anyone here ever tried to do a kata with their eyes closed?

[Blade96]

So me and my Sandan (Senpai) friend and a brown belt were kind of messing around after Shotokan class today. and while we were training. and sandan said that years ago our sensei used to have people do their katas with their eyes closed.

So I tried heian nidan. I could not complete fully the kata, lol. I'd get to the reinforced block, then when i turn for the gedan barai's at the end and whatnot, I'd fall, haha!

Its hard to do a kata with eyes closed cause your balance is all screwed, lol!

Sandan got through bassai dai ok, but not without stumbling and almost falling himself.

Brown belt - she did bassai dai almost perfectly. So I started teasing Sandan - She did better than you and she's a brown belt! My friend said 'Well guess I'll have to give her my belt then' and he untied his belt and gave it to her! lol. Too funny

So any of you ever tried a kata with your eyes closed? What happened with you? Today was the first time I ever tried that. It was good for a fun new experience. I think it even might be helpful cause i have to keep a stronger stance to hold balance even more. I've a feeling it might help make kata better, what you think?

 

[Carol]

I haven't for awhile.

What would be the practical result of doing kata with your eyes closed (asking anyone who does this)? I can see where it is harder, but what is being gained, and is this an effective way to make such gains?

Just curious

 

[Blade96]

I haven't for awhile.

What would be the practical result of doing kata with your eyes closed (asking anyone who does this)? I can see where it is harder, but what is being gained, and is this an effective way to make such gains?

Just curious

I've no idea if there's anything to be gained from it. So I wondered here.

 

[elder999]

I've no idea if there's anything to be gained from it. So I wondered here.

I dunno-if you've got the space, I think it's pretty easy to do kata with your eyes closed.

Finishing up where you started is the trick.........

 

[ralphmcpherson]

We do it occasionally in class, I find it beneficial. At our club championships last year I saw some people in the "team form" event do koryo form backwards, blindfolded and had it perfectly synchronised and all started and finished at exactly the same time. It was very impressive.

 

[geezer]

I dunno-if you've got the space, I think it's pretty easy to do kata with your eyes closed.

Finishing up where you started is the trick.........

Actually, that's a pretty good test of the consistency of your footwork. I kinda like the idea... just to add variety. But then I'm a 'chunner. Sometimes we even spar with our eyes blindfolded... which is not as crazy as it might sound if you start off touching wrists and maintain contact at all times. (Any grappler can relate, too). Now show me a long-range fighter who can do that and you'd be talking "super powers"!

 

[elder999]

Actually, that's a pretty good test of the consistency of your footwork. I kinda like the idea... just to add variety. But then I'm a 'chunner. Sometimes we even spar with our eyes blindfolded... which is not as crazy as it might sound if you start off touching wrists and maintain contact at all times. (Any grappler can relate, too). Now show me a long-range fighter who can do that and you'd be talking "super powers"!

And she didn't ask about blind chi sao, or grappling ( I really lost to a blind judoka about a million years ago-that was fun!) or stick fighting, but you're right-I think that's the chief benefit of blind kata: test of footwork.

Those others have other benefits, of course.

The blind judoka had actually hitchhiked up to New Jersey from Florida for a tournament-I really thought I had it made, and I did, right up until we wound up on the mat, and then he owned me! His sense of where my body was was simply amazing!

Cool dude, wound up driving him to Baltimore ( I was all of 18, and that was as far as I was going that day).....wonder what happened to him.

 

[shane]

No i haven't tried the to do a kata with their eyes closed. i haven't any experience of such an activity,,

 

[Chris Parker]

Hi,

While bearing in mind that our form of kata are a fair bit different to a typical karate kata, yes, we do it. But as with everything we do it is for specific reasons.

Essentially it comes down to different methods of learning. We use solo training of kata with your eyes closed to get a kinesthetic understanding; basically by removing the external stimulus (what you see) you can become more aware of your body in the technique, becoming more acutely aware of your balance, movement, extension, and more. We also often heighten it with aspects of visualisation to add in adrenaline effects, to bring in even more applicability of the drill.

