Assisted Block in Sipjin

[TrueJim]

Here's an interesting question from the Taekwondo sub-reddit:

Yet another question on Poomsae taekwondo

Specifically, the original poster appears to be asking about the slow Palm-Assisted Block early in Sipjin. I can understand why the block is being assisted (i.e., presumably to provide more power to the blocking arm)...but what's the significance of the fact that the assisting hand is moving so slowly while the blocking arm turns slowly? Does anybody know what an application for this is?

 

[Gnarlie]

I have seen a few applications for this, the main one being for dealing with removing a particularly strong grip from the hand or wrist. Imagine the opponent grabs your left with his right, down low in a kind of arae makki position. The assisted block can represent two things: 1) that the person grabbing the wrist or hand is strong and resistive and or 2) that we do not want the person to let go during the block motion as it brings us to a position of advantage - this is a common feature of Hapkido and Taekwondo SD, as you know.

Turning the arm in the 'block' motion while keeping the opponent's hand in place moves them to an awkward twisted position where it is hard for them to continue to grip strongly. The blooming hand is also a common hapkido feature - creating tension in the hand increases the size of the wrist ever so slightly while the wrist is rotated again to overcome friction and ease the coming escape. At the moment of escape, when the grabbed hand begins to pull back, the blooming hand is suddenly collapsed, momentarily reducing the relative size of the wrist and allowing things to move. The fingertips of the assisting hand are slid along the forearm and the back of the hand to assist the release by pushing in under the opponent's grip, and while the grabbed hand is very suddenly pulled back to the hip, the fingertip strike shoots forward into the pit of the chest of the opponent.

There's a lot in this movement, and it certainly introduces some interesting ideas.

Particularly interesting to note what happens when used against a diagonal grab - it forms a nice wrist lock which brings a target on the opponents neck under the ear / jawline down to just above solar plexus height.

It also puts to bed a block being a block just because it is called makki. I have had this explanation from several sources, some of them Koreans. It makes sense to look beyond blocking as applications for makki, as makki means something like 'defence'.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[oftheherd1]

I have seen a few applications for this, the main one being for dealing with removing a particularly strong grip from the hand or wrist. Imagine the opponent grabs your left with his right, down low in a kind of arae makki position. The assisted block can represent two things: 1) that the person grabbing the wrist or hand is strong and resistive and or 2) that we do not want the person to let go during the block motion as it brings us to a position of advantage - this is a common feature of Hapkido and Taekwondo SD, as you know.

Turning the arm in the 'block' motion while keeping the opponent's hand in place moves them to an awkward twisted position where it is hard for them to continue to grip strongly. The blooming hand is also a common hapkido feature - creating tension in the hand increases the size of the wrist ever so slightly while the wrist is rotated again to overcome friction and ease the coming escape. At the moment of escape, when the grabbed hand begins to pull back, the blooming hand is suddenly collapsed, momentarily reducing the relative size of the wrist and allowing things to move. The fingertips of the assisting hand are slid along the forearm and the back of the hand to assist the release by pushing in under the opponent's grip, and while the grabbed hand is very suddenly pulled back to the hip, the fingertip strike shoots forward into the pit of the chest of the opponent.

There's a lot in this movement, and it certainly introduces some interesting ideas.

Particularly interesting to note what happens when used against a diagonal grab - it forms a nice wrist lock which brings a target on the opponents neck under the ear / jawline down to just above solar plexus height.

It also puts to bed a block being a block just because it is called makki. I have had this explanation from several sources, some of them Koreans. It makes sense to look beyond blocking as applications for makki, as makki means something like 'defence'.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Without seeing the move in question, it is difficult for me to comment. But my first thought was along the lines of Gnarlie, that it seemed it was a block to a grapple. I have commented before that there are moves in TKD that are no longer understood, but were previously blocks of strikes or kicks, to a grapple or counter strike. The one in question sounds like one.

 

[Dirty Dog]

During the movement, the supporting hand is intended to ad power to the block.
During the slow twisty portion, the move can be used to release a strong wrist grab.
It can also be a grab. If my opponent has grabbed my left wrist, the right hand can be used to trap their hand while the left hand opens and then twists inward, wrapping their wrist. This allows me to push their arm out of the way, opening the solar plexus for the fingertip strike that follows.
It's a little difficult to describe. I can try to put up a video if anybody is interested.

 

[TrueJim]

I can try to put up a video if anybody is interested.

If I had a good video explaining the application, I could add it to the Sipjin page on the wiki.

 

[Archtkd]

If I had a good video explaining the application, I could add it to the Sipjin page on the wiki.

This might help:

 

[Archtkd]

If I had a good video explaining the application, I could add it to the Sipjin page on the wiki.

Or this:

 

[Touch Of Death]

Here's an interesting question from the Taekwondo sub-reddit:

Yet another question on Poomsae taekwondo

Specifically, the original poster appears to be asking about the slow Palm-Assisted Block early in Sipjin. I can understand why the block is being assisted (i.e., presumably to provide more power to the blocking arm)...but what's the significance of the fact that the assisting hand is moving so slowly while the blocking arm turns slowly? Does anybody know what an application for this is?

Upon watching the vid, there is no power in peeling a grab up and away, so, you add thrust from the other hand, which has more power than you need.