The Triad of Senses in Martial Systems: Sight

In the martial systems practitioners tend to rely heavily on their sight. I believe this is limiting. A practitioner should use sight, hearing and touch to create a well rounded sense system in practice and application. This post is on the primary sight sense or the dominant sense of sight.

In martial systems we rely on direct vision. The normal person does not become aware of or use peripheral vision much to their detriment for it is a superior method of detecting acts that need response where speed is critical to avoid damage.

The practitioners must also realize that when a threat is encountered that the body will dump a lot of adrenaline into the body and one of the primary concerns is the tunnel vision that comes with this dump. The training should provide for reduction and control of this effect. How the practitioner looks at a threat matters. The look should be such that they don't actually use direct vision to detect motion but rather the peripheral. The mind uses peripheral vision differently than direct vision. One will want to delay actions while the other is faster in accessing and implementing appropriate actions. This is important and the practitioner must study this thoroughly.

Some techniques that will allow reduction of adrenaline effects is breathing. Deep diaphragmatic breathing techniques not only compensate for visual acuity loss but other effects of the dump. Another is chakugan of placing the eyes where the motion of the head and eyes in scanning and viewing using first peripheral and then direct compensate as well. This is important and the practitioner must study this thoroughly.

How the eyes and seeing promote better martial application comes from a thorough study of such sense application that provide the knowledge and experience, as can be attained in reality training as well as live experience, necessary to be aware of and understand the use of vision in martial training.

The connection of the other primary senses along with the training of the mind provide overall effectiveness in martial applications. The practitioner must remember that it is not the individual that counts but the cumulative as integrated into the "one" means of application.

Awareness-Training-Application!