Person with disabilities looking for advice

[Appledog41]

My primary purpose in learning an art is for self defense in a real world scenario, not for competition. I also don’t care as much about belts as I do about learning and mastering the techniques. I’d like to get my food in the door and learn as much as I can before going completely blind, and continuing my studies as a completely blind student.

Does anyone have any recommendations for what to study?

Hi! I had a friend with CP, and he studied wing chun. He was wheelchair bound. However, he said he was able to surprise a few hecklers on the subway more than once. So if self defense is your goal, go for it! I do not have any particular reccomendations (I am not reccomending wing chun, although it worked for my friend). That being said, Wing Chun might be a good art for you to study since it requires you to stand still for the majority of training.

Anyways, I just want to point out the story of Richard Turner who developed blindness at the age of 9 after a bout with scarlet fever. Richard Turner's story is so inspiring that I study his life history as a hobby.

Richard Turner: blindness, karate, and proving doubters wrong​

Richard Turner, born 1954. At nine, the maculae of both eyes were badly damaged and over the years his forward vision declined until he can no longer distinguish a lit room from darkness. Despite that loss he refused to accept being defined by it. He taught himself to perform confidently in public, and threw himself into serious martial-arts training.

Turner’s younger brother was taking karate, so Turner went along and began training in 1971 under Master John Murphy (Wado-Kai). Murphy’s blunt principle “We don’t care if you’re blind, deaf, or dumb. We beat everyone equally!” set the tone: Turner insisted on being treated like every other student and pushed himself to meet the same standards rather than accept accommodations.

The Black Belt Test
Rather than accept an honorary belt, Turner insisted on a full test. For his black-belt examination he fought a gruelling series of full-force rounds: ten fresh opponents in succession. A test shown and discussed in coverage of the documentary Dealt and in interviews with Turner. Surprisingly, Turner finished battered but victorious, to the amazement of his opponents.

He kept training for years, earned advanced dan ranks (reports list up through a sixth-degree black belt), and has spoken about breaking his arm and taking heavy punishment rather than asking for pity.

Richard turner was a man who defied the odds, who was willing to stand up and meet fate on his own terms. I do not know what it is like to be disabled but I respect his accomplishment and I take him as a role model; we must stand up against incredible odds and demonstrate our will to reach our goals!

 

[Shotlandets]

Hi!

I’ve always wanted to study a martial art, but I figured as a person with disabilities, no one would want to train me. Decided to find a school anyway.

Which martial art would be best? I’m 49 years old, female, 5 feet tall, small boned and weigh about 125 lbs. These are what I would have to work with:

Legally blind: Completely blind in one eye and losing the already limited vision in my other eye. I have no depth perception as a result and might have trouble seeing instruction at a distance. I use a white cane to navigate around.

Cerebral Palsy: I have mild cerebral palsy. My muscles are weak and I lack endurance. I also have poor balance and can’t balance on one leg at all.

Autism & ADHD: Both mild/very high functioning. I’m putting these here because they should be listed, even though Idon’t see them posing a problem. I don’t have meltdowns. But if I’m overwhelmed or tired, I shutdown. All this means is that I space out.

My primary purpose in learning an art is for self defense in a real world scenario, not for competition. I also don’t care as much about belts as I do about learning and mastering the techniques. I’d like to get my food in the door and learn as much as I can before going completely blind, and continuing my studies as a completely blind student.

Does anyone have any recommendations for what to study?

I would think but not sure. Either shotokan karate or judo. Although both can be a sport the training is traditional with sport being an add on. There must be other martial arts out there and other people who know them much better than me.

 

[Haruhiko]

Legally blind: Completely blind in one eye and losing the already limited vision in my other eye. I have no depth perception as a result and might have trouble seeing instruction at a distance. I use a white cane to navigate around.

Cerebral Palsy: I have mild cerebral palsy. My muscles are weak and I lack endurance. I also have poor balance and can’t balance on one leg at all.

Nothing competitive obviously.

Maybe iaido? You can do inner ear rehab and complementary yin-yoga classes to improve your balance (up to a point).

The gentler forms of Tai Chi might also suit you.

What type of martial art are you attracted to? I know you mentioned self defence, and with your disabilities, your options may be limited depending on the severity of your symptoms.

 

[HighKick1]

Hi!

I’ve always wanted to study a martial art, but I figured as a person with disabilities, no one would want to train me. Decided to find a school anyway.

Which martial art would be best? I’m 49 years old, female, 5 feet tall, small boned and weigh about 125 lbs. These are what I would have to work with:

Legally blind: Completely blind in one eye and losing the already limited vision in my other eye. I have no depth perception as a result and might have trouble seeing instruction at a distance. I use a white cane to navigate around.

Cerebral Palsy: I have mild cerebral palsy. My muscles are weak and I lack endurance. I also have poor balance and can’t balance on one leg at all.

Autism & ADHD: Both mild/very high functioning. I’m putting these here because they should be listed, even though Idon’t see them posing a problem. I don’t have meltdowns. But if I’m overwhelmed or tired, I shutdown. All this means is that I space out.

My primary purpose in learning an art is for self defense in a real world scenario, not for competition. I also don’t care as much about belts as I do about learning and mastering the techniques. I’d like to get my food in the door and learn as much as I can before going completely blind, and continuing my studies as a completely blind student.

Does anyone have any recommendations for what to study?

I wrestled in high school and College. We regularly competed against the TN School for the blind and they were Very competitive. The one main difference was anytime there was a separation, you had to go back to standing and touch hands.

I have had a few blind/near blind students over the years and applied the same approach. But it was always private classes. Just too much liability. I do seem to remember one student with limited vision going to regular classes, but sparring had to be fairly controlled.

All that to say a grappling style where the coaches would take the same approach might work well for you.
Wishing you all the best.

 

[Blue Lotus]

Hi Kung Fubar!

I am physically disabled and autistic, too. I started martial arts about 5 years ago, before I had an official diagnosis for my physical problems. I knew going in that my balance was a big problem, something I needed to work on, and one of the main reasons I started in martial arts.

When the official diagnosis came in, along with some recommendations and minor restrictions, the two schools I've been attending varied wildly in their response.

One school said, "No problem, you have strengths in areas some students don't. We will work on developing those further and, while not ignoring other parts of the curriculum, work on them in ways that are safer for your circumstances."

The other school said, "You can still come to the school, and can continue wearing your belt/rank, but you can only come to the beginner/intermediate classes, are barred from any sparring, and not allowed to do tournaments in our uniform (but could be trained as a judge). We might be able to get you to brown belt, but not likely black."

So, the instructor/school makes a big difference and might be more important than the specific flavor of art.