How to improve karate blocks and fix common errors

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ธ.ค. 2024

ความคิดเห็น • 52

  • @ludikalo
    @ludikalo 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I am IOGKF, but I always think it's a good thing to look at other organizations as we are all Goju Ryu, and there is a lot to learn from each! Thank you for these videos as they give a slightly different perspective to how I learned/currently teach, and those slight differences often lead to greater insight later on too!
    For conditioning, I have always been under the pretense of pragmatism. Where do I want my students to focus on for blocking, and based on that, where should they focus their conditioning on? Of course, each part of the forearm can be used for blocking but what is most likely/what do they train for?
    Anyways, thank you for the great videos you've been putting out!

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Always so lovely to hear from our members, and especially friends in IOGKF! Ché spent part of his karate career under the IOGKF banner, and we have nothing but the greatest respect for Sensei Higaonna.
      Conditioning should always be done with the safety and health of the practitioner at the forefront, and pragmatism should be the order of the day. There are always the young chops who hit the makiwara because they want the big, scary knuckles, but they'll never fight a day in their lives. Everyone should at least have a baseline condition that they don't bruise every time someone bumps them, but I draw the line at punching sand/rocks/walls, because 99.5% of people will never need that level of conditioning.
      Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a lovely comment! We appreciate it :)
      Best,
      Zoe

  • @matthews1082
    @matthews1082 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    A good video for beginners and even lower dan black-belts really. The closed fist age-uke has an odd existence in the Gojuryu system, in that it didn't exist in the original Kata Kanryo Sensei taught, BUT Chojun Miyagi Sensei made it the first hand-movement of his Geki-Sai Kata.... perhaps because he was designing Fukyugata number 2 in 1940 for all styles to practice with, and of course the close-fisted age-uke is common in Shuri-te styles. Instead, in other Gojuryu Kata we have the open-palm age-uke (Seiyunchin and Sanseru). Personally I'd also do what Sensei Che does when it comes to the age-uke, I'd do almost like an upper-cut up the centre-line before twisting the forearm and the blocking arm goes side-ways. Anichi Miyagi Sensei used to emphasize the use of upper arm muscles to raise and push the forearm up and sideways (according to my sensei)...there are some who also twist the wrist to "lock" or tighten the two bones of the forearm together. Sensei Che pointed out that these blocks almost never appear in a fluid Kumite situation, true but it's important what we get out of the training....I'd compare it to doing push-ups and sit-ups - never in the history of fighting did one fighter overcome his opponent with a push-up, there are probably no KO's by sit-ups either, but we do hundreds of them every lesson or week, year after year - because these exercises enhance our other techniques. In traditional karate the old idea of training said that if one does 100% during training, one can usually achieve 50% during real application...so in order to achieve 100% in real application, they Designed movements that required 200% of what was normally done - things like moving in Shikodachi or long stance were meant to condition the legs to move faster and in a more stable fashion. The traditional Age-Uke and Yoko-Uke blocks cover the DNA of many types of high and middle block variations which we DO See in real application. Anyway, the way some people execute the next Age-Uke from the inside of the previously extended arm is the kihon-waza of other schools like Shitoryu - but definitely not of Gojuryu origin.
    Yoko-Uke we tend to do something similar to Sensei Che's demo here, with a slight variation in that the forearm is extended out until the elbow is about a 2 fists' gap from our body, while our blocking hand's fist is around the chin level, then we pull back till elbow is one fist from the body, the fist of the blocking forearm ends up slightly lower than the shoulder level. So it's like intercept, pull in towards body, but sideways outwards while suppressing down.
    Finally, we do need to understand Shu-Ha-Ri, literally meaning protect,break,leave in Japanese, BUT it's meant to express an idea regarding the stages of our learning process, which is to adhere (to past known knowledge), deviate (by experimenting with variations to what we already mastered) and innovate (with sufficient variations we will eventually be able to innovate and create a new system or a new sub-system within a system of knowledge). Like Sensei Che said in this video, too many people remain at the adherence phase, without attempting to experiment, deviate and innovate.....so no further progress even after decades of mastery, and then there are those who innovate without even mastering the basics (mcdojos)......but everybody's budo ought to be a mini-evolutionary process - without Shu Ha Ri there's no individual progress. Perhaps we'll never reach the innovation level the likes of Miyagi Chojun (Gojuryu Ryul, or Mas Oyama (Left Goju created Kyokushinkai), or Ashihara (left Kyokushinkai and created own circular fighting system), or McCarthy (Koryu Uchinadi), and we see many many other experienced sensei learning new stuff and incorporating it into their personal archive of knowledge (Naka sensei of SKA is the most well known for example of what many other Sensei's are doing - deviating, exploring and experimenting), and that's what makes karate interesting and a never ending journey.

