system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How effective is blocking in real life martial arts?

I often see in games/shows/etc with lots of fighting people blocking with their arms or legs. Does this have any basis in real life, and if so how do they not get hurt blocking with their extremities?
gpt
It is effective. The trick here is that while it does hurt to block a punch with your arms or legs, it hurts less than if they just hit you directly. You redirect the motion, rather than absorb the blow. While it is exaggerated in movies and games, blocking punches and kicks is better than being hit in the head.