Low Blocks

[Sim Koning]

How often do you use low blocks while fighting? I try to avoid them as much as possible so that my hands are always up. I do however use them to deflect a front or side kick to the side to get him off center. Are there any other instances where you think low blocks are effective? How often do you use them? Do you think it is a safe strategy?

Your thoughts please...

[David Jamieson]

well, if you gotta use em you gotta use em.

Chopping or pushing blocks are low and get used a lot to cut off incoming strikes to the body, even the head depending on your position.

It's not like you're gonna leave your hands down after you block anyway right?

[Becca]

Depends on your opponant, how well you guard with the other hand, and how well you can take a hit. If you don't take hits to the knee well and you are too off-balance to use a leg block, it could be a very useful technique. If you don't block your head well when it isn't your focus spot, this might be a bit of a risky thing. If fighting a grappler... never a good idea. That would be the equivalant of holding your arm out there begging to be owned...:o :D

[shaolinsoccer]

Don't really use them alot. Try to block more with the legs, leaving the hands free.

[Water Dragon]

Block low shots with the leg, high shots with the hands. I've had too many people throw low kicks to get me to drop my guard and then come over the top with a cross as soon as I do...

[red5angel]

I'm with WD, I don't bloxk low with my hands, just doesn't feel right. Use the legs low and the arms high.

[ShaolinTiger00]

Originally posted by Water Dragon
Block low shots with the leg, high shots with the hands. I've had too many people throw low kicks to get me to drop my guard and then come over the top with a cross as soon as I do...

:D

[PangQuan]

Ill go with WD also. let your legs take care of their own territory. learn to take some hits. but you can use a fake low block to lure in your opponent to go high. just a thought. just remember not to commit the fake, or you may be screwed.

[ShaolinTiger00]

learn to take some hits.

**** that. learn how to move sucker!

[Water Dragon]

learn to take some hits




**** that. learn how to move sucker!

I'm not too sure that you can get to Step B without going through Step A,lol

[ewallace]

I'd recommend kicking palm trees with your shins for a couple years, then your blocks will become strikes.

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by ewallace
I'd recommend kicking palm trees with your shins for a couple years, then your blocks will become strikes.

Where ya been Bro? Plans have changed (got divorced) but I'm looking at being down there mid_April.

[ewallace]

Sorry to hear about the divorce. Mine's in progress right now.

Just living by myself and my 4 month old doberman in the house we bought last year. Other than that I've been a lazy-ass. Just started lifting again, haven't been training though. It's amazing, I get separated and lose 45 pounds. All that crap we used to eat because life was so hectic.

[Water Dragon]

I hear ya Bro. Well, at least I'll have someone to go out pimping w/ in San An. I'm building a little Ho network out in SA and ATX as we speak :D

[PangQuan]

Originally posted by ShaolinTiger00
**** that. learn how to move sucker!

LOL! as soon as your able to dodge every single attack that anyone will ever throw at you. then the entire world will call you master, until then...learn to take a hit.

[SevenStar]

for a waist level teep, you can drop the hand to scoop the kick. you can also lower it to catch a round house. These aren't blocks, but techniques that require you to lower your hand...

[red5angel]

I'm not too sure that you can get to Step B without going through Step A,lol

I like to look at A as a side effect of getting to step B. That and I'm on a crash course to low blocking with my nuts on a regular basis, JUKO KAI STYLE!!!!!!!!

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by red5angel
I'm with WD, I don't bloxk low with my hands, just doesn't feel right. Use the legs low and the arms high.

the capoeira guys I talk to use the alternate hand - the one not guarding the face during jinga - to parry/scoop incoming kicks. Do you guys not do that?

[PangQuan]

We do that over here in our school. Just not all the time. Depends on the situation and what you happen to do. But yes we are definately trained in these kinds of techniques.

[red5angel]

the capoeira guys I talk to use the alternate hand - the one not guarding the face during jinga - to parry/scoop incoming kicks. Do you guys not do that?

Absolutely! You can tell who has a good ginga if the hand they have in front of them is up close to their face. Two o fthe basics we work all the time are eyes on our opponents, and atleast one hand in front of your face. You put yourself in a lot of positions that make it easy for someone to get at your face so you learn to keep it out of the way!

[red5angel]

We do that over here in our school. Just not all the time. Depends on the situation and what you happen to do. But yes we are definately trained in these kinds of techniques.


what keeping your hands up or blocking low shots with your nutz?

[red5angel]

as for low shots and capoeira, we generally just try to get out of the way instead of blocking. Since I've only be training for about 8 months I can't say definittively but in general in capoeira you try to get out of the way and keep your hands up in case anything else comes along.

