Can You REALLY Block A Punch In A Street Fight?
My first martial arts instructor, Master Ron LeBlanc, had a unique style of teaching how to block a punch…he’d stand you up against a wall and punch you! No gloves…no padding…nothing but air between his knuckles and your face.
If you blocked it, great. If not, you got punched (with reserved power of course).
But we’re not talking about just one single punch. He would throw punch after punch from all angles and wherever he saw an opening to get in and tag you.
As “realistic” as this extreme version of training may seem, it still does little to mimic a real punch in a real fight.
So the question has to be addressed: Can you REALLY block a punch in a real street fight?
In the dojo, I knew a strike was coming…our positions remained fixed…and if one punch landed, it didn’t hit hard enough to keep me from thinking about the next strike…all luxuries you most likely won’t have in a real street fight.
You may have heard the saying “action is faster than reaction” and this couldn’t be more true than when applied to a real street defense scenario.
Master LeBlanc drilled into our heads over and over again that, ”No matter how much you train here, 90% of the time, the person who gets the first punch is going to win the fight.”
By the time your attacker has made the decision to punch you, he’s already gone through his “strike analysis”. He knows HOW he wants to hit you…WHERE he wants to hit you…and WHEN he wants to hit you. All that’s left is to simply HIT YOU!
By the time YOU see the strike coming, you’ve barely begun your own “blocking analysis” of how you’re going to not get hit and there surely isn’t enough time to pull out Block # 57 from Kata # 12.
Unless you’re dealing with a drunken idiot who goes for a slow-motion haymaker from left field, you’re most likely NOT going to be able to block a punch, at least not in the “traditional” sense.
Fortunately, our days of wearing loin cloths and running from predators instilled in us the natural reaction of MOVEMENT.
Once your eyes and brain identify that a strike is coming, your natural reaction (like “no thought – instant response”) is to simply MOVE, and the best way to not get hit is to NOT be where the punch is.
Your attacker had a target already picked out. It may have simply been the “vicinity” of your head, but he already loaded the freight train and once he let it leave the station, he had no further control over it.
So even if you move just a few inches, that punch isn’t likely to hit you with any great force and this gives you an opportunity for a counter.
Countering a punch is a whole other article I’ll get to, but for now, here’s the lesson…
The sooner you can identify a punch is coming, the sooner you can MOVE to nullify that punch (or launch your own “first strike”).
So learn to identify your attacker’s body language that signals a punch is coming. Here are some red flags to be aware of:
Signs Of An Attack In A Street Fight: A Punch Is Coming If…
• He begins to grit his teeth or you notice his jaw moving “angrily”
• He clenches his fists
• His breathing becomes shallow and forced
• He suddenly shifts one foot in front of him
• His chin “drops” (this is a natural reaction to protect the throat)
• His shoulder “drops” (the first phase of the “windup” for the most common punch)
• He turns his body to the side (away from you) but the fight hasn’t been diffused yet
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The difference is between the trained and the untrained. If the attacker is the former(always a dangerous assumption but often true)— attack the attacker.
I studied a style that taught us to counter and attack at the same time. Why wait. An untrained punch is like a slow moving train. Nail the sucker…
of course this is before lawyers and law suits but if I see a punch on the way I am attacking.
Now if you face an experienced fighter— you may not have that opportunity so move and strike.
Nah, nah i dont understand, post a video jeff!
One way is to whatch their shoulders to see if they move. I think the shoulder moves first. Carl.
In todays courts you must prove that you were in fear of or attacted first. So the best defense is to move (if you see it coming) then fight back but only UNTIL the other person is no longer a threat once he or she is down by the rule of law you had better stop and leave or you have just became the BAD GUY and will go to jail. Not but thats the way it is.
I agree that most punches can not be blocked and most blocks are useless in real combat but let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. It is possible to protect yourself with a brush or chop block as you are moving away. From my personal opinion, it never hurts to have more options than your attacker.Additionally, although a block may not be successful it may set you up for a grab, lock, take-down or throw.
Hey yeah you can block a punch and if you use bone alingment you can break the arm too with dip and surge, but you have to train in a certain martial arts system for that to happen and your talking about two months to move up a belt level for training with this system its called mandarin kung fu it takes about 3 years to get to first degree black belt, im an orange but the theory you learn first off pretty helpful for the beginner and for a person who weighs less than their attacker becuase their trhowing their weight in to the strikes and shift with their hips while heavying their limbs hitting witgh 1200 lbs of pressure
Bone alignment? Dip and surge?? Two whole months to advance a belt level??? Mandarin Kung Fu only system with punch blocking capabilities???? This all sounds much too advanced and requires too much dedication than I can handle….guess I’m gonna take one to the jaw….
