Um, pretty much all physical SD work is based on the premise that we're not knocked out on first punch. I don't see how that premise changes for someone who's blind.
Self-Defense for the Visually Impaired
- Thread starter Justin Chang
- Start date
What are you suggesting is the better approach?
now disabled
Master Black Belt
That is for certain.
I would think that any person who has sight impairment, would possibly be more at home (not the right phrase) with contact. I know with the disabilities I have, that my body all on it's own compensates for things that do not function at 100%. I would think that a person with sight impairment would be the same? I have no direct experience with sight loss or impairment but I have seen a fair few that are remarkable in how they seem to adapt and cope with said impairments, their sense of touch and hearing to me seemed to be heightened and they could (I do not know the correct words) almost feel their way and describe things without sight.
It a difficult project and to any person that undertakes same gets my total respect. It something that is worthwhile and imo very rewarding to assist a person and try and find ways to allow then to overcome.
I'd think just from the little I have experienced that- yes all the verbal and avoidance things have to be covered; just like with any class or project that way, maybe more thought has to go into certain aspects that way to tailor it to persons with sight loss or impairment- but a tactile (if that the correct word) approach may play into their strengths as it were.
Danny T
Senior Master
We use several WC chi sao development drills, wrestling pummeling & Muay Thai clinch, and some takedown drills. It is all about being able to physically control the opponent and prevent them from striking if/when is comes to that. Major problem for the sighted impaired they have to survive the first strike/s.
now disabled
Master Black Belt
Sir, you have my upmost respect in what you are doing and how you are trying to use the skills you have and adapt them to be of use to those with sight impairment.
Danny T
Senior Master
Thank you. They are good people and a pleasure to work with. One was a marine sniper and being able to work with him has been quite an experience. I have learned a lot from working with him.
now disabled
Master Black Belt
You are more than welcome sir, Keep it up and may you have more good experiences.
Tell the Marine from me to hang tight and to keep overcoming and adapting he is special and in you sir has a person that can facilitate him still being able to channel his in born and taught talents ...............just tell him well just tell him a guy that has looked down a scope is thinking of him
now disabled
Master Black Belt
That feeling that no one that has never had to do it will ever know. That he did save his friends lives and that he should always be proud of and never let any one take that away. Tell him if he ever needs a spotter give me a shout as I am sure that he still could hit the mark. My trigger finger is goosed but if he supplies that and the breathing I will supply the eyes ................I am so totally and completely honored (not the proper phrase but hopefully you get the meaning) that you sir are doing as you are and letting a man, who has paid his dues, go on and have some purpose and be allowed to express his talents in another way.
Sir, I salute you you are indeed a good man
That was, surprisingly, the funniest post I've read today. Thank you.
FriedRice
Master Black Belt
Then why post anything?
dvcochran
Grandmaster
I don't have one. Except what I said in a previous post about teaching all the verbal and environmental skills they can. I do wonder how effective some form of situational awareness training could be.
dvcochran
Grandmaster
The premise that the seeing person will hopefully have at least some awareness that something is going down. It would be incredible to find that some blind people could be aware of an attack beforehand.
There's a different level of risk, yes. But not all attacks start with a knockout punch. In fact, I'd guess - and it's only a guess - that attackers are less cautious when they know they're attacking someone with limited vision, so might be less likely to go for a first-strike KO. In any case, all any of us can train for (physically) is the fight we actually stay awake to participate in. The concept is the same for someone who's blind.
The situational awareness skills would need some retuning. I don't focus much on hearing for myself, but that would obviously become a bigger factor for someone who can't depend upon sight.
This point is important, and not just regarding BJJ.
Verbal de-escalation is commonly cited as an important self-defense skill and it is. What are the qualifications of the average martial arts instructor to teach anything on that subject beyond what a student with moderate social skills likely knows already? I'd go to a seminar taught by someone like Ellis Amdur on verbal de-escalation because he has years of professional experience with the topic. Most martial arts instructors can't say the same.
The same goes for awareness and avoidance. Once you get past a few simple principles that plenty of non-martial artists already know (don't walk down the sidewalk staring at your smart phone, don't abuse intoxicants, don't hang out with people who abuse intoxicants, even responsible intoxicant use should only be occur in the company of people you trust, don't hang out in places where fights regularly occur, etc, etc), most martial arts instructors don't have any special knowledge or insight about how to spot real world threats. (In fact, I've seen some instructors repeating urban myths about the sort of attacks that don't really happen while never mentioning circumstances which are much more likely.)
I've gotten some good guidance from people I trust on these topics and have enough life experience that I think my awareness/avoidance/de-escalation skills are sufficient for my personal needs. I could probably offer some helpful advice to some people depending on their circumstances. I don't know that I would feel qualified to offer a general purpose seminar on those subjects.
Recognizing the limitations of our expertise is critical - avoidance, de-escalation, striking, clinching, ground-fighting, weapons use, legal principles, dealing with emotional aftereffects, etc - we need to know what areas we actually have expertise in and in which of those areas we can effectively pass on our expertise.
I've been asked in the past why I don't spend more time on these topics. I always give two reasons:
Firstly, there's only so much expertise I can gain on these without changing my profession (and I'm too old for that ****). So, I can teach some basics that are generally accepted by those who have had to use them and those who study the topics. And there's only so much value in teaching those - as you point out - so I don't spend much time teaching them.
Secondly, practicing these in class is not real practice. Role-playing doesn't really test the ability to use them, and the responses from the partner are rarely going to be consistent with the responses "in the wild" unless that partner is an expert in the field.
So, I cover these lightly to make sure folks are actually aware. I teach a few habits people can choose to adopt. And then I get back to teaching physical defensive skills, because I know how to teach those, I know how to make those work on someone who doesn't have the same goal I do, and I know how to teach people to make those work on that person.
