ways to stop blinking

[Maddwraph]

what are good ways to not blink when someone will hit you. like when i play capoiera, and a kick is coming at me, i just block or sciva and blink. its not really becasue im scared, i just cant help it. anyone know any good ways to practice not flinching or blinking so when i play capoiera or if God forbid someday i fight someone, i wont blink? maybe practing keeping my eyes open could help, because i blink a lot outside playing. anyways, thanks

[vertigo]

AHHH! I do the exact same thing! It's a crazy reflex I have.

I have been able to repress it during karate; I have no idea why though. I have a feeling if you just kept it as a semi-conscious thought in the back of your mind as you train, after a little while it will become second nature and you won't really have to think about it anymore.

Just my thoughts

[GhostlySykanRyu]

All I can say is relax, and don't think about being hit...or you'll probably blink; and get hit as well...

[JusticeZero]

What lineage of capoeira are you doing and what are you experiencing which is making you block? Which direction is your hips facing when you do esquiva lateral, and is your negativa knees-together or L-shaped? And could you be more specific which techniques are making you blink? For me, it seems like I blink less if I make my esquivas large, because it brings my head out of the threat zone more completely. Forquilha will make most anyone blink, though, not much to do about that.

[Maddwraph]

thanks for the replies, oh and i defnitely blink when the i actually get kicked but block it with my arms. i also blinka little even when the kick comes really close to me and hits me a little. but it doesnt really have to do with capoiera, i just need to know how to stop blinking when somehting is about to strike me like a punch.

[JusticeZero]

...like I said, why are you blocking kicks in Capoeira? Capoeira does contain blocks, but they aren't, as a rule, catching a kick that has actually gained momentum straight on. Redirecting, sure. Stuffing, sure. Blocking? Seems out of character for all the stylists i've seen so far. If you are only blinking when you block, and you don't block, do you have much problem? Is it better when you are on the offensive while you are being contacted because you are performing a counter??

[GhostlySykanRyu]

The fact that he is blocking is irrelevant...what he is trying to say is that when something comes at him, he blinks, regardless of his reaction.

Again, this seems like a relaxation problem.

[TheDevilAside]

I used to flinch, blink, close my eyes, the whole enchilada when I first started out. Then in about a week I stopped closing my eyes. In a month I stopped flinching. In a year I was clear as water, cool as ice. So, I would just give it time, it takes a while to untrain your natural reflexes.

[kenttiensankari]

One dude in finland went to bowling hall, he tied himself up into the machine that brings the balls back to start. Those balls come really fast, and they went all extremely close to the guys face, after beeing there whole day that guy never blinked again when sparring.

[Maddwraph]

One dude in finland went to bowling hall, he tied himself up into the machine that brings the balls back to start. Those balls come really fast, and they went all extremely close to the guys face, after beeing there whole day that guy never blinked again when sparring.

wow, haha, i should try something like that. but yeah, we are suppose to dodge kicks in capoiera, but once in a while, they kick fast and it will get you. but thanks for the advice, i will do something where a fried will elt me or something.