Basic Combatives: Proper Blocking for Successful Street Defense

Combative blocks and parries are pretty much universal in any martial arts system. Sure, there are countless variations of every block or parry. But they all serve the same basic purpose—to keep you from getting punched, stabbed, or kicked in the face. So, ensuring that you focus on proper blocking techniques is vital to any self-defense regimen.

Successful Defense Through Proper Blocking

There seem to be dozens of different blocks that one can master. These include high blocks, down blocks, cross blocks, circular blocks, elbow blocks, double-handed blocks, etc.

In this article, we are going to discuss basic blocks, how, why, and when they work, and how to execute them at a fundamental level.

Movement Is Life

My biggest pet peeve when I see an instructor teaching a student how to block is when the instructor has the student just stand there stagnant and in a static stance. Sure, this is the way that most beginner white belt students learn. But the habit of standing still must be broken fast.

Movement is life, and you must practice “getting off the X.” Either practice moving, ducking/slipping into the block, moving away from the block to the side, or basically anywhere.

Don’t just stand there with your face behind your arm, counting on your arm to do all the work. If your block misses or isn’t strong enough, your body should be moving to evade/counter the oncoming attack.

A Basic High Block

A high block is a basic block that works well. It can be used straight up and forward or angled to the side. I see a lot of classes where this fundamental block is taught incorrectly. For example, students are pretty much just swinging their arms straight up and almost hitting themselves in the face. That version does not work.

Think back to ancient times when combatants fought with weapons and shields. Now, envision a shield raising upwards and towards an oncoming attack. That is the basis of a high block.

Your arm acts as your shield, driving energy up and towards the attack, blocking with the outer edge of the forearm. You might throw a high block to counter an overhead punch or to over-power a looping hook coming from above.

Basic High Block Demonstration:

Proper Blocking: Frank demonstrates a relaxed fighting stance. — Frank demonstrates a relaxed fighting stance.

Frank’s right-hand starts to move upward in front of him. — His right-hand starts to move upward in front of him.

Proper Blocking: Frank’s hand begins to shoot forward and it raises, turning his forearm outward. — Then, his hand begins to shoot forward, and it raises, turning his forearm outward.

Frank’s arm is above his head, with a slight angle to the block. Sort of like half of the roof of a home. A roof block allows the attack to come in and hopefully angle and slide down the arm away from his face. Think of heavy snow sliding down the side of a roof so the structure of the home doesn’t bear the load of weight on top of it. — Now, his arm is above his head, with a slight angle to the block. Sort of like half of the roof of a home. A roof block allows the attack to come in and hopefully angle and slide down the arm away from his face. Think of heavy snow sliding down the side of a roof so the structure of the home doesn’t bear the load of weight on top of it.

Blocking vs. Parrying

A block is typically force-on-force—attacking the attack with the intent to stop the attacking strike. A parry tends to be a sidestep, pushing or slapping an attack away. You will see a parry and a counterpunch in many combative systems, including boxing.

In this series, Chris demonstrates a parry against a right punch and counters with his own. Unfortunately for his attacker, Jose, Chris has a nice Coppershed copper defense knuckle to add to the impact.

Proper Blocking: Jose, the would-be attacker, attempts to corner Chris against a wall. Both men have their guards up. — Jose, the would-be attacker, attempts to corner Chris against a wall. Both men have their guards up.

Proper Blocking: Chris successfully slaps his attacker’s strike aside, clearing an opening to deliver a straight right punch of his own. Complete with a copper knuckle. — Chris successfully slaps his attacker’s strike aside, clearing an opening to deliver a straight right punch of his own. Complete with a copper knuckle.

Jose attempts a right punch to Chris’s face. Chris slips an angled step to the outside of Jose’s strike while delivering a parry to counter the strike, pushing and slapping it aside and creating an opening for a counter.

Close the Gap and Counterstrike

Sometimes, blocks are used strictly defensively. However, sometimes they are used to absorb the shock so a fighter can close the open distance and deliver his or her own strike.

Now, defensively, I always recommend creating enough distance to escape to safety. But sometimes, getting away is not an option. So, in those cases, the best defense is an overpowering offense.

Jose and Frank are squared off. Jose realizes that no amount of verbal Judo is going to de-escalate this situation. He sees the imminent physical threat that Frank is becoming and designs to get his guard ready to counter.

Proper Blocking: Frank decides to throw a looping left-overhand punch to the side of Jose’s head. Jose lunges in with a modified high block that counters the energy of Frank’s punch. — Frank decides to throw a looping left-overhand punch to the side of Jose’s head. Jose lunges in with a modified high block that counters the energy of Frank’s punch.

Dealing with An Edged Weapon

The ultimate purpose of a block is to stop or shut down an attack. Sometimes, levels of force can escalate beyond empty-handed strikes and kicks. The possibility of an edge weapon being deployed into the fray is very real.

Some instructors will tell you to run when you see a knife. But what if you can’t run? What if you try to run and your attacker is faster than you? Or a better runner than you are? Now you will have to fight tired.

There is no sixty-second instruction book for learning how to defend against a knife attack. The following photos are just to give an example of how a knife can be used to block, counter, and hopefully disarm or disable an attacking limb long enough to give you time to get away to safety.

Proper Blocking: Jose draws a knife and squares up with Frank. Jose sizes him up as he starts to approach. Frank draws his own knife and prepares for an attack. — Jose draws a knife and squares up with Frank. Jose sizes him up as he starts to approach. Frank draws his own knife and prepares for an attack.

Jose attempts a right-handed knife slash at Frank. Frank steps out into the right (V-Step Angle 1) and delivers a counter-cut block to Jose’s attacking forearm.

Thank You 2024 Blade Show Fight Club

I want to extend a huge thank you to my buds, fellow knife designers, and martial artists who took time out of the extremely busy 2024 Atlanta Blade Show to take pictures for this article.

An extra special thank you to Ryan Forbes from Copper Shed Metal Works for the Copper Knuckle used in this article. Finally, thank you to Chris Cabin from Hog Mountain Tool and Tactical for making the CUMA BEAST training knives that were used in this article.

For more information, please visit CopperShed.com and TakKnife.co m.