Never Block a Punch

Friday Knight News

 "Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack." Sun Tzu  

My first sensei told me never block a punch. My first reaction to this bit of information was speculating as to the ulterior motives of sensei. It sounded to me as if he was coming up with new and ingenious ways to get me punched in the nose. But this line of thought fits into the kempo and jujutsu mind set of taking what is given. But instead it appeared to me to be a boxing move where you would bob and weave around the punch, but for some mysterious reason the opponent would punch your open hand. This came in very handy when you were wanting to do an arm bar or a take-down. I guess it also had some use in boxing as well. Sensei had been a golden glove boxer before the war (WWII), and after being an MP in occupied Japan he had the privilege of training in what he called kempo karate jutsu. He also often called it karate jutsu and sometimes jujutsu. What he taught had lots of strikes and tricks as he called them; AKA waza.



We never spent any time practicing blocking. Instead, he had me throw a punch and he would magically catch it in his hand. After retiring from the Army as a colonel or a Lt. Col. (I'm not sure which it was to tell the truth), he became a professional magician. I always thought that his ability to cup my small hand in his was part of a magic trick. I'm not actually sure when I started studying the martial arts as my beginning instruction was often mixed in with the magic tricks that I was learning as his protégé. I can only say that my interest in the martial arts over shadowed and took over my interest in magic sometime around the sixth or seventh grade. One thing that both arts had in common was what he referred to as leading the mind.

Years later, Joe Lewis demonstrated a technique that he had learned from Bruce Lee. I was pleased to see that it was the same technique that my teacher had used to enhance his ability to slip a punch and catch my fist in his hand. A decade later I received a more detailed explanation and demonstration of this "leading the mind principle," from what my original teacher had shown me. Having received an in depth explanation and demonstration from Tony Annesi I was finally able to perform this technique consistently. However, I still employ other safety redundancies into the mix, just as I had been originally instructed to do so.



As to my instructors admonishment, "Never to block a punch" I still follow his initial instruction on the matter. Although we do utilize uke waza, but it is done from the mindset of receiving a punch instead of blocking a punch. I was told there were two basic methods of receiving, the first being deflecting the punch. The second method was intersecting the punch. While these two methods appear to some as hard and soft blocks, I believe the true variances are in the conceptual application of the techniques.

The goal of each of the techniques (hard and soft) is to avoid being struck. Soft block deflections tend to do this with minimal physical contact and ultimately with no contact. Conversely the hard block should end the fight by destroying the attack. A regular hard block, as my instructor taught me, was ineffective. By this he meant that a block that was merely intended to impede impact to my body from a specific strike. He pointed out (numerous times) that this line of thinking was paramount to clutching one head of a hydra while being struck by the others. That is why it was so important in situations when you were caught off guard and had to use a uke waza that it would stop any further action. A good hard block had to be more effective than a just a mere barrier.

To be truly effective the hard block needed to obliterate the attack. In the 70's I, and many of my friends, would visit students from various schools to try out our techniques on each other in a friendly atmosphere. However, being young men the friendly atmosphere occasionally degenerated and I have found that the ability to obliterate a strike thrown in earnest could end the fight immediately. Over the years I found this to be true with many other cases such as schoolyard scrimmages, and challenge fights in my dojo from prospective new students (that were wanting to make sure that a soft looking style was actually effective). It also has served well in the area of law enforcement, as it was a rarity that I ever had to employ a strike after obliterating a limb that was thrown at me in fear or anger.

A word of caution is necessary for using these intersecting weight dropping blocks. I have found on many occasions that the attacker has suffered various injuries after establishing this type of contact. The attacker could suffer from one or more of the following consequences to their attack. They might receive a loss of balance that results in falling along with bruising or dislocations to an arm or leg, or bone fractures. I guess it all comes down to take what's given, even if it is a punch, just don't block it.

"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting." Sun Tzu

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.

Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.