[PangQuan]

I guess its a bit diff in our style. generally alot of our blocks are strikes as well.

[ShaolinTiger00]

Originally posted by PangQuan
LOL! as soon as your able to dodge every single attack that anyone will ever throw at you. then the entire world will call you master, until then...learn to take a hit.

This is the problem with the limited fighter. your "plan" is remain free-standing and just randomly bang until someone falls down (hoping it's not you.).

My plan is about control. I strike and move until I can clinch or take him down and I'm in a dominant position. I take less damage and inflict more.

[Sim Koning]

When I said low blocks, I meant blocking body shots by dropping a hand, not blocking leg kicks, I know better than that. Seven Star knows what I mean I think. The way I've been training to block body shots is by dropping my elbow slightly and turning a little to deflect it.


I have a question for you Seven Star. When you cover up to block a hook, do you raise your hand to just below eye level to protect your jaw, or do you raise the glove higher to where your fingers are almost on the top of your head?. I've been raising my hand higher than the other guys and they tell me its wrong because I will have head gear on, but in a real fight you don't have anything on your head so I would rather train like I don't. what do you think I should do?

[Becca]

Originally posted by Sim Koning
When I said low blocks, I meant blocking body shots by dropping a hand, not blocking leg kicks, I know better than that. Seven Star knows what I mean I think. The way I've been training to block body shots is by dropping my elbow slightly and turning a little to deflect it.

Hmmmm... Sheds much light. This is not a low block, this is mearly a centerline block. A low is executed below waist level. an upper block is about eye brow or higher. Usually anything else is considered a middle range, a.k.a. centerline, block.

And yes, I do block any and everything to my centerline.

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by Sim Koning
The way I've been training to block body shots is by dropping my elbow slightly and turning a little to deflect it.



You've been training correctly then. Guard up, elbows down (and in) keep it tight.

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by ShaolinTiger00
This is the problem with the limited fighter. your "plan" is remain free-standing and just randomly bang until someone falls down (hoping it's not you.).

My plan is about control. I strike and move until I can clinch or take him down and I'm in a dominant position. I take less damage and inflict more.

And that would be your style. I don't think that makes his style wrong, just because it's different. Everyone is a little different, even in the same gym.

At my gym alone, we have the Muay Thai/Boxing expert who tries to control the distance and footwork and beat you down.

We have the ground guy who wants to get you down and play the submission game.

We have the takedown artist who wants to throw a combo, clinch, and throw, but tries to avoid the ground (I'm this guy, lol)

and we have the "well rounded" guy who just bangs and lets you bring the game to him. the "MMA counterfighter" lol.

They're all valid strategies. I think it depends on your personal strengths and preferences.

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by Sim Koning
When you cover up to block a hook, do you raise your hand to just below eye level to protect your jaw, or do you raise the glove higher to where your fingers are almost on the top of your head?. I've been raising my hand higher than the other guys and they tell me its wrong because I will have head gear on, but in a real fight you don't have anything on your head so I would rather train like I don't. what do you think I should do?

Just touch the ear. If they hit you dead on the skull, they'll get the worst of that exchange. Even better, duck under the hook and come back over the top w/ a cross. (I actually come back over with a hook, but then I'm a Southpaw.)

[red5angel]

Originally posted by ShaolinTiger00
This is the problem with the limited fighter. your "plan" is remain free-standing and just randomly bang until someone falls down (hoping it's not you.).

My plan is about control. I strike and move until I can clinch or take him down and I'm in a dominant position. I take less damage and inflict more.


Actually, byt your description your a limited fighter. According to what you say above, you have one plan, strike and move, clinch, ground and pound/submit. Of course those are pretty broad categories but maybe you could help me understand exactly what a so called "limited fighter" is.

Pangquan had a good point, taking a shot is as important as not taking a shot. I'd cry bullsh!t if you said you don't need to take a shot.

[MasterKiller]

Originally posted by red5angel
Actually, byt your description your a limited fighter. According to what you say above, you have one plan, strike and move, clinch, ground and pound/submit. Of course those are pretty broad categories but maybe you could help me understand exactly what a so called "limited fighter" is. His point is that he has all those options. He can strike, he can clinch, he can throw, and he can roll. He's got all his bases covered in case things don't go his way; whereas, a pure striker is DOA if he hits the ground with a good grappler.

