A Knifehand High Block (hansonnal olgul makgi) is simply a High Block (i.e., an Upward Block) that is performed with a Knifehand.
Chambering:
- The blocking arm is chambered so that the knifehand is down at the opposite waist. For example, if performing a Left High Block the left knifehand would first be chambered down at the right side of the waist. The knifehand should be palm-up when chambered so that the fist can rotate during the block.
- The off-arm, the non-blocking arm, should be chambered to the opposite shoulder, with the thumb of the fist facing the chest, so that it too can rotate as it is brought down to the waist during the block.
The Block:
- The blocking arm is brought upward to above forehead height with the wrist centered on the forehead. The forearm should be sloping downward so that deflected blows are deflected at an angle. The idea is that a 90-degree deflection would injure your forearm and fail to deflect the blow. The knifehand should be rotated during the block so that at the conclusion of the block the palm of the fist is facing upward.
- Simultaneously, the non-blocking arm should be brought down from the shoulder so that it finishes by your side at the waist, palm-side up. One principle of taekwondo is the principle of action and reaction where if one arm is moving forward, the other arm should be moving back. The off-arm is providing the reaction for this block by moving downward and to the waist.
The Knifehand High Block appears, for example, in the form Jitae.