The Unaspired Head Turn!

[Chitsu]

Good to have a broad mind eh?

Chitsu

[ps1]

The head turn has been important in every style I've studied. I would often take my students and have them punch a focus pad. Then I would have the close their eyes. When their eyes are closed i would simply move the pad and tell them to punch it. Of course they would miss. They then open their eyes to see it's not where it was. When I ask them why they miss the pad they usually blame me for moving it. That's when i point out that it's really because they couldn't see me move the pad. This helps them understand it's important to look before you strike or move.

Eyes-closed is very different from seeing it out of the corner of your eye. I used to play netball and a drill we used to do would be to have people throw balls at us from either side so you could only just see it, both when you were standing still and when you were running as an advanced drill. If you train well enough its not that hard to catch without even looking first. And if you did need to look you'd have to try to look whilst already raising the arms to catch, otherwise you'd probably get smacked in the face.

I agree. The point is that you need to see what you're doing.

[Chitsu]

Point is you need to be able to feel what you are doing.

That's been pretty much concluded in this thread.

Chitsu

[bushido_man96]

To turn the head first is to add an additional movement and to signal to your opponent which way you're going.

I still don't understand this whenever I read/hear this. Are martial artists of this methodology so afraid of one additional movement?

Turning the head may be an additional movement, but, imho, it's such an infinitesimal amount. Surely, that one additional movement won't be the end of all things.

Of course I'd be signaling my opponent which way I'm going because I'm going to defend myself against THAT opponent. So what if my opponent knows I'm about to turn and face them, I've no secrets, besides, my opponents attacking me, so, I've got to defend myself, and if I announce that I'm going to turn to face my opponents attack...well...cool...and it won't be such a surprise after all! I'd suspect that my opponent will have already expected that of me and my turning to face them.

But how do you know to look that way in the first place? You've either already seen them in your periphery or sensed them there so you don't necessarily have to turn the head to look to see where they are before starting to move. Reflex vs concious decision. You can turn and reflexively raise your arm to block and look at the same time rather than turning the head to look first and then decide that you need to do something in that direction. Its the delay between turning the head, looking and then moving which is counted as an additional movement; it doesn't need to be there if you're going to turn and look at the same time.

As far as alerting your opponent that you're going that way, if you've got time to turn the head and look first before moving then its not that urgent. If they'd already started the attack its too late by the time you've looked and registered it then started to move. IMO, better to turn with the hands up ready just in case that motion you saw in the corner of your eye was a punch, if its not, then no harm done. If they weren't already throwing the punch then you've given them that split second to react and decide that now you're coming their way to deal with them so they better do something to stop you.

If anything by turning the head first you've just presented your face to get smashed while the rest of your body is catching up with the turn.

Not saying your method or reasoning is wrong, we just do it our way for the reasons I gave.

Kata practice is always the "sterile" training environment of many styles. One never has to worry about being struck, and visualization will be in our favor. These are good things, too.

In kata, we strive for perfection, and the head snap is one of those things we work on, too. But, when it comes to self-defense, perfection begins to seep away as adrenaline fills the veins and fine motor skills dwindle into the knuckle-dragger syndrome. So, I think the head turn is another of the many things practiced in forms so that when it comes time, although it may be diminished, it can still be there from muscle memory.

I also see the merits in what DWx talks about, and it makes a lot of sense, too. They both accomplish the same goals, but show the different ideas and methodologies. After all, that's why we end up with so many different styles.

[sensei8]

Good to have a broad mind eh?

Chitsu

Oh yeah!

[sensei8]

Point is you need to be able to feel what you are doing.

That's been pretty much concluded in this thread.

Chitsu

If one stuck their hand in some hole...

Would one want to feel for what's in the hole, OR would one rather see what's in the hole?

[tonydee]

Well, live and learn - I never expected to hear any vaguely (let alone distinctly) credible explanations for turning without looking, so a big thanks for the thread and all the responses. I agree with Chitsu that you do whatever the kata defines, not because it's acceptable for a kata not to be realistic, but because - as he says - there should hopefully be some other benefits like awareness of other opponents, better body alignment for a stronger strike etc.. Unless you're prepared to give up on the pattern completely, then keep doing it as defined. If you conclude it's nonsense, and you're senior enough in the style to believe there's no hidden depths you're missing, then take responsibility for the decision and study patterns that you're learning from even if it means another style or art.

So. I turn and look, with cones and rods (central and peripheral) as the situation allows, as much as seems practical in the movement and hopefully enough to encompass the entire attacker's position and "clock" movements with any limb. Put another way, enough that I don't have a blind spot with respect to the opponent I'm turning towards. Only then can I select a defense or attack with awareness and confidence. Looking early is important - to be a great martial artist (my constant ambition, realised or not), I reason that it's not enough to decide your footwork and body movement ahead of time and just select a hand movement to complement the attack. You have to - as early as is practical - be able to modify your gross movement, footwork, distancing, decide to attack instead of block, smother instead of deflect etc.... Why? Because while you just might be able to turn quickly without making any effort to look early (whether it's significantly quicker or not is another question, but not relevant to this point), but you should be training with the constant assumption that the opponent is at least as quick as you, and may adapt what they do to your movements as they're made. That said, I definitely don't make it a habitual "1) snap the head around", and only then "2) move" sequence. "Snap" is dangerous, and having your chin over either shoulder invites savage consequences from a simple slap to the front-facing side of the jaw. I turn the head quickly but cautiously, sometimes inclining the head slightly forwards if that seems to offer better protection, then move as the attack (imagined for kata) requires. Sometimes that's pretty much overlapping the turn, other times it's pretty much "whenever I feel like it".

Hard not to make it sound judgemental of alternatives, but just sharing the ideas... take it or leave it as you like, and thanks again for sharing your own - hope to see more.

Cheers,

Tony

Edited July 4, 2010 by tonydee

[Kuma]

I've been taught to look before I turn. Never knew there was really any other way.

[StrangeBacon]

I've always been taught to turn the head and change the focal point before the legs move "still when moving, moving when still" ect not only because it looks better when the kata is performed but also as many have said, i'd much rather be looking at the person attacking me.

Theres also the not so obvious in that looking directly at your attacker in the eyes is psychological fighting in a sense, the eyes give alot away, one thing that always struck me about my sensei was that he could always discourage you with his laser like focus almost making you feel like you had already lost before you'd even made a move.

[tonydee]

Theres also the not so obvious in that looking directly at your attacker in the eyes is psychological fighting in a sense, the eyes give alot away, one thing that always struck me about my sensei was that he could always discourage you with his laser like focus almost making you feel like you had already lost before you'd even made a move.

Certainly can be. Someone using peripheral vision and looking straight through or past you with intense concentration - when you know they're very aware of you - can also be disconcerting... not an everyday experience for most people.

Cheers,

Tony