Maintaining eye contact

[DWx]

What are all your opinions on eye contact during a fight?

I have recently moved so am training at a new school and one of the things the instructor did with us last session was try to stare us all down. Apparently if we broke eye contact, changed expression or blinked, we'd all be "dead".

To be honest I don't really agree with the whole not breaking eye contact thing. For one, I don't tend to focus on the eyes too much during a fight in any case. I prefer to centre on the neck and upper chest area as I like to rely on my peripheral vision and I think looking at the eyes only is a bit limiting. Secondly as long as my expression doesn't reveal my intentions then who cares what I look like. I would have thought such things like pretending to be afraid or really unafraid could pose advantages at times and trying to maintain the blank look is more effort than its worth. With regards to blinking I'd rather not fight my natural instincts as blinking is there for a reason, to rehydrate the eyes and remove any irritants. And if somebody could attack me within the fraction of a second it takes to blink I'd be screwed in any case because there is no way I can react that fast.

Obviously I think the whole learning to stare the other person out isn't that beneficial but what's everyone else's opinion on this? Anybody do practice similar to this in their classes?

[joesteph]

What are all your opinions on eye contact during a fight? . . .

To be honest I don't really agree with the whole not breaking eye contact thing.

I don't either, DWx, unless you're a safe distance away, trying to have "Eye Wars" as my instructor's teacher has explained to us. I guess it's supposed to reflect that the timid cannot look you in the eye, cannot "stare you down," and so it's much more psychological when viewed in this manner. The question is, do you buy into it and concentrate on it if you're fighting, as opposed to showing no fear before fighting, and thereby possibly avoid the fight itself. (A female psychologist I once knew said that she gave advice to women who didn't like the looks of someone they'd have to pass while walking down the street to look straight ahead with head held high, as looking down and away was a submissive signal and might say "victim" to the one she wants to avoid.)

For one, I don't tend to focus on the eyes too much during a fight in any case. I prefer to centre on the neck and upper chest area as I like to rely on my peripheral vision and I think looking at the eyes only is a bit limiting. Secondly as long as my expression doesn't reveal my intentions then who cares what I look like.

If you're standing still, facing one another in a tournament, you can stare away to one another's heart's content, showing no fear, but also doing nothing until the referee gives a signal. I remember an Isshinryu black belt who was known to be a tough nut to crack saying that people talk about looking into a man's eyes and having his intentions revealed, but he preferred to look below there in order to see what the opponent intended to do, to catch hostile arm or leg movements. My opponent can look at my eyes all he wants, but I want to look all over the opponent's face-to-upper chest area when there's a fight--sparring or street--that, in my mind, will reveal what he's doing or about to do with his "weapons."

Obviously I think the whole learning to stare the other person out isn't that beneficial but what's everyone else's opinion on this? Anybody do practice similar to this in their classes?

My instructor emphasizes looking at the eyes or at least the face when sparring, because she works to have us avoid looking right where we intend to strike, telegraphing the move. She is right that you're more attuned to your peripheral vision when practicing utilizing it; I catch what I didn't catch before, and I can look ahead, such as to the face-to-chest area while kicking a roundhouse to the thigh, keeping the opponent's whole body in view, not just one section, and not telegraphing that that kick was coming--or at least doing my best not to telegraph it.

If you're secure in your fight abilities, DWx, as I'm sure your are, you're not going to be intimidated by some dopey "I can stare at you and not blink" action (if it even qualifies as an action) on the part of your opponent.

[tallgeese]

I don't focus on the eyes. The best bet is what you're doing alread Dwx, find a center mass area of the body that allows your periphial vision to keep track of the bad guys appendages.

YOur indirect vision actually picks up movment quicker, and thus, allows you to respond quicker as well.

[bushido_man96]

I don't like the stare-down bit either. Looking into someone's eyes can end up getting you into trouble, especially if they start faking you to the left or right, up or down with eye or head movement.

I like to look right around the shoulder area. I also try not to look where I am attacking, but I think I do at times.

[DWx]

What do you guys think about blinking? I think that was the main issue I had with this drill as forcing yourself not to blink when you need to will just cause your more problems because you wont be able to see properly.

[bushido_man96]

I wouldn't try not to blink. At work, I have plenty of opportunities to attempt to glare someone down. It really is quite pointless. Some people have a look, and some don't, really. I'd worry more about the things that can actually help you physically, as opposed to staring contests.

[unknownstyle]

what i have been taught is the same thing that Musashi speaks of in Go Rin No Sho, the thousand yard stare. if you focus on nothing at all and let your opponent blend into your surroundings it actually makes your brain process information faster because instead of being 3 dimensional you are seeing in 2 dimensions. thus increasing your ability to see you opponents movements and giving you the upper hand

[tallgeese]

As for the blinking, I wouldn't worry about it much. Just focus on the fight and react naturally. Of course, it's instinct to shut your eyes when a finger lands too close, which is part of the beauty of an eye gouge, or a good shot gets landed. Focus more on keeping them open when defending a combination of punches more than anything.

[Tiger1962]

My instructor emphasizes looking at the eyes or at least the face when sparring, because she works to have us avoid looking right where we intend to strike, telegraphing the move. She is right that you're more attuned to your peripheral vision when practicing utilizing it; I catch what I didn't catch before, and I can look ahead, such as to the face-to-chest area while kicking a roundhouse to the thigh, keeping the opponent's whole body in view, not just one section, and not telegraphing that that kick was coming--or at least doing my best not to telegraph it.

I've tricked many a sparring partner in my class just by looking at an area on them (say, their stomach) that they *thought* I was going to strike when I really intended to strike elsewhere. LOL

[joesteph]

What do you guys think about blinking? I think that was the main issue I had with this drill as forcing yourself not to blink when you need to will just cause your more problems because you wont be able to see properly.

The problem as I see it is that it is a drill, likely causing you to stare instead of seeing naturally, and you become more focused on every blink more so than what you're supposed to be looking at/focusing on.

It's more natural, to me, to blink "properly" if scanning your opponent, rather than drying out your eyes (and then being distracted) staring away at a target that can't harm you. And he blinks, too, the average blink taking making a quarter of a second.