Can a blind person learn martial arts?

[Stev]

I am writing a fictional novel about a young boy (age 10) who gets temporarily blinded for 4-5 years. It’s fantasy so obviously that even won’t happen in real life, but in my book all are aware that eventually he will get his vision back.

If you were assigned to teach a 10 year old boy any form of fighting (from any form of self-defence/fighting that you know/trained in) who is blind, what style(s) would you teach him? How do you think you would approach this? (Pertaining to those who have experience)

Would you have him work on strength/endurance/flexibility skills for 4-5 years and then start the actual training when his vision comes back?

Could a blind person learn to do rudimentary fighting techniques (Ie. hand/hand combat…not sure what else)?

Please let me know, I have no knowledge of martial arts except for stereotypes and I would like for it to be realistic (aside from the fantasy genre with unrealistic qualities&#8230

Also if you have any random info you think might apply to this let me know.

Thx so much

Also an after thought: If a student learned daily one on one practice with a coach for 4-5 years, what would they be like after their sight came back? Would they have an edge to other students when they learn a wider variety of fighting styles or any hindrances you could think of?

Great replies so far thx a lot!

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

To be honest, I'm not sure how Iwould handle it given my own expertise..but the ideal way (IMHO) would be to train him in judo. As for training, have him practice with grip training on an uke, while the sensei shows his body what to do, taking him through different throws, then groundwork, etc. As long as you're touching part of the other person and know where that body part is, you can generally figure out where the rest is, and you don't need eyes to manipulate a persons balance. That said, if I were writing a fantasy book about it, I'd probably teach aikido instead, because, while I'm not the biggest fan of aikido (for personal reasons), it can have more of a 'mystic' element to it.

 

[K-man]

Welcome to MT.

Actually a very good question. My answer is a qualified yes. A blind person could learn martial arts. It would require a lot of one on one instruction but certainly possible. The qualification is that the person would need to engage and not disengage. We do some training with eyes closed, or you could use a blindfold. Basically any style of martial art that trains grappling (mainly standup grappling) would work as once you have contact with part of someone you instinctively know where the rest of his body is. I train Okinawan karate which has that close contact. Krav Maga is the same once you have engaged. Judo, jujutsu, BJJ and Kung fu also have that close contact. Systema has lots of sensitivity drills that would be a little more exotic in a story line.

Another scenario you might consider is that your 'hero' with a little training could turn the tables if the lights were turned off.

Good luck with your novel.
:asian:

 

[K-man]

That said, if I were writing a fantasy book about it, I'd probably teach aikido instead, because, while I'm not the biggest fan of aikido (for personal reasons), it can have more of a 'mystic' element to it.

I actually thought of Aikido and discarded it in favour of jujutsu but you could be right, but for a different reason. In aikido we train a lot from gripping. In reality the gripping has nothing to do with the technique. It is a training methodology to teach us to ignore the grip and just do the technique. It might seem a bit mystical but it is not magic. In real life people don't throw themselves around like you see happening in aikido demonstrations. In real life they just end up on the floor.

But in this scenario, aikido is an option for all the right reasons, but whether it could be learned before he gets his sight back is another question. It took me longer than the scenario to feel confident in my aikido ability and that was with an extensive MA background.
:asian:

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

But in this scenario, aikido is an option for all the right reasons, but whether it could be learned before he gets his sight back is another question. It took me longer than the scenario to feel confident in my aikido ability and that was with an extensive MA background.
:asian:

In reality, it probably couldn't, since I've heard it takes a hell of a long time to master, and probably even longer if you were blind. But in a fantasy book...:idunno:
As far as the it not being magic..didn't mean to imply it was. Mainly was referring to the philosophy of aikido, The Heart of Aikido: The Philosophy of Takemusu Aiki: Morihei Ueshiba, Hideo Takahashi, John Stevens, Moriteru Ueshiba: 9781568365145: Amazon.com: Books , which can always be romanticized.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

*correction, this was the book I meant. Not deleting other link though, because, although I've never read it, it's probably similar
The Art of Peace by Morihei Ueshiba ? Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

 

[Instructor]

Hapkido is well suited to blind fighting and we occasionally train blindfolded. Even for the sighted you aren't really looking at the person you are fighting but scanning for his buddy. Most any grappling system is going to be best for a blind fighter. Of course once he get's his sight back he would definitely benefit from a striking system. Hapkido is both a striking system and a standing grappling system so it would work.

 

[drop bear]

Judo for blind comps.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-YgOZ3AYRds

 

[elder999]

It's no secret; I've told the tale her before. Back in '76 or '77, I faced a blind guy in judo shiai-it went fine until we were on the mat, then he ate me for lunch.

He'd hitchhiked to NJ from Florida.

I gave him a ride to Washington, D.C., when the tournament was over.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

The other option is, for a fantasy book, ed parker kenpo where he learns specific techniques/combinations, and drills them so whenever he 'hears' a punch coming, or feels an arm on him or whatever way you go, he just goes straight into one of the technique. It's very easy to drill his forms/techniques/etc. without needing to see.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

It's no secret; I've told the tale her before. Back in '76 or '77, I faced a blind guy in judo shiai-it went fine until we were on the mat, then he ate me for lunch.

He'd hitchhiked to NJ from Florida.

I gave him a ride to Washington, D.C., when the tournament was over.

