Taekwondo low block

Taekwondo low block is one of the most basic and effective blocks used. It was part of the basic training when someone begins Taekwondo. Usually in Poomsae, the exponent is supposed to lift his or her arm to the shoulder level and then cut down to block a kick or punch.

The motion is pretty straight forward but the key lies in the twisting at the moment of contacting the opponent's attack. The twisting has to be done fast and that's where our twisting muscle comes in. That's where practioners need to take note that why learning martial art is different and what does the training entails.

In blocking, the twisting is key because of the technique of deflection that we are learning. The Taekwondo low block is effective is sparring also and it is often used. The blocks in Poomsae are often known to be impractical and it is for show but it has its use when it comes to the practical part just that there may be some slight changes. We will come to this at a later post.

In short, to perform a low block one has to note that:

1. Relax your hand first and ensure that your fingers which are already in a fist clenching position but facing inwards to your body for maximum effectiveness.

2. Twist the wrist first at the moment of contact and clenched your fist hard.

You may ask why should we relax our hand and fist when it is supposed to be clenched already at first? This will in a way make your block faster when it is more relax and agile making your motion less stiff and less strength is wasted.

Use your strength wisely is another thing we can also learn from our basic techniques.