  • @randyb.9405
    @randyb.9405 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This video help those of us classified as "Non-Karate Parent" with their children's homework. Other than holding the target pad or being the target pad. thank you!

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Randy, this is exactly what we hope for! In fact, it may be worth our while to make a video to help parents like you, who want to help and support their child's journey. No child can get to black belt alone: parents like you make it possible. Thank you for taking the time to share this lovely comment with us :)

    • @oldschoolkarate-5o
      @oldschoolkarate-5o 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      your a karate parent now and your actually learning karate to a small extent by helping your children with there training . from a fellow karate dad💪🏽🥸👍🏽

  • @Burvedys
    @Burvedys 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    The one block which really works for me it's to block a punch with a face. That block also has a secret mental training purpose (as one will learns to keep his mouth shut or else...). :)
    As to your secret lower block, it's pretty regular in Uechi-ryu and is called gendan-uchi-uke (and they call "our" gedan-barai as gedan-harai-uke). Being young, dumb and perfectionist I was frustrated because I've used gedan-uchi-uke against a knife attack to unintentionally avoid gutting (the rest I disremember as it wasn't a training situation but fun nonetheless).
    By the way, there was no jodan-age-uke in Goju-ryu pre-gekisai. So maybe that's a secret block after all? ;)

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      No one gets to black belt without blocking a punch with their face at least once (or five) times!
      As always, some good insights into history and what our cousins in other styles get up to!

    • @matthews1082
      @matthews1082 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      There is Jodan Uke in Goju, only it used to be open-palmed, not with a clenched fist. The face block works every time btw

  • @terrysanders2817
    @terrysanders2817 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hi Che, Jodan uke has saved me from falling items several times. Thanks for the slap blocking application for children - there is a 7 year old student who will receive that metod of training next week. Cheers, Terry.

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      The slap blocking application is such a great coordination technique, especially once we add stepping into the mix to make it a bit more challenging!

  • @vitormaltez
    @vitormaltez ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks sensei. Always a pleasure to watch. I'm totally align with your line of thought.

  • @brianolafsen4890
    @brianolafsen4890 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Amazing thank you for the advice about kids and breaks I did not know this… now I do!

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      You've given me an idea actually for a video focused on teaching kids, and what to be aware of and how to reach them. Watch this space ;)
      Thank you for watching and commenting!

  • @barbarba7
    @barbarba7 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks Sendi and Deshi... Always helpful
    And Sensei Zoë thanks for the hard work and nice editing

  • @koshinryukempo3570
    @koshinryukempo3570 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Wonderful! Great ol'skool drills... still the best way to train beginners out of the 'blink reflex' when something moves toward the face, and to develop confidence in contact. Pays to always have the 'eisegetic fallacy' in mind (interpreting/evaluating the past thru the 'lens' of contemporary/personal understanding/experience; as opposed to 'exegetic'... plumbing the original meaning for the original audience in context of THAT generation's shared 'cultural capital'). Sparring/sport karate can develop some very counter-productive maai habits regarding combative applications... the classical 'blocks' (yes, even age/jodan uke) become highly functional attacks (and facilitators of attacks i.e clearing a path to the target and putting opponent in a vulnerable position/breaking their structure/unsettling their root)at toe-to-toe and kakie ranges in context of tai sabaki and muchimi. Maybe this is why the progenitors resisted the trend (among younger, testosterone-driven young turks) to incorporate sparring into their combat application-centric classical systems? But, as always, Sensei Ché strikes the perfect balance of classical and contemporary... clearly the fruit of much effort and reflection. As our club motto says: The new is in the old, concealed; the old is in the new, revealed. Tradition isn't preserving ashes. Tradition is keeping the flame alive.
    Another fantastic, inspirational gift from GRKC! Arigatou, Senseis Ché and Zoë (and Brian deshi... we appreciate all your suffering for our art).