[red5angel]

I know what his point is, I think he failed to get it across well. first it almost appears as if he is accusing Pangquan of not having those skills. Unless ST knows Pangquan, that's a huge assumption. His reply wasn't exactly apropriate either. He responded to Pangquans comment about needing to take a hit by explaining only a limited fighter would think that way. I'm sorry but I happen to think a sensible fighter would think that way. You're a complete retard if you think you can get away without taking a shot or two. Better to be prepared.
As Waterdragon said, we all have our ways of approaching fighting, and just because we don't always take the same approaches it doesn't mean one is right or wrong. I'm not saying There isn't a right or wrong.

Personally I think the whole striker vs grappler crap has been done to death and that's all we need is another shot from one who is "mma" to one who is not.

[SevenStar]

He wasn't saying you can get away without taking a shot. He's saying that it's retarded to just stand there and have a slugfest. your goal isn't to just trade licks until someone falls - you need a strategy.

[red5angel]

and I don't think pangquan was saying he's going to just stand there and slug it out. All he said was that you needed to be able to take a shot. ST00 turned it into some wierd mma vs tma thing.

[ShaolinTiger00]

lol @ the "If you're gonna be dumb You've gotta be tough" attitude Red.

[SevenStar]

he didn't single out tma at all. He merely said a "limited fighter" just slugs with no movement. He didn't specify anything more than that.

here's a synopsis of what happened:


PQ: learn to take hits
ST: f that, learn to move
PQ: if you can dodge everything, you will be a master
ST: my strategy is to move and stay at an advantage, not to merely slug it out

[red5angel]

lol @ the "If you're gonna be dumb You've gotta be tough" attitude Red.

I'm not sure what you're saying but my point was this: Pangquan said it was smart to be able to take a punch, in regards to training, learn to take shots as well as block or dodge them.
You came back with some ocmment about that being how limited fighters fight, whatever that is, and that your mma style - you didn't use the acronym mma, I did but your implication is the same - is the less limited way.

What it looks like your implying is that you can train to not take a shot - bullsh!t - and that anyone who does must be limited in their approach to fighting, OR that anyone who doesn't train mma is a "limited fighter". If I'm wrong then let me know but it just appears to be spin on the mma vs tma argument.

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by red5angel
If I'm wrong then let me know but it just appears to be spin on the mma vs tma argument.

Well yeah, but only because you're turning it into one.

[Vash]

This sux.

You bring strike, I bring grapple!

You bring grapple, I bring knife!

You bring knife, I bring gun!

You bring gun, I bring bigger gun!

You bring bigger gun, I bring bomb!

You bring bomb, I bring RPG!

You do this, I'll do that!

Or I could be reading everything wrong. I do that sometimes.

But not really.

[red5angel]

Well yeah, but only because you're turning it into one.

no, I'm asking for clarification form ST00 on what he was trying to say.

[red5angel]

Vash, that's essentialy the problem and what's got really tiring around here. It's also why this type of argument persists. A lot of claims can be made on the internet and the few videos and pictures and articles can be used to "prove" some point or another. We've all seen it happen in a ton of different ways but we get so stuck wanting to believe our way is better it's hard to let it go, so we keep fighting the "good" fight.

[Water Dragon]

You guys do realize that there are probably more MMA fights being won by knock out than submission now?

[red5angel]

ok

[MasterKiller]

Originally posted by Water Dragon
You guys do realize that there are probably more MMA fights being won by knock out than submission now? What would you attribute this to? Why the paradigm shift?

[ShaolinTiger00]

Originally posted by SevenStar
he didn't single out tma at all. He merely said a "limited fighter" just slugs with no movement. He didn't specify anything more than that.

here's a synopsis of what happened:


PQ: learn to take hits
ST: f that, learn to move
PQ: if you can dodge everything, you will be a master
ST: my strategy is to move and stay at an advantage, not to merely slug it out

Yep. How much clearer could I have been?

[ShaolinTiger00]

Originally posted by MasterKiller
What would you attribute this to? Why the paradigm shift?

Rules.

rounds, ref's standing fighters back up, judging favoring strikers & aggression in general, increased striking skills

[red5angel]

Yep. How much clearer could I have been?

so you don't get hit anymore? :rolleyes:

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by ShaolinTiger00
Rules.

rounds, ref's standing fighters back up, judging favoring strikers & aggression in general, increased striking skills

You forgot better takedown defense and having enough ground game to survive and get back up.

[MasterKiller]

I'd like to see any of you MMA guys block this technique! (http://www.art-of-energetics.com/SampleClips/Paul%202.6.MPG)

[wdl]

Originally posted by MasterKiller
I'd like to see any of you MMA guys block this technique! (http://www.art-of-energetics.com/SampleClips/Paul%202.6.MPG)

No one can match the ethereal manatee!

-Will