 

[seasoned]

Hi,

While bearing in mind that our form of kata are a fair bit different to a typical karate kata, yes, we do it. But as with everything we do it is for specific reasons.

Essentially it comes down to different methods of learning. We use solo training of kata with your eyes closed to get a kinesthetic understanding; basically by removing the external stimulus (what you see) you can become more aware of your body in the technique, becoming more acutely aware of your balance, movement, extension, and more. We also often heighten it with aspects of visualization to add in adrenaline effects, to bring in even more applicability of the drill.

Exactly, Chris. I have always felt that it opened doors of understanding, within. Outside stimuli is not always as it seems, and by training with the eyes closed helped us to FEEL the techniques. Night training in the dojo with all the lights out is also very beneficial for intuitiveness.

 

[knuckleheader]

I haven't for awhile.

What would be the practical result of doing kata with your eyes closed (asking anyone who does this)? I can see where it is harder, but what is being gained, and is this an effective way to make such gains?

Just curious

keep reading.

I dunno-if you've got the space, I think it's pretty easy to do kata with your eyes closed.

Finishing up where you started is the trick.........

Balance Balance It's not easy for beginners, I feel it should be practiced
from 8 th kyu.

We do it occasionally in class, I find it beneficial. At our club championships last year I saw some people in the "team form" event do koryo form backwards, blindfolded and had it perfectly synchronised and all started and finished at exactly the same time. It was very impressive.

Can you find and post a video, like too see it.

Actually, that's a pretty good test of the consistency of your footwork. I kinda like the idea... just to add variety. But then I'm a 'chunner. Sometimes we even spar with our eyes blindfolded... which is not as crazy as it might sound if you start off touching wrists and maintain contact at all times. (Any grappler can relate, too). Now show me a long-range fighter who can do that and you'd be talking "super powers"!

Not super powers, just better than the average Bear, yogi....

No i haven't tried the to do a kata with their eyes closed. i haven't any experience of such an activity,,

Tells us how it went after trying, please. Give us your feedback.

Hi,

While bearing in mind that our form of kata are a fair bit different to a typical karate kata, yes, we do it. But as with everything we do it is for specific reasons.

Essentially it comes down to different methods of learning. We use solo training of kata with your eyes closed to get a kinesthetic understanding; basically by removing the external stimulus (what you see) you can become more aware of your body in the technique, becoming more acutely aware of your balance, movement, extension, and more. We also often heighten it with aspects of visualisation to add in adrenaline effects, to bring in even more applicability of the drill.

This is what it's all about.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

We have done kata with our eyes closed, but not often. It is an experience in learning to keep one's balance, and learning where one's body really is without the eyes to keep repositioning.

I have also worked out in a dojo where kata was done with small 5 and 10 pound weights on the wrists and ankles. Builds strength and fluidity, but harder than you might think.

 

[harlan]

Yes, we've done it once or twice in the dojo for the purpose of highlighting the above points (one can always do it at home on one's own time). For the same reasons that we on occasion do a kata only moving feet, or only moving hands (in one position), or on the left side, or facing a different wall, or perform bunkai with various 'limitations'. It pulls us out of the dangerous 'comfort' zone we fall into after awhile.

 

[Jade Tigress]

We have, and it felt much different. Often you end up in a spot, or facing a direction completely different that when you do the form with your eyes open.

We've also started forms facing a different direction than normal and it's strange how something like that can throw you off.

 

[Big Don]

We do everything, with our eyes closed,flat on our backs, sitting on a bench, sitting in a chair, with one arm behind our back. It helps reinforce what we have learned and are learning by forcing us to see everything we do from many angles/points of view.

 

[Blade96]

Hi,

While bearing in mind that our form of kata are a fair bit different to a typical karate kata, yes, we do it. But as with everything we do it is for specific reasons.