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Tradition isn't preserving ashes. Tradition is keeping the flame alive. - this explains everything we are doing - absolutely love this phrase, and will be liberally dispensing it in my fortune cookie sensei style.
      What irritates me a fair amount about the MMA youtube community is that they are constantly 'discovering' moves, when we've had them in our kata and bunkai for hundreds of years, and they claim that the old styles are impractical. It's like watching a teenager discover _Catcher in the Rye_ and they won't shut up about it. Like we get it, you're so original in your thinking, Holden.
      When I used to tutor English poetry at varsity, there was always some young chop who said that analyzing poems through the context of the poet's life, their history and contemporaries was a waste of time. What they didn't understand was they were there to learn critical thinking, as well as the skills of historical detectives. The same thing applies to karate: the more we uncover about the context of each teacher, the greater our understanding of the karate without skewing it through modern contexts. Geki Sai 1 & 2 only make sense within the syllabus once their context is explained: otherwise they look nothing like the rest of the Goju katas.
      I'll let Brian know his sacrifices aren't in vain!

    • @koshinryukempo3570
      @koshinryukempo3570 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@GojuRyuKarateCentre BunBu RyoDo...'Twin Paths of Pen and Sword'. I would love to have a conversation sometime around some of my theories about the parallels between language/literature and martial arts; kata and bunkai as 'text', if you will. Agree totally that too many MMA enthusiasts are the adolescents of our 'village'... when i was 17 my parents were embarrassingly stupid; then i turned 40... they learned SO much that year.

  • @kyleandramorgan3536
    @kyleandramorgan3536 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Doing this in Mondays class made our brains hurt a bit but it was so helpful to see the basics done in a slightly different method! So glad that is this weeks video, we definitely need to practice more, 😂 Sensei and Brain make it look so super easy

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      With the amount the Morgan family trains, you'll get it soon soon! Thank you for watching and commenting ⭐

  • @Nailed92
    @Nailed92 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great stuff, thanks for another video! Whatever people feel about forearm and shin conditioning, no one can deny the vast performance difference between martial arts who ignore it and martial artists who commit to it.
    Also for me personally, when it comes to the uke waza techniques, they seem to work much better when I am stepping into the attack at either a 45 degree angle outside, or directly in. Not so much success or utility for me when staying on the outside and long range distance.

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Spoken like a true practitioner - the closer we are, the better and juicier the targets.
      I have tried to do consistent conditioning, not as hardcore but at least making sure I can train for extended periods doing randori or kihon ippon or san dan gi without turning into a mess of bruises. The last time my forearms were bruised was my san dan grading, and that was after hours of repeated forearm blocks. And they healed quickly, so obviously the damage wasn't too great.
      Also, it's just nice to see some commitment to *something*, you know?
      Thank you for always taking the time to watch and comment - we appreciate it!

  • @koshinryukempo3570
    @koshinryukempo3570 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Humble suggestion for possible future productions: a series of 'Q and A' sessions between Ché and students, filmed after various themed classes for different levels? You could even revisit previous videos by using the content as the focus of a group training session, and then filming the Q and A... lots of fun for Zoë, too, editing it all... power to GRKC!

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Great suggestion! Even with the editing for days!
      I put out a video ages ago of the Q&A with the kids, but it would definitely be worth revisiting with the adults and teens, and filming snippets of class as well. Once the mats are back down, we'll definitely be filming lots of ne waza and nage waza (Brian, be prepared!)
      Always so lovely to hear from you, Sensei!

    • @koshinryukempo3570
      @koshinryukempo3570 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      And i always look forward to your replies... you goodfolk have given me a new enthusiasm for training, and its a priceless gift to have found a community where we can have intelligent discussions of all things karate!

    • @koshinryukempo3570
      @koshinryukempo3570 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@GojuRyuKarateCentre on a tangent, if anyone is interested... Mario McKenna has been translating/publishing several seminal texts by Mabuni and Nakasone Senseis. They're available online at Lulu Press at VERY reasonable prices. Mabuni's twin 'Introduction to Karate Kempo' volumes are especially valuable. The 1st covers kihon, sanchin and seiunchin. The 2nd is sub-titled 'A study of Seipai' (eagerly awaiting delivery of this one; apparently it includes the (then) first public presentation of substantial sections of the Bubishi. Not sure if McKenna's translation includes this, but no doubt the text is well worth having anyway.) I have his translation of Mabuni and Nakasones' 'An Overview of Karate' (cc1935) and can verify the quality of the English... Anyone looking for valid links to the past should find these valuable. Mabuni Sensei trained 'at the feet' of Itosu and Higaonna Senseis, and trained with Miyagi Sensei under GoKenki....

