From Emiliano Mazlen-Shihan Boston Chinatown Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate Club
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Chest Block

The basic, closed-fist middle block sweeps the chest area horizontally with
no vertical movement. It is a common error for the fist of the blocking
hand to start below the shoulder level and “scoop” up to above the opposite
shoulder. This leaves part of the chest defended only by the fist or not
defended at all. Instead, the fist of the blocking arm moves from just
above one shoulder (so that the wrist is at shoulder height) to just above
the other shoulder, which causes forearm to sweep entire upper chest.

The same principle applies to the blocking action of the more advanced
applications of the closed-fist block, including the double chest blocks in
Fukyugata Ni, the reinforced chest blocks in Pinan Yondan, the side and
inside chest blocks in Naihanchi Sho and the different reinforced chest
blocks in Naihanchi Ni and San. With some of these techniques (for example,
the reinforced chest blocks in Pinan Yondan) there may be vertical movement
of the blocking fist from the pocket to the first shoulder before it sweeps
across to the final position, but the purely horizontal sweep remains the
same.

Best wishes for 2006.

Domo arigato gozaimasu to all.
Emiliano Mazlen
Shihan, Boston Chinatown Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate Club