blind which martial art would be best for me?

Discussion in 'Disabled Martial Artists' started by elitegroupuk, Apr 24, 2010.

  1. elitegroupuk

    elitegroupuk New Member

    hi i am new to this sight i have been thinking of doing martial arts for a little while now but i am not ure which martial arts would be best suited to me i lost my eyesight about 2 and a half years ago and am now registered blind. feel i need to do something for myself i live on the south side of birmingham by the lickey hills so if anybody can suggest any particular instructors it would be great,a couple of people have suggested a couple of aikido or wing chun would be suited any help much appreciated :hat:
     
  2. Aegis

    Aegis River Guardian Admin Supporter

    Judo is a great starting point for most people anyway, and for the blind it makes even more sense because you can start off gripping the opponent and can do all of your techniques without having to see where they are.

    Anything involving striking is going to be extremely difficult without being able to see the opponent, so a grappling art might be for the best.
     
  3. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    I would totally agree. One of our most respected mappers (Koyo) always tells everyone to do Judo somewhere along the line.

    I remember that we had an Olympic Champion from the UK who was registered blind.
     
  4. Hatamoto

    Hatamoto Beardy Man Kenobi Supporter

    I dunno about aikido, but wing chun would probably be very good, Bruce Lee started out with that coz he had poor eyesight, I read somewhere (think he told it to something Hyams who related it in a book).
     
  5. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    I would go with something like Taiji or some other IMA, a lot of it is based on sensitivity, awareness and balance. I think these three attributes would be of most benefit to a blind person, bar the martial applications, many of these attributes can be trained solo. May be difficult to find a good teacher, but not impossible. Check the taichi or internal martial arts sections of MAP.

    Also, many of the sensitivity exercises in Taiji can be done with eyes shut and in fact your tactile sensitivity generally improves when the eyes are shut, so you may have some training advantage in this respect. In regards to balance and spatial awareness, the balance developed through Taiji does not rely on the eyes, but on awareness of the body and structural integrity developed through awareness and understanding structural balance of the body.

    Hope that's of some use to you. Good luck.
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2010
  6. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    Humph. I don't see why just because he's blind he should be restricted to unathletic eastern practices that propagate pseudoscience and mysticism. I'd say judo or some kind of grappling art. I don't think you could compete in a striking art, but grappling is much more tactile.
     
  7. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Having watched a blind judoka train I can only say that I was very impressed with both his proficiency and how little impact his visual impairment seemed to have on him doing full on competitive grappling.

    I think judo would be an excellent choice of art.

    The website of the British Judo Association might be a good starting point to finding a club, Click here for the page of clubs listed by area.

    Mitch
     
  8. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    Mysticism, pseudoscience and unatheleticism in internal martial arts is only propagated by chi bunnies and tree hugers who have superficial understanding of the art. Hence I advice finding a good teacher with the help of other members via the taichi/IMA sections.

    There is nothing mystical in it, nor is there any pseudoscience, nor is it unathletic, its just plain old awareness, relaxation, structure and balance training. Unlike you Knight, many members on this forum have showed up to several map meets and crossed hands with several Taiji practitioners, why dont you ask them about our athleticism, mysticism and pseudoscience. Or better yet, make an appearance yourself next time, instead of sniping cheap blows at us from behind your PC.

    If you think there is mystical BS and pseudoscience in it, then you are as blind as the chi bunnies and tree hugers. All of this has been explained to you before many times on this forum, yet you persist with the same old ignorant view. Please stay on topic, stop trolling and review the TOS, your constant, ignorant bashing of IMA's is getting old.
     
  9. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    I'm sorry, but how am I to draw any other conclusion about a group of martial arts that so often advertise to the world that they work by 'chi' or 'internal energy? That, at one stage, was the definition of 'internal martial arts', although I imagine that you have now shifted the goalposts, at least on the internet. Oh, and stop implying that I have to fight one of these nutters in order to 'prove' something. It's immature.

    Oh, and it is on topic- it deals explicitly with the perception of disabled people as regards martial arts.
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2010
  10. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    Hey if you wanna generalise and group all of IMA in to one group of nutters, then so as not to appear prejudiced, you should also group all arts with McDojos in to one group too. Cause that would just make sense and keep things simple wouldn't it?

    No goal posts have been moved, there are no goal posts, you just chose to belive the same crap as the people you so dislike and close your eyes/ears to anything that does not conform to your stereotypes. But yeah, just keep troling and believing what you like, it's definitelly logical.

    There are crap schools and delusional views in all arts/styles, but that does not mean it's all like that. Don't be so ignorant.
     