Essentially it comes down to different methods of learning. We use solo training of kata with your eyes closed to get a kinesthetic understanding; basically by removing the external stimulus (what you see) you can become more aware of your body in the technique, becoming more acutely aware of your balance, movement, extension, and more. We also often heighten it with aspects of visualisation to add in adrenaline effects, to bring in even more applicability of the drill.

i found this too. become more aware of balance and stances and such. I'll get the whole kata done that way, not just 99 percent of it. But it was my first time trying that. and i'll do my kata just as good as sandan and brown belt. (Then sandan will have to give me his belt. Hee.)

 

[Xue Sheng]

Its hard to do a kata with eyes closed cause your balance is all screwed, lol!

that is why you do it…

So any of you ever tried a kata with your eyes closed? What happened with you? Today was the first time I ever tried that. It was good for a fun new experience. I think it even might be helpful cause i have to keep a stronger stance to hold balance even more. I've a feeling it might help make kata better, what you think?

Kata…no…I do CMA so to me it is a form.

Have I done forms with my eyes closed? Yes

I've no idea if there's anything to be gained from it. So I wondered here.

It is incredibly useful and if you want to take this a step further go outside in the dark (Little or no artificial light) on uneven ground and try it.

It improves balance, root and gives you greater confidence in your form and that can translate into more confidence in application

Very few fights are on perfectly flat floors in well lit places that are climate controlled

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I have practiced forms blindfolded, but we rarely practice it. The goal is to finish the form exactly wear you started, demonstrating proper footing, turns, stances, balance etc.. .

It also strengthens your proprioception. We have also practiced sparring blindfolded (long distance). One partner was blindfolded, the other was not. It focuses your other senses more acutely. Obviously, the one not blind folded used extreme control.

 

[Rich Parsons]

So me and my Sandan (Senpai) friend and a brown belt were kind of messing around after Shotokan class today. and while we were training. and sandan said that years ago our sensei used to have people do their katas with their eyes closed.

So I tried heian nidan. I could not complete fully the kata, lol. I'd get to the reinforced block, then when i turn for the gedan barai's at the end and whatnot, I'd fall, haha!

Its hard to do a kata with eyes closed cause your balance is all screwed, lol!

Sandan got through bassai dai ok, but not without stumbling and almost falling himself.

Brown belt - she did bassai dai almost perfectly. So I started teasing Sandan - She did better than you and she's a brown belt! My friend said 'Well guess I'll have to give her my belt then' and he untied his belt and gave it to her! lol. Too funny

So any of you ever tried a kata with your eyes closed? What happened with you? Today was the first time I ever tried that. It was good for a fun new experience. I think it even might be helpful cause i have to keep a stronger stance to hold balance even more. I've a feeling it might help make kata better, what you think?

While I am not a great fan of kata's or forms, I do prefer to do them with eyes closed and in the natural envionment. i.e. at night on grass slight dew or maybe in the snow or on gravel etcetera.

Balance is a good thing to practice and doing it with your eyes closed allows you to concentrate on your motions and not adjust on the fly as the average human does when they walk.

Also do it with your eyes open mark your start and stop position(s) and then do the same with your eyes closed. See how your stances change in distance as well.

 

[KELLYG]

At our school we occasionally do forms with eyes closed. I found that it was extremely strange. I think that I most differently helps with balance. It also helps to dial in your stances and your direction changes. They have to be spot on or you will never be able to return to the starting point. You also have to use your other senses to figure out where you are in relationship to the room. We also practice with groups of class mates facing each other or facing the opposite directions or facing 4 different directions. Koreo is beautiful to watch if 4 people start in close proximity to one another 1 facing front of room 1 facing back of room 1 facing left side of room and 1 facing right side of room . We have also practice changing one block, punch, or kick in the poomse to something else this is extremely hard to do. It immediately takes away your muscle memory.