Seeking advice on blocking

**Bneterasedmynam** · Posted On: 4/22/2012 4:32pm

I'm looking for a little advise here on better blocking, basically I'm looking for advise on how to judge the timing and angle better. I have decent but could be better head coverage, but I'm too open to body shots. Also close in but not quite at clinch seems to throw me off on my timing. Is there any good reading material I can refer to?? I would even settle for a decent DVD or YouTube vid. Now before I get the standard response of ask your instructor, I am currently between dojos and just want to tweak my skills before I head back to training. Mostly so I don't look to much like a noob.

**PlumDragon** · Posted On: 4/22/2012 4:50pm

Bneterasedmynam,

You cannot increase your ability to block/defend by watching a youtube video or getting pointers from people. While various systems or instructors might have different ideas on methodology or advocate differing emphasis on hand placement or whatever, the bottom line is that heightening your timing and success rate in defense only happens through repeatedly responding to a stimulus. Unfortunately, there is really no way around that...If you are without instruction, find training partner who you can work it out with.

**DubhGhaill** · Posted On: 4/22/2012 6:35pm

Rodney King's DVDs worked wonder for me...

http://www.straightblastgym.com/videoinfo.htm#Rodney
http://www.crazymonkeydefense.com/

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 4/22/2012 6:52pm

Title changed:
Seeking advise on blocking

**P Marsh** · Posted On: 4/23/2012 2:56am

Originally Posted by DubhGhaill

Rodney King's DVDs worked wonder for me...

That name... makes me not trust anything to do with not getting hit at all.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 4/23/2012 3:18am

Originally Posted by Bneterasedmynam

Is there any good reading material I can refer to?? I would even settle for a decent DVD or YouTube vid.

You can refer to various different sources, but unless you have coaching, the references will do you little good. Even if you do have a trainer, the references are just that.

Originally Posted by Bneterasedmynam

I am currently between dojos and just want to tweak my skills before I head back to training.

While you are between dojos, find a good boxing gym and trainer.

Originally Posted by Bneterasedmynam

I'm looking for a little advise here on better blocking, basically I'm looking for advise on how to judge the timing and angle better. I have decent but could be better head coverage, but I'm too open to body shots. Also close in but not quite at clinch seems to throw me off on my timing.

Again, find a good boxing gym and trainer.

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 4/23/2012 7:41am

What style are you training, or looking to start training? If I remember correctly you were training some sort of Karate, correct? Are you still looking for that, or changing?

Because you wouldn't want to build muscle memory that you are just going to have to unlearn when you get to the school that you are wanting to train in.

**erezb** · Posted On: 4/23/2012 8:26am

I find it odd that you will search in books or tv a solution to a physical problem that obviously can only be solved by practice...I don't think allot of fighters got good by reading how to fight.
You can get some good ideas from youtube or books on how to train for a better defense, but otherwise it's a waste of your time.
Just get yourself into a gym, or at least find a sparring partner, put some gloves on and get busy.

**Bneterasedmynam** · Posted On: 4/23/2012 8:50am

Originally Posted by Diesel_tke

What style are you training, or looking to start training? If I remember correctly you were training some sort of Karate, correct? Are you still looking for that, or changing?

Because you wouldn't want to build muscle memory that you are just going to have to unlearn when you get to the school that you are wanting to train in.

Thank you for being the only one that actually understood the question I was asking lol. Yes I probably am going to stick with karate for now since I had alot of fun with it. Mostly I was just looking for reference materials on blocking and timing to see if there was a better theorem for the angles and timing of blocking.

**Bneterasedmynam** · Posted On: 4/23/2012 8:57am

To all of you that responded with "just spar and train more", you missed the point of my question 100%. I am fully aware that sparring will refine my skill at blocking, however my question was about the base and theory of that skill itself. Which is why I was asking about reference materials on the subject, to try and find an alternative base theory to see if that clicked better for me.