I recall on more than one forum seeing GKR students having great difficulty understanding what mawashi-uke is all about (the one at the end of Saifa for example).

Of course, like any kata technique, IMO its a multi-purpose tool but in its basically mode this technique is certainly a useful block. Here's a demonstration I came across that, whilst it differs from how I would do the technique, does give you the idea of 'intercept then control'. Anyway, here it is...

Pangai Noon Ryu circle block

FYI, Pangai Noon Ryu is related to Goju.

Mike

Hi Mike,

Its pretty basic alright and I don't perform it or teach it that way either. I prefer to teach students the karate principle of blocking outside in and obtaining the superior position. I usually teach it from a grab first and then a push finally moving on to a punch both straight and hooked. Parick McCarthy taught me his drills and they all made sense.. he has a video out that is good information for anyone called 'Renzokugeiko' or similar. I learned an old style 'To'on Ryu' mawashi uke from Mario McKenna which incorporates a 45o jodan block which I really like and use and teach. Did you look at some of the other clips she had Mike? Wha did you think of them?

Boz

This reminds me somewhat of the "pushing hands" flow drills I practice in Tai Chi, I suppose if Pangai Noon is related to Goju-Ryu, this would be the chinese elements coming to the fore. I also recall seeing a similar thing whilst training with Mick last year.

Its good to see a practical application for mawashi-uke, but I do wonder how this would stand up at a faster pace or in a "live" situation - would this be the first choice of block? And what would be the counterattack to this?

I've looked at a couple of them. They're a bit basic, but then I suppose they are only the 8th-6th kyu syllabus. I'd be interested to see some of the material covered in later grades. I find the partner exercises overly formal for my liking, with the obvious result that I'm unconvinced by their practicality. And there are a couple of technical points that I really really don't like. But they do contain a kernel of useful principles and techniques, so I'd say this stuff is definitely a step up from standard traditional karate-do.

Like I said though, I'd be interested to see some of their higher grade material.

It can be done very fast and it is very practical. But to make it fast and practical I'd do it a little differently to how its shown on this video. For a start I'd recommend moving your body, either backwards or forwards at an angle, to place you at a position of advantage (I notice though that this Pangai Noon Ryu teacher does do this in some of the other vids). I'd also start with my arms in a more central guard position and make the whole arm movement smaller and more natural.

One of the mainstays of our training is practice of tegumi drills similar to Patrick McCarthy's renzoku-geiko-waza. You can use the same principle of 'intercept with one hand, control with the other' to deal with a variety of different strikes and grabs, and even combinations of strikes and grabs.



I'm not sure what you're asking. What would you do after you've blocked? Almost anything you like. Its an essential part of the block for that you
a) place yourself in a position of advantage
b) unbalance the attacker

What you actually hit them with is dependent partly on the situation and partly on your personal preferences. A palm-heel, knee, elbow combination usually works well for me.

Even if you manage neither a) or b) you can still be counterstriking before your block is complete and before the attacker's technique is finished. One key point is to NOT intercept with, say, the left hand then pass to the right to control while the left returns to the hip before striking. The left hand should only retract as far as is necessary to give a clear trajectory to the target, without your right hand or the attacker's arm getting in the way.

Mike