Action is quicker than reaction. However you can improve the odds dramatically if you just add the magic ingredient. What is the magic ingredient I hear you ask. It’s distance. Simply make sure that in a pre-fight conflict situation you back off so that you are about six inches (15cm) outside of your potential attackers reach. Then if they go to attack you, you should have sufficient time to react.
Of course if you can’t get that distance, then maybe it’s time for a preemptive strike… but that’s a whole other issue…
Train hard, be safe.
I am not sure if I have ever blocked a punch in a real street fight. I know someone swung a lead pipe at my face and I caught it, dodged my head away then elbowed him in the groin which took him down. I then proceeded to take the pipe and hit him till he stopped moving.
Of course, I did 4 years in prison for it, too.
Punches can be blocked. But training for realistic circumstances takes time and coordination, regardless of deflection, redirection, smashing, etc. My favorite way to train in self defense is NOT TO BE THERE. If you teach a person how to move their body offline then they punches have a harder time finding their target. Removing the target is easier to teach. Everyone has natural instincts for removing themselves from harms way. I work at enhancing them. I have had real success at teaching offline anglation in the matter of hours. Not days or weeks, months or years. Traditional arts have in their roots foot work designed to take advantage of angles. However in the modern practice much of this kind of detail has been lost. But styles like Ninja Taijitsu and tai chi and capoeira teach this as a basis for technique applications. But again the instructor has to have spent time on that aspect of the art to understand this well enough to have a defendant redirect their body. Unlike blocking there is immediate positive reinforcement for the practice. I can usually start throwing full force punches at students after a couple of hours. And they are smiling as they start to learn to put their elbow or palm in my movement path while they are offline. Blocking is still better. But it takes control and training for years to take advantage of that kind technique. I can usually throw a person to the ground if they punch at me with force time and time again. I have thrown people into walls, floors, fists, elbows, kicks. But I have 30 years of dedicated training. What I am talking about is KEEP IT STUPID SIMPLE. http://Www.pedc.net
Distance and Timing can be your two best friends in a fight, especially if someone else starts it. Being aware of a situation, not afraid or nervous, simply be mindful can help. Before anyone, anything, attacks, they must have the intention to do so….pick up on that ..then use your distancing and timing you’ll be ahead of the game, or at least get to go home in one piece!
I agree with Eugene but I understand; it may help to see a video
Good to know, I’m sure I’ll have to use it sometime.
Distance is very important. Move closer. If he’s good enough to hit you hard with a 2″ punch you’re dead anyway.
Instead of blocking the blow, wouldn’t it be better to deflect it?
Also, like others, I’ve never blocked in a fight before, it’s more a case of evade and deflect. Having said that, I’ve encountered someone who does block but back then, I punched like a jellyfish.
Position yourself more than 36 inches from the aggressor when all possible. This will force the aggressor to move closer to you before the strike comes. Keep a zone of 3 feet around you before the actions starts.
It’s important to understand that street combat, or any combat for that matter, is terribly quick, violent, and explosive. This makes it almost impossible to block a full-speed punch thrown with “bad intentions”. If you’re lucky, you might block the punch, but most guys try to throw multiple punches in most fghts and they usually succeed with ugly results for the receiver. It’s easier to evade a punch and immeidately follow up with even more violence and intensity without letting up. Keep the pressure and violence on until the other combatant is no longer able to continue!!! Prior to any actual physical violence, learn to notice the visual signs and strike FAST, FIRST, and HARD.
Distancing yourself from your opponent is fine, but if your opponent is too far away to hit you, you are also too far away to hit him. I myself would tend to check his hit, which in a street fight is typically a looping hook or haymaker. This strike is usualy telegraphed and one can shoot inside, checking the strike at the elbow crease with the defending or blocking arm and striking with a forearm slam to the midsection, chest or neck with the other arm. Hitting the neck with the forearm will also impact the equilibrium of your opponent, giving you an additional opportunity for additional follow-up strikes.
On top of that, in a real street fight, just as the other posters have noted. You’re not going to want to waste time. You want to take the other guy out fast and hard. If it actually gets to that stage the other bloke is probably off his rocks and only has one thing in mind. So really blocking is the least of your problems.
Well, what Jeff is saying is pretty much true. I have been in a few altercations, and when it comes to blocking an attack, generally the way it happens is my fist ends up colliding with theirs, not a high block or a shell block or anything like that. My general way of dealing with something like that, is to not try to square off with them, but to either try to get a groin shot in, or just tackle them and commence to beating the living shit out of them. Everyone thinks the groin shot is cheap, but in a fight, there isn’t an honor code. If you have sand, throw it in their eyes, if you can find any light objects, throw it at them. Do whatever it takes to give you enough time to get out of there.
