Factors That Affect Block Effectiveness
Direction of Power. To stop an attack, hard, attack blocks should make contact perpendicular to the surface of the attacking limb and at a 90-degree angle to the path of the attack. A deflecting soft block should make contact at a sharper angle so the attack is redirected but not stopped. You should meet strength with weakness (deflect) and meet weakness with strength (attack).
Forearm Rotation. Blocks gain in power if you twist the forearm into block as it contacts the attacking limb. Just as the snap used in punching, snapping the forearm into the block, transfers your force to the attacking limb. When this occurs, your arm causes injury without being injured.
Hip Rotation. As in all Taekwondo techniques, snapping the hip into a block transfers your body mass into the technique for additional power. There are two ways to pair a technique with hip rotation: with the rotation (inner forearm block) or against it (outer forearm block). When the technique is going against the direction of hip rotation, it is generally weaker.
- Prev
- Next >>