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[Martin H]

How do you do the shin block (Sune uke)? The way ive been taught is toes pointing down, the trad Muaythai way is toes pointing out(although there is a camp apparently teach it pointing down aswell). Ive seen enshin instructionals teaching it pointout. How are you learning it, how do you do it. any toughts of pro and con between the versions?
Do you know of other variations in how the technique is done?

[Dim]

I have though about this myself, as we learn it with toes pointing down. However i have noticed that if your toes are pointing out the muscle along your shin is tensed, possibly providing more 'padding' against a low kick than direct shin on shin.

[Martin H]

Yeah, with the toes pointing "out" the foot also forms sort of a hook that stops kick from sliding down and under the block. But if so, why do we (and some muaythai camps that breaks from the muaythai norm) teach it toes pointing down?

[Lanky Sempai]

I've been taught toes down, same as hiza geri to avoid having your toes connecting with shins and knees and elbows and such.
Though I've always wondered about mauy thai fighters and the tensing of the muscle on the shin.Must make some kinda differance.

[Bloke]

Funny enough I remember my Shihan had us experimenting with gedan mawashi geri with the toes pointed and also with the toes pulled back to see if we could make the kick stronger.

[Aunty Ichigeki]

Weird. I find if I flex my foot hard my shin muscle bulks up at the top half of the shin but leaves a concave hole giving no protection to the bottom half of the shin bone. I don't know if I'd buy the muscle theory.

[Dim]

True, its hard for me to tell on my right leg as i have broken it in the past requiring surgery on the spot where the 'hole' is present on my other (less muscular) leg.
It depends on whether youre blocking with the lower 1/3 or upper 2/3 of your shin. But for kicks i think it is definately better to have the toes pointed out (if youre kicking with th shin).

[Shokei Marcsui]

You would think that flexing your muscles by pointing your toes outward would be better, but you run the risk of having broken toes if you catch the kick the wrong way.

Toes down or toes out, adaptation and what works best for you

[anarki13]

hmmm....

we were taught to do shin blocks always with toes pointing out, but, beforehand, we had to strenghten our shin bones by hitting the heavy bag and other solid (padded, not rock-hard!) objects..
the reason is, u dont want to get ur toes broken after being caught in ur opponents' gi..

also, dont raise ur knee so much when blocking, so as to make the opponent hit ur knee, which would hurt him like hell... also, there's always the danger of leg-sweeps if u expose ur rear weight-bearing leg too much!

Osu!

[veeevek]

i was also taught that th toes should b pointed out...sometimes if v get hit on muscles in a wrong way it hurts really bad, so i dont think v shud flex our muscles...this is a thing that v shud figure out, so v all go ask our sensei their opinion, lol...n plz do post after that, so that everyone can get to know each n every sensei's views..
OSU

[Havamal]

toes pointing down (toes/foot relaxed)...much like hiza geri (knee kick)

[harukaze]

Former Lumpini and Rajadmnern Stadium Champion Bunkerd Faphimai taught me toes down, leg somewhat loose to dissipate the force -- a hard/soft dichotomy similar to a bamboo rod.

[powerof0ne]

My personal preference is toes up when I'm blocking with the shin "out wards" but when blocking in wards I point the toes down. This will be a very drawn out thread if I got into my reasons why but it's just what I personally prefer. If I think your shins aren't conditioned I will check/block with force but if I think you're experienced with conditioned shins I will be "loose". I'll also block/check by doing a slight knee into your shins if I'm feeling a bit mean.

When I teach a beginner I stick to toes down every way to keep it simple and down the road show other methods.

If I want to get inside I'll point my toes down and step over & "go with the kick" so it slides off my shin and step over your kick so I'm in tight with you..this method takes some playing around with to get used to.

One key for me is I try to only use my lead leg for "checking" so I can save my rear power shin for striking...if I think I'm going to switch stance often it doesn't matter as much.
Osu!

[ushideshinidan]

Hummm... Funny, I learned to point the toes down but I just realized that that my foot in sokuto position, big toe up. I guess because my natural reflex will be to not only shin block the mawashi but to push it away naname to create an opening an a potential counter attack.
Osu!