blind which martial art would be best for me?

How about for just five seconds you stop flapping your gums and go train a bit of it? Naw... that'd be too easy. lol

 

Another one for Judo or at least a grappling art. What other people have said in that you can feel what you opponent is doing because you are gripping each other. It's often advantagous for normal sighted people to train blindfolded as here you should be relying more of feel than on sight.

I would go for Judo over other grappling arts as there is more of a network already set up. It's part of the paraolympic games and there is already a record of blind people doing very well and becomming extremely skilled.

I would find the Judo places available in your area and contacting them and talking about your interest in training. At the very least they are likely to be able to give you contacts on who to talk to for more details or suggestions on where to train.

Good luck!

 

I wonder, can you see anything at all? I myself am visually impaired and, as you might notice in my sig, am a brown belt in karate. I am tazught techniques either by being shown up close or by having the techniques bebdon on me. But if you can't see your opponent, I'd take the others' advice and do an art like Judo so you can grab onto your opponent, then you'll azlways know where they are (until they break free, of course).

Be warned, though, you'll get hit a bit.

 

What about BJJ, pretty much the same advantages of Judo but no issues of being thrown and not knowing where you're landing.

@ Slip: I was worried you may have mellowed with age....

 

Same old argument from you hey.

Look at it this way, they are just exercises, what you think or believe is irrelevant as the exercises work your body, not your belief system.

If you wanna go ahead and beleive info from McDojo sources, please be my guest, you just embarass yourself. But if I wanted info on some style/system I sure as hell would find a better source instead of swalowing trype. Good luck with that aproach, it will get you far in life.

 

The same old argument... which you've never been able to effectively counter. Sorry, but I don't think we should all be forced to swallow the official line about chi being about biomechanics just because the IMA community is so passive aggressive that it has forced everybody into surrendering. Exactly what biomechanical principles does chi training promote?
As an example of real biomechanically sound training, take sprinting drills. Sprinters quite often perform drills that are not actual running in order to 'program' their nervous systems and help their technique. Two commonly recommended ones are 'fast feet' and 'butt kicks'. 'Butt kicks', however, have recently been abandoned by all but the most old-fashioned coaches, as they do not prolong knee recovery. Such practices are the result of exhaustive, scientific research, and often prove counter-intuitive. I cannot believe that a series of exercises invented hundreds of years ago according to received oriental wisdom can have the same effect.

 

The only person talking about chi training and chi in general is you Knight, and since your the only one going on about it maybe you can tell us all about it.

 

uh, no? you're the one who brought up internal martial art, and therefore chi. You argument-dodger.

 

Judo would be great as for blind Judoka, often you are both put into grips and then begin randori. Many judo clubs also have exersizes where they blindfold full sighted judoka for randori to work on sensitivity and reaction to movemnet, if you go to a club where bthat is a common exersize im sure you will have tons of Randori partners who will roll with you both them sighted to you being blind, or both of you being unable to see. Either way, because you start with a grip, and can learn in a tactile manner, its a good strong art for both athletics and self defence you should certainly consider this.

Be wary of people advice to ' take up any grappling art' as, things such as wrestling require keen eyesight for its lateral movemnet, dynamisicm and so forth, it may feel too fast past and the darting in and out movements could cause a clash of heads, or lead to you being put down over and over because the attacks can often come in quickly from outside a fixed grapple.

I think Gi and Grip based grappling is the best for you as because of the 'grips' you can take, you can have a good tactile sense of control. BJJ would also be good however the takedowns are often wrestling orientated which may pose the same problems as wrestling. However once on the ground or within grip to grip grappling you should be okay.

Another suggestion id like to make is dependent on your blindess. do you for instance carry a guide stick? if so, martial arts from the phillipines such as eskrima, arnis and all that jazz would be very good as your weapon ie: stick, would be with you at all times. The training might be hard, but a mix of being able to fight with your stick from distance, and then go into judo if it goes to grapple would be very much in your favour.

Good luck!

 

Seconded.

Another suggestion id like to make is dependent on your blindess. do you for instance carry a guide stick? if so, martial arts from the phillipines such as eskrima, arnis and all that jazz would be very good as your weapon ie: stick, would be with you at all times.[/QUOTE]

Some of us DBMA instructors were discussing this in quite some depth. The unfortunate problem is that for a stick to be light enough to be useful for a visually impaired person to have 'tactile sensation' is not usually heavy enough to be used as a weapon. We've trialled this with some blind students, the biggest benifit of Kali for the blind is the sensitivity/energy drills of hubud. However, disabled MAists who use a stick to support an injured leg are another story however

 

Ah that is a shame about the stick! But alas, Judo and some aspects of BJJ, Sambo, and other jacketed wrestling arts be they asian or western all are promising to you and your particular needs and i beleive they would give you most bang for your buck in regards to inclusion into the mainstream enviorment of the class, athletiscm, self defence capcity and so on.

I wish you all the luck in finding something you enjoy.

 

Lol... Keep grinding that axe and don't forget your meds.

 

Disabled Aikido

http://www.aikidojo.nl/gehandicapt.html

In this clip from Holland you can see some of Erik Louw's handicapped students' training.

For those in any doubt, Erik Louw is as tough as nails but a very friendly and helpfull fellow.

In the 80s at Lancaster summer school, I remember him well as the only Aikidoka who could keep pace with Chiba Shihan with Aikiken, matching him for change of pace, speed, timing, movement and blending.

Erik is now one of a small handfull of fully licensed Tenshin Katori Shinto Ryu teachers outside of Japan. TKSR looks even faster than Aikiken.

I always rated Erik very highly.

So for disabled MA students, the answer is the same as able-bodied students, seek out the tuition from the very best teachers - they will adapt the teaching according to your needs.

 

I vote for Judo as well. Not that I have anything agianst Vsing Tsun. I know there are not too many qualified VT instructors out there in comparison to Judo instructors.

 

There are 2 MA skill that may suit you well.

1. Bear hug:

- Get a heavy bag.
- Start with 100 lb weight (gradually increase to 200 lb).
- Use your bear hug to lift if up.
- Walk 10 steps.
- Set it down.
- Repeat this 20 time daily (gradually increase to 30, 40, ...).

2. Head lock:

- Put a steel fence pole on the ground.
- Wrap it with carpet.
- Twist your leg around it.
- Lock your arm aroung it.
- Lift your other leg off the ground (now your whole body weight is hanging on the pole).
- Try to hang on for 30 second (gradually increase to 40 second, 50 second, ...)
- Repeat 20 times daily (gradually increase to 30, 40, ...).

 

I know this may not help the OP, but heres a video of a 100% blind student training in BJJ:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh9iUEg_6GE&feature=player_embedded"]Black belt training with an blind BJJ athlete / Atleta de Jiu jitsu cego treinando com faixa preta - YouTube[/ame]

and heres one of a social project dedicated to teaching the art of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu to visually challenged kids.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztk1FSgzPaI&feature=related"]BJJ for BLIND KIDS / Jiu-jitsu para deficientes Visuais - YouTube[/ame]

 

I recommend that you try Brazilian Jiu Jutsu.

 

I think that sentence alone just gave you more man-points than most will ever make in a lifetime