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Taekwondo Hand Skills
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Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art that has been developed over 20 centuries. It has been evolved into a new Olympic sport. And yet the fundamental skills have changed very little. This article includes descriptions the fundamental traditional taekwondo blocks and some tips for performing them.

Tips for Knife Hand Blocks

The knife hand has two major advantages compared to the closed hand. One is that the knife hand is a longer weapon. The other is that it is a sharper tool.

When you do the knife hand techniques, you should pay extra attention to the weapon so that you don't hurt your hand. It requires a significant amount of practice before you attempt to use it. Striking a sand bag or heavy bag is one way to strengthen the hand.

Always use other arm to cover your body while you are preparing for offense or defense techniques, and to create reaction force for the strike or block.

For low section knife hand block, bring the open hand to the shoulder. Keep the palm facing your face. Cover the center of your body with the other arm. Bring the knife hand along the other arm and twist it down to make a low section block.

Middle section knife hand block is done the same way as the outward middle block is. Bring the blocking hand to the side and block in a circular motion.

For the high section knife hand block, bring the blocking knife hand to the side and raise it across the body. Focus the force at the moment of the impact.

When you practice low, middle, and high section single knife hand blocks, always bring the weapon to the center line of the body and then release it to function as a weapon. Each time, plant your feet on the ground firmly but rotate your body with flexibility to generate a coiling and uncoiling force of the muscles.

For the open knife hand low section block, bring both knife hands in front of your chest with palms facing your face, twist them down to make an open block.

Open knife hand middle section block is done by crossing the arms inward in front of your chest, then popping out to the target area. The blocking part can be either knife hand or the ridge knife hand which is the other side of the knife hand.

Tips for Double Knife Hand Blocks

Double knife hand low section block is a combination of knife hand low block and an augmented hand. Raise both knife hands above your shoulders at 45 degrees and bring them down (keeping them parallel) to the low section. The front hand makes low block and the rear hand covers the solar plexus.

Double knife hand middle section block is a combination of a single knife hand middle block and an augmented hand.

Double knife hand high section block is done by raising the front hand over the forehead and positioning the other hand in the middle of the body augmenting the blocking arm and covering the vital point.