of a slight shift and angle, rather than an actual placement of the feet. The objective is to deflect and be in the best position to deliver your strike in return. Keeping in mind that one very important fact; you do not want that attacker to load up.
WAIT. Then wait a little longer. You'll learn off line angles pretty fast. Maurice did a good job teaching this. ------Happy Trails---------Art

Hello Sensei, Maurice here. I keep telling you that I am such a good teacher, because I had/have a good (Maybe great) teacher. Yeah there are a lot of things happening...the off line movement is right out of Tenshin or 8 form ...slight with an angle. While that is happening in a split second there is an explosion forward with your hands (we use the Sneeze analogy) that happens VERY FAST...oh and did I say Explosion (again for emphasis). This takes A LOT of practice to coordinate the Offline movement with your upper body and hands going Forward into the attack to smother it. The bottom line, when done correctly it is Very Effective...so the karateka begins trusting it and it becomes a very reactionary "strike". Easier to demonstrate it than explain it...sounds like the making of "new video". Lets do a new video when I get back from Asia. I will bring you back one of those cool Filipino butterfly knives for a souvenir...as long as you promise not to use it on me in the video. See you in December, yours in Uechi Ryu, strength and honor - Maurice Soque Sr. 7th Dan

On the money. In my humble opinion. I posted that I was through doing video's. Maybe I'll simply let you do it. I do want a picture of you, Donna, and myself for my 76th B-Day 12/14. Think I'll put it on my FB timeline. Get back safely.

Here's the point again. With this subject, you simply have to be unprepared for the attack. By that, I mean to place yourself in a position where you can not prepare for the attack. Or to be close ( as in dan kumite) where you must work your block crisper and tighter. What is being tested here is your set up. That means your hand position and foundation. You are constantly working your ability to snap in "one piece." You'll quickly realize that your arms do not have much to do with your ability to get a good piece of that attack. It's the entire body snapping in "one piece" that fire the hands at the attack. Attack meaning punch or kick.
You really have to force yourself to stay in there until your partner lets the punch or kick go. Making that nice full block that you do in kata is not there. It is a quick - tight block. This block comes from the snapping BODY movement with everything moving at the same time. It is an off line movement of sorts. Here, there really is no actual STEP or STEPPING. No time or space to actually step. What you're looking for is to get enough of that attack to keep it from making solid impact. The snapping one piece body movement will give you the best chance of not being buried by that attack.
There's a few practice drills I teach to get you into this mind set. I'll see if I can put something on a lesson video covering this subject.
Happy Trails ---------Art