Depending upon the situation and type of unarmed combat a Soldier  is engaged in, karate blocks may be useful.  Below are some common karate blocks and stances you can learn and pass on to your students.

In karate, there are a number of punching and kicking stances, but most of them rely on this same basic idea.  The point of impact is reduced to some small, usually bony area of your hand or foot, and the force of your attack is focused on this point.  Karatekas maximize the force of the impact by putting their whole body into the punch or kick.  If you watch karatekas fight, you'll see that they often pivot their torso and shift their weight from one leg to the other when they throw a punch.  In this way, the energy of their moving body goes into each hit along with the energy of the arm muscles.  Karatekas also practice hitting with great speed, as this increases the force of each blow. 

 

One of the most important elements in karate is following through on punches and kicks.  When you hit something, say a piece of board, your natural instinct is to slow down your swing just before impact; you hesitate because you don't want to hurt your hand.  Karatekas deprogram this hesitation instinct; they visualize pushing their fist to some point past their target (the other side of the board, for example).  To maximize the force of each movement, it's essential that the karateka follows through.  Before each attack, karatekas take a deep breath.  As they release the punch or kick, they let this breath out. This helps them focus on each movement.

 

If somebody punches you squarely in the chest, you feel the brunt of the fist's force.  In karate, the object is to intercept the fist so that it contacts your body from the side and you redirect its momentum away from you.  You do this by sweeping your opponent's arm or leg away from you with your own arm.  Depending on the attack, karatekas may sweep a blow upward, downward or to either side.  With this sort of blocking, you still end up colliding with your opponent, but you only feel a fraction of the force of the attack.

 

This also turns your opponents' momentum against them.  When you sweep a blow away to the side, your opponents' own momentum pull them forward, upsetting their balance.  This leaves them vulnerable to attack; you can land a successful hit or pin them to the ground. 

 

To protect against attacks, karatekas take on particular fighting stances.  Generally, karatekas stand with one leg in front of them and one leg behind them.  This effectively shields the front of the body from attack, and gives the karateka better balance.  Karatekas hold themselves with their center of gravity relatively low to the ground, so it is more difficult for an opponent to knock them down.

 

The rooted stance is a cross between a front stance and a horse, or straddle-leg, stance.   The rooted stance (fudo-dachi) gives you stability when you're in a defensive position.  The stance gets its name because it gives the impression of a deeply rooted tree.  To perform the stance, face forward, but turn your body to the side.  Keep your rear leg about two and one half strides behind your front leg in a wide stance.  Point your toes about 45 degrees to the side.  Distribute your weight evenly over both legs.  Maintain outward tension by pushing your knees out evenly over the outside of the foot.  Hold your arms at your sides, elbows bent slightly.  Turn your hands into inward-facing fists.

 

Knowing how to make a proper fist will lend power to your straight punch while keeping your hand safe.  To make a fist, open your hand with your fingers extended and touching each other.  Separate the thumb from the other fingers.  Bend the four fingers inward and touch the tips to the top of your palm.  Press your thumb over the index finger.  Don't allow the thumb to extend past the finger knuckles.  Keep your wrist straight.  Don't allow the little finger to separate from the other fingers.  Keep your fist closed, but relaxed before actually making contact with the target.  Practice punching a heavy bag to make sure your striking surface is the first two knuckles of the fist.

 

A wrist block is useful for blocking a high punch, but it is especially effective when you want to counterattack immediately with a palm-heel strike to the face or solar plexus.  To employ a wrist block, face forward with one leg ahead of the other.  Keep your legs about shoulder-width apart (front stance).  Bring the blocking hand in front of your midsection with the palm open and facing down.  Keep your non-blocking arm at your side as a guard.  Raise your wrist with the five fingers pointing down, as if you were picking up something.  Make contact with the attacking arm at its elbow, forearm or wrist to parry (deflect) the strike.  When employing this block, keep your fingers together.  The blocking surface is the bony backside of the wrist.   Work with a partner to sharpen your skills.  Ask a partner to strike at any section of your body.  Respond to the strike with a block and counterstrike.

 

The downward block is for a kick aimed at your legs.  A downward block is an effective counter and one of the first techniques taught in karate and tae kwon do.  To perform the block, face forward with one leg ahead of the other.  Keep your legs shoulder width apart.  Make a fist with your forward arm.  Bring your forward arm up to your opposite shoulder so that the palm is facing the ceiling.  Pull the other arm forward with its hand in a fist, palm-side down.  If possible, let the elbows touch, protecting the solar plexus.  Sweep your blocking arm down and across the body, turning the forearm strongly at the moment of impact, the palm facing down.  Stop your blocking arm slightly beyond your forward knee, the fist a few inches above your leg.  Pull your other arm, your hand in a fist, in the opposite direction until it guards your side, palm-side up. 

