Simultaneous techniques: Part 2 - seizing initiative
Continued from Part 1 Introduction In my article " Why blocks DO work " I set out my arguments as to why traditional "blocks (better termed "parries", "interceptions" or "deflections") are indeed very effective. In that article I also discussed how the failure to understand and apply blocks correctly has led people to dismiss them as ineffective. This in turn has led some traditional martial artists to reinterpret blocks as strikes, locks or holds in order to justify their continued presence in the traditional curriculum. One of the more sophisticated revisions in modern karate is the reinterpretation of block/counter combinations . According to this theory, there are no such combinations in karate: rather, every block is itself a direct attack. The theory holds that there if you block, then punch, you cede the initiative to your opponent and give him or her the advantage. It is better to respond to every attack with your own attack - w...