Swat Push Block

Swat Push Block

 

拍推擋 

pāi tuī dǎng

by Shifu Andrew Miles

Pai Tui Dang in 8 Step mantis can be applied at three levels.  

The first is the wrist.  This is a foundational technique in which the fist is deflected. 

The second is at the opponent's elbow.  This required a degree of poise to advance into the incoming strike.  The advancement turns this from a deflection into a palm strike.  This can redirect the opponent's punching force through their elbow causing enough strain to injure the elbow.  When contact is made at the level of the elbow it causes the opponent's whole body to turn, especially if they are attacking with intention to harm.

The third requires the greatest degree of courage and timing.  You sink the right foot, stomping down at a fourty five degree angle and use the combined power of the legs and waist to strike the opponent along their spine.  The ming men (Du 4) and feng fu (Du 16) points are the most preferred targets when coming from the outside gate at this range.

For the third level of pai tui dang you need to have poise, relaxation and a degree of bravery.  The stepping must be accurate, smooth and the transition relaxed and combined with breathing.

Swat block is one of the most overlooked tools for fighting.  It is one of the first techniques students learn and it gets glossed over.  People do the blocks to get to the spectacular technique, not realizing that the block itself is enough to neutralize an opponent.  At close range a simple block can turn into a palm strike to the opponent's neck.  When the body movement is effectively combined this allows for an easy knock out.

Once in Chengdu I sparred in the park using open palm mma gloves.  My opponent came in with a barrage of strikes.  I covered from the front so the strikes started coming wider.  A hook came to the outside.  I high blocked and from the inside gate reflected the blow back to their tian you point using swat block.  It was not applied with any intention, I had planned to simply deflect and then throw him, but when the palm connected, even lightly his attacks stopped, the expression ran from his face and he sank to his knees in a daze. I immediately stopped because I could see he was unable to continue.  Fearing for his safety I  applied acupressure techniques to open the tian you point and then applied pressure to the jing well point of the san jiao channel as well as to the ren zhong acupuncture point to restore normal cerebrovascular flow.  From the information below we can better understand why this simple block had such a big effect.

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Chinese Name: Tianyou (English translation: Celestial Crevice)

Location: On the side of the neck, directly inferior to the posterior aspect of the mastoid process, at the level of the angle of the mandible, on the posterior border of m. sternocleidomastoideus.

Indications:

• dizziness
• inability for the legs to support the body.
• Headache, neck rigidity
• Eye pain, deafness
• Scrofula
• epilepsy

Functions: Clears Heat, clears the sensory organs, benefits the head, alleviates pain.
Needling: Perpendicular insertion .5 - 1.0 cun.


If we look at this point we find that it affects inflammation, neck musculature and has direct affects on opening the sensory orifices.  By abruptly closing this point it caused a loss in consciousness.  This point is classified as one of the window of heaven points which have been shown to affect cerebrovascular circulation.

The secret to this technique lies in the form.  It teaches us to intuitively understand power generation, footwork and relaxed palm striking.  The movement should be repeated in a long form continuously and trained with bone conditioning medications.