In Balintawak Eskrima, an efficient block is executed against lighting fast and sufficiently strong strikes to stop the actual momentum from the offense, and extend the limit of range necessary to soak up the inbound impact.
By no means block with your arm prolonged too far out.
Inside a close encounter, block as though your hands are tightly connected to your body.
Your arm should move with the defensive block.
Generally, block at the center of the weapon in order to effectively reduce to impact of the attack.
Also, defend yourself with the recognized bladed edge of your own weapon; one that it is executed with the forefist instead of a semi-back fist, for maximum effectiveness.
When defending with the stick, your body placement must face the 45 degrees angle left side from the rear and from the rear right.
When defending at the left or right side against fast and high strikes, simultaneously draw your shoulder in reverse position to enhance fast defense.
In order not to lose track at the speed and timing of an attack, your defense must begin when the strike is initiated.
By doing this, you must prevent meeting the actual strike mid-way (ahead) or after (late) the employment of a strike.
When it comes to strong attacks, especially those employed with a heavier weapon, a good augmented block may be required.
This is done by using the forearm or free hands to support the block.
This allows you to freely seize the attack on impact of the strike.
Footwork.
Balintawak, being a fast and dynamic fighting art doesn't have stances, so to speak.
Its footwork tend to be akin to traditional western boxing.
In contrast to other oriental martial arts or fighting techniques, and even other styles of Arnis.
The foot works in this system of self-defense are therefore fast and flexible.
Balintawak, being a solely combat art, has to adjust to a fluid or continuously moving pace.
Hence, to compensate for such pace, it uses a versatile footwork to control the center of gravity and momentum in each movement.
The actual corridas drills (attack and counter attack in arnis) display the actual interplay of footwork within the various offensive as well as defensive moves.
To keep this simple, Balintawak eskrima offers six fundamental footwork utilized in combination with attack, and counter-attack.
The actual variant of those footwork are carried out through the plug-in of attack, defense, and counter-attack in a fast and flowing pace.