 

Keep your wrist and hand strong in case either comes in contact with the strike you are blocking.  Move the blocking arm downward and across the front of the body in a sweeping motion, as if scraping an attacker's grasp off your other arm.

 

A double block refers to either the simultaneous use of two separate blocks or executing one block that changes into another.  When carefully used, double blocks can be extremely effective against an attack.  To perform a double block, face forward with one leg ahead of the other.  Keep your legs about shoulder-width apart.  Cross both wrists in front of the chest, fists at shoulder level, palms facing inward.  Move both arms forward to separate the attacker's hands, preventing him or her from using both hands to grab your neck.  Twist your forearms outward and your arms apart at the moment of impact.

 

The wedge block is similar to two knife-hand blocks, but with the hands shaped into fists.  To perform a wedge block, face forward and turn your body to the side, one leg ahead of the other.  Form your hands into fists.  Reach out with your front arm to protect the front of your body.  Pull the other elbow behind and near the ear, your fist palm side out.  Twist your wrist strongly on your back arm and sweep the elbow forward and down to the lower part of the body, the top of the fist about a fist-width above your leg.  Move your other arm behind you, close to your side at a 90-degree angle with your fist palm up.

 

Twist your wrist strongly to add power to the block.  Move your forward guarding arm behind you at the same time you twist your other wrist and elbow forward.  This will also add power to the block.

 

An outside-inside block (soto-ude-uke) is one of many upper-body blocks to ward off a punch or kick to the middle, while setting you up for a counterattack.  To perform the block, face forward, and turn your body to the side, one leg ahead of the other.  Form your hands into fists.  Reach out with your front arm to protect the front of your body.   Pull the other elbow behind and near your ear, your fist palm-side out.  Twist your wrist strongly on your back arm, and circle your elbow forward and around to the middle of your body, the top of the fist just below eye level.  Move your other arm behind you, close to your side at a 90-degree angle, with your fist palm up.

 

Twist your wrist strongly to add power to the block.  Move your forward, guarding arm behind you at the same time you twist your other wrist and elbow forward.  This will also add power to the block.  Practice timing your blocks with a partner:  As your partner strikes at your middle section, time your block to meet the strike.  Practice blocks alternating your blocking arm to gain proficiency on either side.

 

A knife-hand block will ward off the attack while setting you up for a strong counterattack.  To perform a knife-hand block, face forward with one leg ahead of the other.  Keep your legs about a shoulder's width apart.  Reach your forward arm back to your rear shoulder with your open hand almost cupping your ear.  This is your blocking arm.  Hold your fingers together tightly with your thumb tucked into your palm.  Raise your opposite arm level with your chest, your hand formed into a fist.  Position this arm on the outside of your blocking arm.  Move your blocking arm slightly downward and across the front of your body.  Keep the elbow bent at a 90-degree angle, and twist your wrist so that the palm faces outward.  Meet the attacker's limb with the knife-hand edge (the fleshy part below your pinky).  Pull your opposite arm back against your side as you deliver your block.

 

Simultaneously pulling your arms in opposite directions as you deliver the block will increase the power of the block.  Keep your fingers together and slightly curved, with your thumb tucked into your palm.  This strengthens your striking surface, while protecting your hand from injury.

 

An upper block (jodan-uke), also known as a rising block (age-uke); will ward off the attacks to their face, while setting you up for a counterattack.  To perform a rising block, face forward with one leg ahead of the other, keeping your legs shoulder width apart.  Turn your fist palm up on your forward arm, and extend it across your stomach, slightly below the waist.  Keep your other arm close to your body bent at a 90-degree angle, with your fist palm up.  This position will guard your ribs against a side attack.  Raise your blocking arm up above your head in an arc, as if drawing a sword, until it is about a fist's distance above and forward of the top of your head.  Twist your wrist outward and upward at a 45-degree angle at the moment of impact.  The blocking surface is the inside edge of the forearm.  Bring the other arm across the stomach during the block, and then withdraw quickly to the hip.

 

The arm makes an arc across the front of the body as it rises upward.  Practice timing your blocks with a partner: As your partner swings a practice target downward, lift and twist your arm to ward off the upper attack.  Practice blocks alternating your blocking arm to gain proficiency on either side.

Basic Karate Techniques