  • @shninobi
    @shninobi ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Another way of training the blocks is to use a doorway for conditioning . Great video 👍

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  ปีที่แล้ว

      We love a doorway! In another video, we used it for practicing kicks 🥋

  • @johnarokium8068
    @johnarokium8068 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    A great video on ways to improving basic blocks. I would like to comment on conditioning of the body. For hundreds of years, martial artists have continually hit their bones against hard objects, subjecting them to microfractures before letting them heal again. The supposed healed limb is much stronger, more resilient, and immune to pain
    Martial artists who strike objects with increasing intensity (e.g. repeated elbow strikes), display increases in bone density in the striking area. This process is termed cortical or bone remodeling. Bone remodeling contributes to the conditioning of the bones involved in the conditioning process. There are numerous partner drills and specific conditioning exercises that Goju practioners engage in to condition their body. Importantly , one needs to engage in conditioning in an intelligent way as one will not want to develop deformed limbs due to excessive force. Eventually over a period of time, one hopes to develop an “iron shirt” or “iron palm”. At this stage a Goju block will be felt as a solid strike. Thank you Che Sensei for another inspirational video.

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thank you for taking the time to write such an insightful post, Sensei John!
      You nailed it on the head - conditioning needs to be done intelligently, not for the sake of big muscles or big knuckles. Done gradually over time, the compound effects are truly enormous. Even though my own conditioning training is minimal (being a knowledge worker, I cannot afford to damage my hands at all), there is still a clear difference between myself and someone who is new to the dojo. It takes a significant impact for me to bruise, compared to when I started.
      Have a wonderful week, Sensei!
      - Zoe

  • @chejagger1
    @chejagger1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Back to basics

  • @oldschoolkarate-5o
    @oldschoolkarate-5o 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    thnx , Sensei

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Always welcome! We really do appreciate that you watch and comment on all our videos, Mr Muzzey!

    • @oldschoolkarate-5o
      @oldschoolkarate-5o 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @Goju Ryu Karate Centre I like the way you teach , sir . My Sensei , Guy Kurose , Goju-Ryu 6 th dan. who passed away 20 yrs ago had a similar teaching style. If you google my sensei , you will see he was a gentlemen who would unleash a beast when tested: ) thanks

  • @jonasjpm1989
    @jonasjpm1989 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    A questão é, como usar esses bloqueios em uma situação real? Pois ninguém irá desferir um soco totalmente em linha reta e estando estático e deixando o braço exposto para você poder agarrar ou interceptar o punho , o soco vem com força e velocidade e de ângulos curvos dificilmente os bloqueios irão funcionar.

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Uma ótima pergunta! Já tratamos disso em vários de nossos vídeos (links abaixo) - o bloco tradicional e formal ensina todas as peças de um bloco de uma só vez, para que possamos saber quais são nossas opções em uma luta. Como Ché discute no final, há tantas peças contidas em um bloco de rosto, incluindo estrangulamentos e golpes na garganta.
      Não é um erro ensinar o bloco básico - o erro é não dividi-lo em todas as suas partes úteis e ensinar aos alunos quais usar e quando.
      Obrigado pela ótima pergunta e por sempre reservar um tempo para assistir e comentar!
      th-cam.com/video/nc1aa905Z00/w-d-xo.html
      th-cam.com/video/yOkrtMS4oUM/w-d-xo.html
      th-cam.com/video/lfAybGYnktg/w-d-xo.html

  • @siriusbontea
    @siriusbontea 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I remember reading something a long time ago on how the twist of the arm during blocks serves to disperse some of the energy from the impact. Is there anyone out there that can confirm this one or explain the physics behind it?

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It probably has something to do with the rolling motion dispersing more of the attack over a wider surface area, or disrupting the trajectory of the technique. All I know is that it is much better to twist and block than to smash it without the twist - it's karate magic lol

    • @siriusbontea
      @siriusbontea 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@GojuRyuKarateCentre, that sounds about right with the rotational energy. That, and I’m doing what my sensei told me to do. 😁

  • @barbmccabe
    @barbmccabe ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I would love to learn the blocks again cause I'm taking karate class so can u show me them again please so i can learn thank u 😊 Barbara McCabe

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi Barbara,
      We have lots of videos on blocks - we hope you will enjoy them!

  • @chrisvvuuren552
    @chrisvvuuren552 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I know what my seniors are doing next week 🤣

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      When they complain that their arms are burning, send them to us for more practice 😆

  • @prashanth333
    @prashanth333 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Can we use jodan uke to block hook punch to face ?

    • @GojuRyuKarateCentre
      @GojuRyuKarateCentre  4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Definitely, especially the last part of it

    • @prashanth333
      @prashanth333 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@GojuRyuKarateCentre thank you for replying master. can you please post a kihon video of how to block hook punches / mawashi zuki ? Thank you

  • @udaygurav6113
    @udaygurav6113 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    👍💐