Long before the rise in popularity of Mixed Martial Arts, traditional forms of combat like karate were prized for their application in self-defense situations. Karate, an ancient Japanese style of unarmed fighting, centers around establishing a solid base and delivering offensive and defensive techniques swiftly and with great force. Some of the first techniques a karate practitioner learns are the basic defensive blocks. Blocks are used to stop or divert oncoming strikes, and are indispensable in learning to protect oneself against an attacker