Not a big surprise - I know that during BJJ I usually roll better with my eyes closed.

Did you start the match normally or did you have to start already gripped up?

 

[elder999]

Not a big surprise - I know that during BJJ I usually roll better with my eyes closed.

Did you start the match normally or did you have to start already gripped up?

Started normally, and it looked to be going my way for a while.....nice guy. A little nuts, like most of the blind people I've known, but nice....

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

nice guy. A little nuts, like most of the blind people I've known, but nice....

You mean like most of the BJJ people you've known :roflmao:

 

[K-man]

*correction, this was the book I meant. Not deleting other link though, because, although I've never read it, it's probably similar
The Art of Peace by Morihei Ueshiba ? Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

Yeah, I have a copy but it is way beyond my world. My aikido has strikes and kicks. I'm not big into kicking but an occasional poke helps most techniques along. . Before Ueshiba went all mystic he is quoted by Gozo Shioda as saying that "70% of aikido is atemi."
:asian:

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Yeah, I have a copy but it is way beyond my world. My aikido has strikes and kicks. I'm not big into kicking but an occasional poke helps most techniques along. . Before Ueshiba went all mystic he is quoted by Gozo Shioda as saying that "70% of aikido is atemi."
:asian:

Hmm seems very different from the aikido instructors i've met who have turned me away from the style

 

[K-man]

Hmm seems very different from the aikido instructors i've met who have turned me away from the style

If you want my opinion on a lot of aikido instructors I'll do it by PM. Posting here might get me banned!

 

[Rich Parsons]

I am writing a fictional novel about a young boy (age 10) who gets temporarily blinded for 4-5 years. It’s fantasy so obviously that even won’t happen in real life, but in my book all are aware that eventually he will get his vision back.

Welcome to MT.

Writing is difficult, and I wish you the best in your story and the time it will take.

If you were assigned to teach a 10 year old boy any form of fighting (from any form of self-defence/fighting that you know/trained in) who is blind, what style(s) would you teach him? How do you think you would approach this? (Pertaining to those who have experience)

Assuming that you are not looking for a Dare-Devil as you mentioned Fantasy above, any system that has contact would work. The FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) are what I teach and their empty hand has you make contact with the opponent / enemy. They also teach weapons, from stick to blade to weapons of opportunity.

That being said, Aikido or Judo from JMA or Wing Chun or some other CMA, or Wrestling for WMA (Western Martial Arts) are all possible as well.

Would you have him work on strength/endurance/flexibility skills for 4-5 years and then start the actual training when his vision comes back?

I would work on sensitivity and awareness. Having worked with a few blind students, one realizes that their sense of touch and hearing or smell are usually more finely tuned as they do not have sight. I would also work on striking for vital areas and how to find those vital areas with their contact with the opponent.

If the child never had sight then it will be difficult for the person. As they will have to learn how to process a totally new sensory input.
If they had sight and lost it and regained it then they might have a harder time learning while they had no sight.

Could a blind person learn to do rudimentary fighting techniques (Ie. hand/hand combat…not sure what else)?

Yes, but they obviously cannot see the attack coming. Unless they have Radar or enhanced senses such has hearing to pin point location of opponent. So assume they do not have those super enhanced senses just more fine tuned, we can say yes they can counter fight. They would have to first know they are in a fight to react. They could surprise some who just grabbed them to move the blind person around. But once known they would be at a serious disadvantage for range /distance attacks would be what others would use.

Please let me know, I have no knowledge of martial arts except for stereotypes and I would like for it to be realistic (aside from the fantasy genre with unrealistic qualities…)

Good plan, yet I will tell you what I read from Robert Heinlein in one of his papers / articles. (* Paraphrase from memory not an actual quote *) You get one totally out there mechanic that you do not have to explain. The kid is the chosen one and he just plain and simple can do martial arts as an example. You also get one wave your hand to explain at a high level. An Example: The Star Drive was created by Dr. Smart E Pants and he passed on that knowledge to just a few people who keep it safe from the rest of the world. Or ... The legendary instructor comes down from the hills to choose his next student for the next 5 to 10 years. He has chosen a small blind child. The instructor and student disappear, and unless you wish to rite about the training, the student comes back trained. You explained it was done one on one in secret by a great instructor who had the patience and skill set to do this.

Pick your realistic parts and have fun with the story and hopefully your readers will have fun as well.

Also if you have any random info you think might apply to this let me know.

Thx so much

Also an after thought: If a student learned daily one on one practice with a coach for 4-5 years, what would they be like after their sight came back? Would they have an edge to other students when they learn a wider variety of fighting styles or any hindrances you could think of?

Great replies so far thx a lot!

As stated above if they never had sight then they could be a disadvantage, unless you do not want him too and you just write that everyone expected them to learn slow, but they picked it up real quick.

As to an edge when learning others styles or techniques, possible as they could drop the visual and get their body mechanics and tactile sensations correct and then open their eyes and do the technique once they learned it with their eyes closed.

 

[Steve]

There are several high level judoka who are blind.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

If you want my opinion on a lot of aikido instructors I'll do it by PM. Posting here might get me banned!

hmm fair enough. i'll assume its the same opinion I have of those same instructors.

 

[K-man]

hmm fair enough. i'll assume its the same opinion I have of those same instructors.