What is your take on the 52 Blocks system? They claim it originated in prison among the Dindu population. Is it a viable system? Or just another gimmick?

Thanks,

WellRead Ed

Ed, to correct the man speaking here, the only thing deriving from Asian-based martial arts in the 52 block system is the idea that it is a practical martial art, not a sport. Everything they do with their hands can be found in boxing as a foul, a bare-knuckle survival adaptation or standard method in the current gloved art. I saw another video with stick, knife and gun claims which seem to be taken from Asian forms.

The marketability of this system is three-fold:

-1. The prison cred, although this is not a prison fighting method but a method of meditation in prison, with violence being centered on stabbing.

-2. The practicality of boxing which is a highly coachable fighting form

-3. The ignorance of the moneyed boxing student who understands boxing as universally and improperly taught in the martial arts, Jeet Kune Do and MMA setting. Simply by using pure boxing methods, as developed by black boxers in Detroit and Philadelphia, predominantly as a peek-a-boo style, one sees a live, fluid, functional fighting method rather than the karate-based adaptation of boxing to MMA as simply a punching arsenal absent doctrine and active guarding.

52 Blocks is an exploited gimmick and a functional fighting form, best suited for men with strong hips and wide shoulders and a good sense of rhythm.

The boxing innovators over the past 100 years who have most contributed to this body of biomechanical knowledge were:

-Jack Johnson

-Jack Blackburn

-Holman Williams

-Charlie Burly

-Ezzard Charles

-Archie Moore

-Eddie Futch

-Emanuel Steward

-Joe Frazier

-Bernard Hopkins

Do understand that 52 locks is not a good knife-counter but using it to conceal a knife is highly functional.

To the extent that kicks and weapons and disarms and all of these areas typically consisting of the bullshit zone of martial arts, I would take the man at his word that this art form is a fusion of boxing and “martial arts.” However, all of the effective stuff, comes from boxing training, competition and street adaptation. One would also do well to note that most of those shown demonstrating this method are larger and more athletic and more experienced in brawling than those they coach, which will tend to make it look more impressive than it is when being used by the smaller, less experienced and less athletic defender.

Dude, its boxing dressed up and packaged as a martial art. To the extent it is a prison art it’s a minimal force method of getting out of a scrap without hospitalizing the asshole who attacked you and thus avoiding a return to The Joint. To be more specific, this is how aging fighters have often adapted their art to their slowing hands and feet, by learning how to adapt in the pocket and stealing minimal angles.

Combat

Survival