Re-starting martial arts after a while

[Vinnie]

Hi all - back after a short absence. Good to still see some familiar
names here: Matthew, Langdon, Chas (apologies if I missed anyone else
from yore - I quickly scanned the Google list).

Anyhoo, after a semi-involuntary absence from martial arts for a few
years, I am thinking of re-starting training. One slight problem: I
have lost most of my vision in my left eye from having my cheekbone
kicked in during a training session (not too long after having the
same cheekbone broken due to a hockey accident). So needless to say,
my depth perception is a bit lacking - which accounted for my stopping
training for a while.

In close-range, this obviously will not be that serious an issue, as
sensitivity and stickiness play a bigger role. But I am a little
concerned about ability to judge depth and speed at medium range -
which affects my own control, my bruising level during sparring and my
ability to slip/parry.

I'd like to return to the same type of training as before - heavy
contact, virtually-everything-goes sparring mixed with katas, chi
training and pressure points. To be honest, if this eye problem
impairs my ability to train in a combat-effective manner, I'd rather
not train at all.

Anyone have any experience or comments on martial arts training (in
the context of two person training) and visual impairment? Reckon it
worth a go? The reason I ask instead of just going ahead and giving
it a shot is that restarting training is going to involve a very
significant change in lifestyle on my part - and I'd rather get some
thoughts on this *before* committing to those changes.

Vandit

PS: Have we resolved the GJJ vs Godzilla issue yet?

[Don Wagner]

Post by Vinnie
Hi all - back after a short absence. Good to still see some familiar
names here: Matthew, Langdon, Chas (apologies if I missed anyone else
from yore - I quickly scanned the Google list).

Up yer kilt, Vandit.
;-)

I was going through some boxes of pictures last week and found shots
from the RMA dinner in Newark. Good to have you back.

Post by Vinnie
I'd like to return to the same type of training as before - heavy
contact, virtually-everything-goes sparring mixed with katas, chi
training and pressure points. To be honest, if this eye problem
impairs my ability to train in a combat-effective manner, I'd rather
not train at all.
Anyone have any experience or comments on martial arts training (in
the context of two person training) and visual impairment?

When we trained in Cranford we had two students with vision problems.
One was legally blind and the other suffered some form of degeneration
of the optic nerve.

What we did that worked very well for them was to concentrate on
transitioning from a short range (Punching) to trapping to the ground.

They obviously could fight a long range fight without first making
contact, so the emphasis was on providing a good defense until contact
was made and a point of reference was established (trapping).

At this point they were fine and even progressed a little faster then
some students with good vision.

My suggestion is to start thinking about working on your ground skills
through a serious judo or JJ school, preferrably one with some good
wrestlers in it.

I know your background an you are more then capable of doing kata and
internal strength training on your own if you really want to do so.

Same with your standup game. You've done a lot of p/k fighting and
this can be worked on to the best of your current abilities. Lots of
this game can be improved without partners as well.

What you need are people to roll with.

Post by Vinnie
PS: Have we resolved the GJJ vs Godzilla issue yet?

Thats a question for the metaphysics department.
;-)

Drop me a line and give me the details of the Vandit story, bro.
--Don--
The beatings will continue until morale improves.

[Daniel Seung Pugliese]

Vinnie <***@yahoo.com> wrote:
: Anyone have any experience or comments on martial arts training (in
: the context of two person training) and visual impairment? Reckon it
: worth a go? The reason I ask instead of just going ahead and giving
: it a shot is that restarting training is going to involve a very
: significant change in lifestyle on my part - and I'd rather get some
: thoughts on this *before* committing to those changes.

Vandit,

I've been legally blind in my right eye since childhood and
completely blind in my right eye for the last eight years or so. I'm
now thirty-two and have been training on and off since I was six. I've
boxed, wrestled, sparred/competed TKD style, was a gymnast (a lousy
one), kickboxed, done a little muay thai, a little kung fu, a fair
amount of tai chi, climbed mountains and cliffs, done a bit of judo and
jiu jitsu, taught self-defence and knife fighting classes, and I spent
my pre-teen and teen-aged years getting in fights almost daily because
I was an angry and confused young man.

You can learn to compensate for lack of depth perception. It's
small things. You start to pay more attention to the body to let you
know when a punch or a kick is coming because you can't count on
watching the hands. You start gauging distance by open floor space
between you rather than gauging it with depth perception (our lead feet
are two feet apart and he's leaning back putting him well out of hand
strike range).

After a while, you don't even realize that you're compensating.
It just becomes second nature. Most of the people that train and spar
with are amazed that I can throw a full speed kick and stop within an
inch or so of hitting them. It just happens.

-Pugs

************************************************************
Pugs (Daniel Seung Pugliese) INTP ***@execpc.com

"You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me!"
************************************************************

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