Karate: Blocks Part 1

After mastering the hand techniques, you must now learn how to perform blocks. The following ae some ways of doing them.

Seiken Chudan Soto Uke

Begin with your fist behind your head and the opposite hand covering your armpit, for the additional protection. As your body turns 45 degrees, the fist will draw a circle and spin, so that the palm is always turned towards your face. The elbow at the end should be vertical.

In Kyokushin, the block is a form of an attack; thus, you should consider ATTACKING your opponent's hand with your blocks, so they will be thrown off from their trajectory.

Soto means ''inside'', while uchi (see below) means ''outside''. In this case, the block is performed from the outside, towards the central line (soto).


Seiken Jodan Uke

The initial position is the same as for the tsuki. Raise your fist to the level of your eyes, keeping the elbow vertical (perpendicular to the ground). Then turn your fist, with your palm facing outwards. To do this, you will have to your elbow to the side,so that it is 45 degrees to the ground now, Finally, raise your hand, so that the wrist is on your central line, as high as the top of your head.

These are the elements of the move, of course. The technique, or any technique for that matter, is performed as a whole, and not as a loose sequence. The body should turn 45 degrees, the same way you did with tsuki. The opposite hand should perform the reverse movement.

This block is not supposed to stop the attack (the one coming from above,  for example). But rather, it serves to provide a 45-degree slope, so that the attack slide to the side, towards the elbow.