How to Do The Inside To Outside Grab Block In Soo Bahk Do

Soo Bahk Do is a form of martial arts developed by Master Hwang Kee in 1945. He combined fighting styles from his native Korea with Chinese Kung-Fu as well Confucian and Tao philosophies. The principals behind this Soo Bahk Do emphasize the importance of spiritual growth and the use of force only as form of discipline or in the defense of oneself or others. Soo Bahk Do is broken down into a series of forms or postures which provide the artist with a series of possible attacks or defenses to choose from. One simply moves from form to form, reliant on reacting to an opponent’s stance and movement to attack. Though this technique is taught with the stern mindset that it is only be used to protect, it also ascribes to the philosophy that in order to effectively defend oneself or others it is sometimes necessary to take the initiative and actively remove a potential threat. For this reason, the majority of the attacks in Soo Bahk Do are made up of powerful long range kicks, accompanied with close quarters locks and holds. Footwork is considered essential as the majority of the defensive moves rely on moving around an opponent's attacks rather than directly blocking them. Should getting around an opponent's strike not be an option, the hands are kept free for this very reason. This guide will provide the steps to perform an inside to outside grab block in Soo Bahk Do.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Practice Space
• Sparring Partner

Performing The Inside To Outside Grab Block

1. Begin by directly facing your opponent in a classic fighter’s pose. Your left foot should be forward with your right in the rear. Try to keep your weight balanced between the two and make sure your knees are slightly bent. Your left arm should be straight and angled down ready to guard the lower left side of your body, while your right hand should be up ready to guard the upper chest and face.

2. Use your right hand to stop or slow a straight punch your opponent throws at your face, make sure to hold onto the opponent’s fist or wrist.

3. Sweep your left arm in a counterclockwise circle. Your forearm should snap the immobilized fist inward (to your left), across your opponent’s body. This will keep your opponent from attacking again until he is able to clear his arm out of the way.

4. Rise to the ball of your rear foot and push off hard to bring yourself closer to your opponent.

5. Drive your right fist into your opponent’s cheek or nose in a simple forward punch. An alternative to this strike would be to drive the edge of your elbow into your opponent’s face or neck rather than your fist. It should be noted that this alternative should never be used in a competition or sparring match as it could cause serious permanent injury.

Tips & Warnings

• These instructions are for a right hand/foot dominant person, if you’re a left dominant then switch the placement of the hands and feet.
• Do not use a full force strike when sparring or competing, always pull the punch to prevent doing serious injury to your opponent.

Resources

• Video Instructions On The Inside To Outside Grab Block

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