Taekwondo Pattern Chon-ji: Down Block Drills

Taekwondo Chon-ji Down Block Drills

Down block. Gedan barai. Hardan marki.



Colin between steps 2 and 3 of Taewkondo's Chon-ji Hyung.

We did an incremental down block drill for new students and beginners last night.

1. The first was to look at the folding as a way to create a deflection for a strike coming to the face. Then using the down block to deflect a mid-section strike to the solar plexus.

2. Then we used the folding or reverse hand as a way to sandwich the opponent's striking arm whilst the 'fold' for the down block is used to send your elbow into the back of the opponent's hand. Then the down block is used as a strike to the forearm.

3. Progressing through this exercise, the more experienced students involved themselves in a free flow drill - opponent striking nose then solar plexus. The fold was used as a deflection for the face while the down block is used to strike away a solar plexus attack.

The down block was shown not to be used directly against leg attacks UNLESS the intention was to use a downward striking elbow instead of the forearm to strike an uncoming shin.

A more advanced approach was taken to look at angles of striking.

The down block performed on top of areas LI 7,8,9 toward an oncoming 'Karate' type punch with palm downward is a traditional type downblock performed chambered at the elbow and striking the forearm at an angle.

The down block down on HT 3 or HT 2 of an arm on the 'same side' punching you (like a Wing Chun punch - with thumb upward) is done with a straighter arm and requires the fist be held flexed toward the small finger side of the forearm. This wraps the fist so that your knuckle or knife hand part of the hand and strike inside the opponent's forearm.

The down block done on L13 is done if the arm is extended way and crossed in front of the opponent's body, and rotated with palm pointing more or less down. Meaning you are hammering the guy's tricep with a downblock done so that your fist is probably higher than your elbow. It still is considered a downblock because of the flight path you are using to strike the opponent's arm.

Like the lunge punch, the hikite or pull back or reaction hand needs to be pulled back hard. Both hands work in tandem to create a massive shearing force. Ideally, your back hand is anchoring or trapping the opponent's extended arm. Or stretching it out. Or as I said about, sandwiching it between your two arms.

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