Question about a technique used in movie

[Cain]

Hi I am Cain, I have a question about a technique used in the chinese connection a.k.a. fist of fury.
In the last fight with Bob baker, just after they show a photography where Bruce Lee moves his hands around [this is the same as in user wayofthedragon's signature], they show Bruce blocking several kicks by just parrying them lightly with open palms. Now is this possible in real life ie-blocking the kick that easily by just parrying with a relaxed hand? :confused:

Thanx for your reply,
Cain

[pesilat]

The simple answer: absolutely.

The longer answer: it'll depend on the situation. I have no problem doing that ... but I've got big ol' meat hooks on the ends of my arms and a fair amount of mass to put behind them.

Some keys, though, (at least in my opinion/experience) are aggression and positioning. When I do it, it does (from the outside) look like I'm just slapping the kick aside (I've seen myself do it on video). But there's a lot more to it than that. First, it's a strike. I'm putting quite a bit of juice into it. Second, I'm (usually) already off-line (which can't really be seen on the video).

So ... against a front kick, it's pretty easy. Get off line and slap the leg. Your hand is really more of a safety net (just in case you don't get completely off line) than the actual thing. And, usually, it's pretty easy to disrupt the guy's balance with this.

Against a round kick, if you go with the kick (i.e.: a round kick is coming toward my left thigh ... I move forward and to my right), then your hand is actually slapping at (or just after) the apex of the kick's power. Just as the momentum starts to decrease. Again, the slap is pretty aggressive but it's primary intent is to take some of the juice out of the kick and, hopefully, to disrupt the guy's balance.

As you can see, I like disrupting balance. If the guy's not balanced then I have an advantage. While he's thinking about keeping his balance he's not thinking as much about attacking or defending and, on the physical side, it's harder (though not impossible) to mount powerful attacks or defenses without a solid base.

Does that make sense? It's not always easy to describe physical elements like this in this medium.

Mike

[Cain]

Hey thanx I should try this in my next sparring session with my partner [I just hope my hands are heavy enough since he weighs 20 pounds more than me] :rolleyes:
thanx again

[pesilat]

LOL ... well, the big, heavy hands help when I don't get out of the way. A buddy of mine said once (after I stopped a round kick cold with a "slap"), "Man ... that's amazing ... it felt like I hit a heavy bag."

However ... if you get off line properly, then the hand doesn't have to do much work. It's mostly just a safety net and an attack to his balance.

Mike

[pgm316]

I don't think my hands/wrists are capable of stopping a powerful roundhouse kick, either way I'm not risking it. I would use a palm slap to redirect a straight kick, possibly while moving to the side of it[?]. The only way I’d try stopping a high roundhouse kick would be a double forearm block, even then you could be struggling against some kickers.

[TkdWarrior]

umm pgm u r not exactly moving out while redirecting the kick with palm
lets say u r gettin a round house kick on ur rite side around waist level...so u r not exactly movin to left and slapping...u r moving to an angle to left close to ur oppnt (in V direction)and that movement will let u go close to ur oppnt and then away from him
ok first dont' try with palm ...try with u forearm when u go easy with it go with palm...
ah one thing more if kick is comin from rite then u moving to left with palming with left hand with this movement u'll be able to stay in ur lead(the same which u started) and get close to ur oppnt and go away while hittin him...
getty??

-TkdWarrior-

[TkdWarrior]

ah yea as pesilat already wrote u don't need much of hand even if u hav to use u'll be palmin around above knee where the force will be comparitively less than around shin..
-TkdWarrior-

[Cain]

[my message is directed to TKDwarrior]

Dear TKDwarrior,

Do you mind if you can be a bit more clearer in your words? I mean 'smtms I hv a prblm rdng intrnt slng'
I hope you know what I mean :)

no offence meant
Cain

[TkdWarrior]

cain i think i no where used internet slang...lemme see agan
nop dude...
ask me again wat u didn't understood..
-TkdWarrior-

[TkdWarrior]

rite=right
palmin=palming(or using palm)
oppnt=opponent
hittin=hitting
wat else left man
-TkdWarrior-

[Cain]

LOL.....Ok I will try to get used to it but me be sticking to me own language :D

[TkdWarrior]

it's ok cain...if u need to ask, ask man...
hmm wat's ur MA style cain??
-TkdWarrior-

[Cain]

Dear TKDwarrior
Well......actually it's not so popular it's called Dragon's karate, the president of our school is Vellu Swamy. Our style is kind of you can say taekwondo since they give heavy emphasis in kicking and striking rather than aikido and grappling [though we have a few courses now and then and my senior partner teaches me quite a few of them]

[TkdWarrior]

hmm i think i know vellu swamy... he's quite a fat man rite??
-TkdWarrior-

[Cain]

Dear Tkdwarrior,
Yeah sure...he is, with a big black moustache and a booming voice. But how come you know him?

[TkdWarrior]

eh i m curious MAist u see.. :D
always hav my eyes, ears n mind open ;)
-TkdWarrior-

[Cain]

Very funny Tkdwarrior........but I was serious. Is vellu Swamy THAT famous?

[TkdWarrior]

why don't u come in chat and talk there...
u know melanie or other mods might object ...the way of increasin posts...:p
i m waiting for u in chat
-TkdWarrior-

[Cain]

hmmm I tried out this technique and after experimenting I found that u can block much better by blocking with the heel of ur palm. try this guys it's very effective in blocking.
|Cain|

[TkdWarrior]

doh it's blocked by palm not by fingers... any mistake n ur fingers will be gone...ask stash for that matter...
-TkdWarrior-

[Cain]

I remember that one TKD :D but I meant that most of us tend to block with the middle of their palm instead of their heel that is the bottom of their palm.

[LilBunnyRabbit]

Heel palm low block, downwards block used to push round kicks, side kicks, and any non-rising kicks to the floor, where rising kicks are kicks with an upwards component to the trajectory (big leg, little hand, you do the math). Otherwise scooping block or open hand low block work well.

[Cain]

Hmmm.....low blocks work well, but not so effective against front thrust kick where u hv to block shin instead [ouch!!!]

[LilBunnyRabbit]

Ah, maybe I should specify a little more. Heel palm low block is a downwards directed block. Low block itself is diagonally taught, and can be applied to either. Scooping or upwards block actually catches the leg. You wouldn't try and meet a rising kick (upwards trajectory) with a downwards block, you'd meet it side on with a deflection or from beneath with a scoop. As I said, small wrist, big leg.

[Cain]

Hmmm.......nice post there Ckd, I should hv thought 'bout it b'fore thanx
|Cain|

[TkdWarrior]

ckd is right he explained quite good...cheers mate
-TkdWarrior-

[STASH]

I personally will never ever again block with my palm. Last time I tried it and now my fingers are messed up for life. Forearms and elbows only for me.

[Cain]

Lol, u can make life hell for ur opponent Stash, since blocking with the elbows is really nasty but u should take care not to hit that funny bone of ur's .
|Cain|

[Sonshu]

I would say YES it is that easy because if you move your body and feet then the hands are irrelevant to a degree.

If you move to a minimal safe distance it makes your parry look so weak - yet it still works.

In teaching a very skilled Judo fighter we were doing some sparing and using my left hand held of all his strikes and kicks simply by moving and staying out of harms way. By letting the attack hit some part of me (hand/arm) it seems that I block the attack, in actual fact its just trickery that works!

It is possible provided you use this simple rule! - otherwise it depends if it was a point scoring kick or a real head remover kick!

Sonshu