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In martial arts when I was younger, we spent at least a few sessions just staring at each other, to get comfortable / less awkward with looking at your opponent
by dragontamer 4y ago
In martial arts when I was younger, we spent at least a few sessions just staring at each other, to get comfortable / less awkward with looking at your opponent.
That, along with taking punches to the stomach (We weren't very strong yet, so no worries about us actually injuring each other), just to get "used to getting hit", among other things... these kinds of training helps remove the mental blocks when you actually start to spar.
I'd say that eye-contact is just one of those things you need to train for. I know I did, it helped me a lot inside of a sparring match to help me focus on the opponent rather than feeling awkward (they're looking at me kinda thing).
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If you haven't had martial arts practice, then you could just practice eye-contact with your friends instead.
- throw827474737 4y ago> I'd say that eye-contact is just one of those things you need to train for. But for why and what if I'm not into martial arts? Just for social norms and studies that say only then I am really engaged and pay attention, which is definitely not true for me?
- oblak 4y agoNot that you care but I straight up ask people with sunglasses to take them off if they want to talk to me. I take covering your eyes as hiding.
- Godel_unicode 4y agoThat sounds incredibly rude to me.
- beebeepka 4y agoTo me it's rude to have sunglasses on
- Godel_unicode 4y agoPeople wear sunglasses for lots of reasons, many of which are none of your business. They might be vision-impaired, have glaucoma, have dilated pupils from the eye doctor, or just be really hungover. You’re not in charge, leave people’s clothing and accessory choices alone.
- beebeepka 4y agoCome on, buddy. People may want to wear helmets for all I care. Doesn't mean I'd super eager to talk to them
- throw827474737 4y agoAnd some find staring into one's eyes and holding eye contact with strangers kind of aggressive :)
- csa 4y ago> In martial arts when I was younger, we spent at least a few sessions just staring at each other This seems… not right. I’m guessing your martial arts teacher was not traditionally trained, but I could be wrong. In pretty much every sport that I have played in which I engage in some way with my opponents, it’s pretty much always best to focus on the hips, since all major/significant motion starts there.
- tejohnso 4y agoI took karate and was instructed to look at the eyes. I'd stare into the eyes while sparring. Didn't work well because I'd feel somewhat hypnotized by the eye contact and could never react in time to block strikes. The blocking method was ridiculous as well but that's a separate point. Looking back I think a high percentage of that karate training was counter productive or just useless.
- sdwr 4y agoUseless for fighting maybe, but for socializing?
- yakubin 4y agoIt is useful for fighting. Allows you to see what your opponent is going to do early. If you look at their hands instead e.g. you’ll see their movement well after it’s already started, and you won’t be able to react in time. That of course assumes your opponent is well trained. Amateurs’ moves are so inefficient you might as well look at the ground and you’ll still probably be able to defend yourself.
- fidesomnes 4y ago
- neilv 4y agoSensei Shakira taught to do this because hips don't lie. Though Eagles style leverages that opponent can't hide their lying eyes.