One of my masters taught me to immediately swing my hand/arm upwards when a punch is thrown at me – it has a high chance to temporarily blocking the punch. It is not a “block” per se but more to a “natural” or intuitive swing.
After the “swing”, the other hand immediately punch back without hesitation or real aiming (as the attacker will probably still standing in front of you).
Forget blocks, no good. Pre-empitive strikes..I use a double power(jap)slap which leaves both hands on their head, thumbs into eyes, headbutts elbows knees headcontrol ankle stamp job done more or less in that order it is more or less my own street kata using my favorite strikes in logical order..Works everytime, If per chance you dont get the first strike in look for what foot is forward on your opponent and match it in your fence stance there is a big chance that his punch will come from the same side as his rear foot bring your hand to the back of your head elbow pointing towards the punch and move in, if he hits your elbow he will break his fist,put elbow hand around back of opponents head and use other elbow on his head, knees,head control,ankle stamps. Keep it simple, work out your own street kata..
the willingness to hurt another person when attacked -situational awareness as well as freedom of movement and thought are all part of your personal defense.
don’t be there; and if you are; do whatever it takes to not.
I see some of you have done prison because you went over the top even though you were attacked first, only ever do enough to finish and get away, and only enough force depending on the threat posed…But in defence of those who ended up in prison there is a famous saying in Self Defence….BETTER TO BE TRIED BY 12 THAN CARRIED BY 6….
I see some to the comment that have already been stated,comes from the old school I was raised by,and that being as my dad taught me Hit them before they hit you.Now days you may end up in jail with that type of old school taught.Unless you have no idea the punch is coming,you stand a good chance of being hit.I witness this first hand,a guy I knew in high school,got out of a car at a store,where i was at he said high and i greet him.next thing i knew Todd walk up to this guy and begin to whip his ass and it wasnt pretty.Seem this guy had a rumor that he was a nark.So in most case it could be a nasty Suprise!!!!!!!
When I was in jr. high there was a guy that thought he was really bad but he wasn’t as bad as he thought he was. one day we got into it abd he had me backed up to the wall and he through some punches and I blocked each one. His shoulder moved and you could see it in his eyes. It made him mad and he walked off.
Paul
If I even think that I am going to get hit, I hit first. I dont care about lawsuits, I care about me! Haven’t been in too many situations except for the few years I was on a police dept but as I get close to 70, I may not fully recover from a first strike. Some of these younger punks have no respect for age. Last incident was in a supermarket which I am not allowed to go into anymore. “clean up aisle 3-old man fight”
If you are in the hands up Boxer’s position you can choose to intercept the jab with a stop kick to their lead leg with your lead or rear leg. I have used this one in many non life and death situations; Note, could be a risk as they may try to take you to the ground),
you can attack the radial, the radial brachialis, bicep/tricep depending on your combat training (Gunting from the Filipino arts), or you can take the lead punch on the tip of your elbows aiming for their pinky which requires little to no major movement (also Filipino Martial Arts…..
If it is the rear “haymaker” HIT FIRST! Keep forward pressure on your attacker to the “clinch position” and use Head-Butts, Knees and Elbows (HKE) eye-gouge, bite their ear off, or end it in a more peaceful manner……
Hit them FIRST!!!! lol!
) Much also depends on the knowledge of your attacker….
being a south paw usually if i can step left and avoid the punch my attacker will be open on his right side allowing me a clear shot to the right side of his face then follow up with a right my attacker then has to turn to me allowing me opportunity to continue my attack or flee as necessary im not a big man or a street brawler so if i can remove my self i will do so
In a way, it’s a bit OT but the funny note of contention is that we need to bear in mind that if we swing first, then you’re in shakier legal ground then if you swing last.
Might be better to think with our heads rather then our balls (sometimes).
I used to box when I was younger and I was trained to both never stay in one place and close the distance when you feel threatened.
I then learned Krav Maga so some of the movements are very similiar but a lot of both blocking and counter-punching at the same time to both defend and strike back.
It takes practice and control to learn to defend yourself.
In the number of fights I have been in, I was hit with punches at least 10 – 12
times by the other guy. I average between 25 – 30 shots back on the person plus at least 7 – 9 leg sweeps. I was never one of those guys that have that one shot knock-out punch.
OPTION 1:TAKE THE BLOW,CALL POLICE & TAKE HIM TO COURT.
OPTION 2: SHUT HIM & RUN.
I’ve no time for people who eat like pigs and then search for magic pills, diets and programs. If you eat a lot of, you will end up fat no mater what. And i am not particularly slim but I do run and feel healthy, without feeling hungry constantly. Get a grip folks!
you can only block punches if somone is doing the samething like karate and karate they will be good but when you put boxing thier terrible