Basic Blocks and Parries Part 6

18Drop Stick/Dropping Blocks

The ‘Drop Stick’ or ‘Dropping’ blocks are to the left and the right of the body centre line. The knees are usually bent lower in this basic block, to sometimes one knee (usually the back leg), resting upon the ground. The blocks are struck/punched from the shoulders across to either side, more downwards and the point of the stick is allowed to move from the ninety degree vertical position, down to over the forty five degree angle from the vertical, to sometimes past the horizontal, in a smash down motion, to achieve the defence. Sometimes this smash down can strike the ground, before the weapon is pulled back, so a counter attack can be made.

This block is often seen as an extension or variation of the vertical/straight stick block, as it often moves down to strike in the block or forcefully meets an upward angled attack.

With a right handed person, the block to the right, can have the empty or livehand to the front of the weapon. The drop stick block to the left, can have the emptyhand to the back of the stick or be in the emptyhand crossing over the stickhand, to the crossover position. After the initial contact of weapon to weapon, the emptyhand can either be breaking/checking or flowing through whatever weapon hand the stick is blocking.

#dropstickblock #basicblocks