  11. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    The fact that you do not agree with what I am saying does not make it trolling. Neither does the fact that IMA people do not want it to be said.

    Goal posts haven't been moved? Then you continue to claim that IMA 'works' by chi?

    I repeat: IMA openly says that it depends on 'chi', 'internal energy', etc. This is a mixture of pseudoscience and mysticism.
     
  12. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    IMA does not say anything, it can't even talk. Chi is a complex term, usually used in old Taoist texts, the charachter for chi is represented by steam. If you speak to any teachers with any skill they will tell you it's breath/awareness. The people that say it's mystical cosmic etc etc energy are usually ignorant or deluded, maybe even part of some cult.

    Why don't you reexamine our past conversations on this topic and see my past explanations, there is nothing from me saying chi is some magic mystical energy. Like I say, I've already devoted a lot of time in the past trying to explain this stuff to you, I can't be bothered any more, use the search function.
     
  13. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    IMA can say something. Its representatives certainly do talk- indeed they often seem to do little else. And when you nitpick my posts by pretending to take what are obviously figures of speech literally, you do not seem educated. You seem petty, and as if you don't have an argument. And 'chi', as the term is understood in traditional chinese culture, is a mystical life force. The re-definitions of chi that have happened recently only serve to shoehorn ancient cultural beliefs into a modern worldview. If you can't be bothered to argue, by all means feel free to go away? There is no need to explain this stuff to me- I already understand it.
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2010
  14. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

    [​IMG]

    Anyway, one more vote for Judo. It's all about feeling out your opponent's balance, upsetting and exploiting it, and relying on eyesight instead of feel is not really part of a smart game for anyone.

    Also, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, for the same reasons.
     
  15. Topher

    Topher allo!

    I remember seeing a program on Bravo about a blind Wing Chun practitioner. Might want to check that out.

    Master James Sinclair's UK Wing Chun Association has a Birmingham branch:
    http://ukwingchun.com/branches.htm

    Also note this:
    "The UKWCKFA has expanded to teach Wing Chun to children from 5 years of age and the classes are developing well. In 1997 James and a few senior students attended the Kent Martial Art Festival For The Disabled. Here James showed his considerable teaching talent by taking novel training ideas and adapting them to help the the blind, paraplegic and persons with learning disabilities. Wing Chun is such a clever and flexible system that most people can be taught and achieve a reasonable skill level even in the face of adversity. These humbling experiences make teaching and sharing skill a pleasure."​

    http://www.ukwingchun.com/Master_James_Sinclair.htm
     
  16. elitegroupuk

    elitegroupuk New Member

    thankyou everyone for your help i have also been found a blind chap who is a fourth dam in ikido but is based in norwich which is a bit too far to travel but if anyone is intested in having a look http://www.aikidoinnorwich.net/ if anybody knows of any good instructors that are willing to do 1 on 1 training i would be greatfull,many thanks to you all
     
  17. UNarmed

    UNarmed Valued Member

    I would put my money on wing chun ... with lots and lots of training.
     
  18. koyo

    koyo Passed away, but always remembered. RIP.

    Go with Judo. An excellent art based on balance and sensitivity respectfully two of the "benefits" of being blind.

    I knocked my eye out in an accident when I was a blacksmith and trained "blind" for a while. Thankfully I recovered.

    My sincere best wishes for your progress.
     
  19. Omicron

    Omicron is around.

    Add another vote for judo/BJJ. These are arts that require you to have a feeling for the balance and posture of your opponent, and that is something that you don't need sight for.
     
  20. Freeform

    Freeform Fully operational War-Pig Supporter

    Hopefully I don't come across as an ass, but I'm seriously curious as to how a blind person can use a computer screen? I know there are degrees of blindness so maybe you have a big screen or maybe a disability helper. Just curious.

    To your question, I've helped coach two blind Judoka. Judo would be my first recommendation for blind or partially sight people. Learning martial arts is usually done via one, or a combination, of the following methods:

    Watch
    Ask
    Do (i.e have it done to you)

    For a blind student the first two are problematic, but in Judo it's very easy to teach by 'Do'.

    Also, in terms of alive practice or competition, blind competitors can compete against sighted compititors. The only difference between this and sighted competitors is that both get to take a one handed grip of their choice on the other (the blind competitor gets to choose first).

    And via the extensive Judo network, there is access to coaches who have taught potential and actual paralympic athletes. So there is already a support network built in.

    And if you're worried by 'reality issues' (self defence) Judo is one of the obvious main choices, because as a blind person you're going to be oblivious to many of the visual attack cues (though there can be pre-assault 'chat').

    Hope you find something that works for you. The main aim of course is to find something you enjoy.
     

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