Ah...southern grace.

[Dr.Rob]

Great form..notice the footwork, the leg movement is to block groin stikes. They have no low blocks, same as Bak Mei
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibPLvKoTcwo&feature=related


Excellent explaination of the hands
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqDty-Qw98s&feature=related


Nice show of the internal aspects of the system
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIOws-AZZac&NR=1

[Doc Stier]

M-goy. Ho-la! Ho-la!

[Andy_S]

There are no hand blocks of kicks below the waist in the CMA I have learned either. Every leg raise (prior to stepping) is a kick block and the way it performed in Taiji; it also protects the groin.

The only possible arm block of the leg that I came across was a low smash in PM, performed side on from a horse stance, but this is more an arm break - you are pulling his arm with your left fist at is goes to your waist while smashing downwards onto his tricep, or (possibly) a hammer fist to an incoming kick. That's it.

"Hands deal with hands; legs deal with legs" was - I thought - a universal concept on CMA?

[DaDa]

Does anybody actually fight that way? Raise each leg to block kicks when moving?
Wouldn't that slow you down?

[edededed]

I have seen a few low arm blocks in baguazhang.

[Doc Stier]

Does anybody actually fight that way? Raise each leg to block kicks when moving?
Wouldn't that slow you down?

The SPM styles are designed for extremely close quarters fighting where very little time is needed to change position. They also feel that it makes about as much sense to throw kicks at an opponent's head as it does to bend forward to punch him on the lower leg or foot!

Thus, for the sake of speed and practical proximity to the target, they use the arms and hands to defend and strike above the waist, and the legs and feet to defend and attack below the waist.

[C.J.Wang]

Does anybody actually fight that way? Raise each leg to block kicks when moving?
Wouldn't that slow you down?

The SPM styles are designed for extremely close quarters fighting where very little time is needed to change position. They also feel that it makes about as much sense to throw kicks at an opponent's head as it does to bend forward to punch him on the lower leg or foot!

Thus, for the sake of speed and practical proximity to the target, they use the arms and hands to defend and strike above the waist, and the legs and feet to defend and attack below the waist.

Just curious -- what are some of the typical responses a SPM guy would use against low roundhouse kicks to the legs?

[Doc Stier]

Just curious -- what are some of the typical responses a SPM guy would use against low roundhouse kicks to the legs?

A typical response would be to withdraw and raise the leading leg, if that is the opponent's intended target, or to take step backward and/or to the side, if the rear leg is the intended target, while simultaneously striking the opponent's face or head, and then step in at a side angle to close and finish.

[Andy_S]

SNIP
Does anybody actually fight that way? Raise each leg to block kicks when moving?
SNIP

Well you have three choices against a kick:
Evade
Block with leg
Block or deflect with hand

Evade is ideal - especially if you evade FORWARD, moving inside the kick's range (if it is a round kick) or into the kick before it is full developed (if a straight kick) but if you can't evade you can block with the leg or arm. If you block a low kick with the arm you are in danger of:
(1) Being punched in the face while your guard is down low (ie you are a victim of a classic low-high combo); and
(2) If it is Thai-style kick, damaging or breaking your arm.

So leg blocks are ideal, IME and IMHO.

When I was into sparring, I even used to block mid-level kicks with a leg raise: It left the hands free to counterattack upstairs immediately. Moreover, you can use the rising leg block and a falling elbow to 'sandwich' incoming kicks. (Kicks being slower than punches this is perfectly feasible to do.)

OTOH, if you can catch a kick with your hands and rotate quickly (in either direction) you are going to take your man for a very nasty spin. I have found this tactic much more effective than the commonly taught:
Catch kick - step in - throw
In the latter case, the opponent can simply grab on to you to thwart the throw and/or drag you down with him.

[ittokaos]

Andy S is correct. My sifu also teaches SPM and we were taught to move into the roundhouse as it is strongest at the shin/instep and due to the way it moves, it can be negated, knock the opponent off balance, and easily set him up for a counter all by moving forward. Also, chop step(the lifting of the leg that blocks the groin) can be used to "catch the leg" and lift the opponents foot off the ground much like a sweep. The second half of the step can be a stomp which can add power to any follow up strikes. As for blocking with the arm, it is not really done. An Sao (pressing hand) can be used to smother a kick coming up the middle. There are smashing attacks to the attacking legs but these are not really blocks. The individual would first have to move out of the way of the attack then this counter is used. Much more a side step and strike than a block. I was taught that if the hand would meet an attacking leg it would be a strike or a deflection. Also, this one is harder, one can meet the limb and touch, then roll around it. I think the Bagua guys do that but it is also in Bak Mei.

I hope this helps.

[Doc Stier]

ittokaos:

As I was taught, when the attacker starts his kick from enough distance to require taking a step toward you to insure making contact, moving forward into the kick is often done to jam the kick inside his full leg extension, where it has less power.

When a fast kick is thrown at your leading leg from a very close quarter distance, however, there may not be enough time to step in any direction. In this case, the lead leg is simply withdrawn quickly and raised off the floor, as done in the form sets.

In either case, multiple simultaneous strikes to the head results in a combined defense and counterattack as one response, instead of two separate movements.

[Doc Stier]

This old clip of Sifu Gin-Foon Mark demonstrates a few examples of defense and counter against kicks:


Kwong-Sai Jook Lum Gee Tong Long Pai

[middleway]

Sifu paul whitrod demonstrating the SPM dragon legs form. Looks like there is a bunch of kick defence training in there.

cheers
Chris

[bailewen]

Does anybody actually fight that way? Raise each leg to block kicks when moving?
Wouldn't that slow you down?

Well . . . it is the standard Muay Thai defense against a leg kick.

Just sayin'

[yusuf]

On that Paul Whitrod clip ... 0.14 - 0.17 ... i've been on the receiving end of that .. you can see why southern styles are so effective... his defence against a low kick is to step in and knee the inside of the thigh whilst simultaneously attacking the head and body... alas i was on the receiving end of that too when i tried to explain how good my low kick is

..yes, owee,