When doing any block?

When you do any block in Martial arts which do you prefer and why soft blocks or hard blocks example: Chinese styles are more soft blocks where Japan styles are more hard?

When doing any block?
I guess for me it depends on the moment.





I have trained in both arts, soft and hard and for me their is a time and place for each of them. I use both Soft and Hard blocks when I spar or fight.





It is good to use both and be multi sided.





ODD: I agree with you beatchanter gave you both a thumbs up, not sure who would give you a down.
Reply:you'd better be blocking hard or you'll get beat the hell up
Reply:different ones for different situations.
Reply:The style I was taught was to block hard every time, try to break the other persons limb with your block..... but the problem with this is: what if they throw a combination and you give your balance and focus to one attack... while you are performing the perfect, devastating block you got hit with the second and third attack (unless you have had 20 years of training)... boxers dodge or absorb attacks with their hands to keep them in better postion for a counter or return attack... akkido teaches deflection right? I think in some circumstances all are right. Depending on what the attack is, but remember the most important thing about defense is not to get hit by the attacker, if you have the opportunity to perform a devasting block go for it, but it is much more likely that you can deflect or dodge you oppents attack and stay awake to perform one of you own.
Reply:BLOCKS CAN BE STRIKES //STRIKES CAN BE BLOCKS





TO THINK OF ANY MOVE AS A BLOCK IS TO THINK DEFENSIVELY .DO YOUR BLOCK SO HE HAS TO GO TO DEFENSE MAKE HIM THE DEFENDER.
Reply:thats a very tricky question that is in the chinese martial arts the block becomes a strike and the strike can also be a block or a parry plus most chinese arts contain both soft and hard techniques based on the concept of yin and yang and ideally i believe its neccesary to train both,for example if im suddenly attacked with a knife in an uppercut motion i could apply a downward cross block which i see as a hard block,but ideally id prefer to use the attackers force against him evade and use a soft parrying type of block however you percieve it so you see i like kungfu i guess : )
Reply:I use a mixture of both.