In the arena of knockdown fighting, imagine yourself facing three formidable enemies, each seeking to attack the elite fighter, not with physical blows, but with insidious weapons aimed at breaking his spirit and making him falter.
The first enemy presents itself in the form of tunnel vision, narrow and confined, gradually closing in on the warrior, preventing him from seeing beyond his own movements and those of his opponent.
The second enemy manifests through an incessant internal dialogue, a relentless flow of negative and self-destructive thoughts that infiltrate the warrior's mind, undermining his confidence and determination. These thoughts act like invisible saboteurs, eroding the warrior's inner strength and sowing doubt in his mind, making him vulnerable to the psychological attacks of his opponent.
Finally, the third enemy presents itself as a sense of hesitation, a subtle but powerful reluctance that prevents the fighter from acting with courage and determination. Like a thick and suffocating fog, this hesitation envelops the fighter, clouding his judgment and preventing him from making clear and quick decisions on the battlefield.
But all hope is not lost. Like a master of the art of the sword, the elite fighter possesses a secret weapon, a special katana capable of decapitating these invisible enemies in one strike. We will explore this solution further in this article.
Here are these three enemies of the elite fighter:
The Internal Dialogue During Combat
The Sense of Hesitation
The Excessive Dependence on Focal Vision
Before addressing one of the solutions (decapitating these three enemies in one strike), let’s take a closer look at each of these enemies during fighting.
1. The Internal Dialogue During fighting
Our first enemy, "The Internal Dialogue", whispers doubts and distractions, hindering the fighter's concentration during the action.
Characteristics of this enemy: The internal thoughts and doubts that arise during the fight, distracting the fighter from the ongoing action.
Impact on Combat Knockdown: The internal dialogue can disrupt the fighter's concentration, making him less reactive to the opponent's movements and less capable of making quick decisions.
Consequences: This can lead to tactical errors and reduced responsiveness, putting the fighter at a disadvantage during the fight.
2. The Sense of Hesitation
The second enemy, "Hesitation", strikes at the crucial moment, sowing doubt and undermining the fighter's confidence.
Characteristics of this enemy: The fear of failure or uncertainty about the best action to take during the fight.
Impact on Combat Knockdown: Hesitation can cause delays in the fighter's responses, causing him to miss opportunities for attack or defense.
Consequences: This can allow the opponent to take the initiative and dictate the pace of the fight, leaving the fighter on the defensive and exposed to effective attacks.
3. The Excessive Dependence on Focal Vision (or foveal vision)
The third invisible enemy, named "Excessive Focalization", threatens the fighter's clarity. It reduces his vision to a point, preventing him from seeing the whole picture.
Characteristics of this enemy: The excessive focus on a specific point during the fight limits the fighter's field of vision.
Impact on Combat Knockdown: By focusing only on an opponent or a specific area, the fighter may miss peripheral movements and surprise attacks.
Consequences: This can lead to gaps in defense, making the fighter vulnerable to unanticipated blows.
Problems related to excessive focus on the opponent's feet and hands
Excessive dependence on focal vision can lead to an over-focus on specific movements of the opponent, such as his feet and hands, hoping to predict when the blows will come. This excessive focus on the opponent's limbs can lead to a narrowing of his vision, where the fighter loses awareness of his peripheral environment and becomes vulnerable to attacks from other angles. However, this can be problematic in knockdown combat, where attacks can come from different directions at any time.
The Solution: Mastery of Peripheral Vision
By embracing peripheral vision, the fighter can transcend his limitations. Simple exercises, practiced regularly, reinforce this crucial skill.
Peripheral vision is not new and is not limited to martial arts alone but to practically all sports. Legends like Miyamoto Musashi mastered it centuries ago, leaving a precious legacy for today's fighters.
By tackling internal enemies and cultivating peripheral vision, the elite fighter can unlock his full potential. With broadened vision and unwavering resolve, the pinnacle of your art is within reach.
By developing peripheral vision, the fighter expands his field of vision, allowing him to detect the opponent's movements even in the periphery. By drawing inspiration from ancient techniques, such as those taught by legends like the samurai Miyamoto Musashi, the fighter can find effective ways to overcome these internal enemies and unlock his full potential on the tatami.
How the Mastery of Peripheral Vision Helps Defeat These Three Enemies
1. The Internal Dialogue During fighting
Impact of Peripheral Vision:
Peripheral vision allows the fighter to stay aware of his environment while focusing on the action, thus reducing internal distractions and promoting increased concentration on the fight.
Examples:
By using his peripheral vision to stay aware of his environment, the fighter can avoid being absorbed by internal thoughts and doubts that could disrupt his concentration during the fight.
By connecting to his environment through his peripheral vision, the fighter can maintain a state of presence and awareness in the present moment, thus reducing the interference of internal dialogue and remaining fully engaged in the action.
2. The Sense of Hesitation
Impact of Peripheral Vision:
Peripheral vision allows the fighter to perceive opportunities for action without excessive questioning, thus promoting quick responsiveness and instinctive decision-making.
Examples:
By using his peripheral vision to monitor the opponent and the environment, the fighter can spot openings in the opponent's defense and quickly seize opportunities for attack without hesitation.
By staying connected to his environment through his peripheral vision, the fighter can maintain a state of confidence and determination, thus reducing doubts and uncertainty that could lead to hesitation during the fight.
3. The Excessive Dependence on Focal Vision
Peripheral vision allows the fighter to have an extended awareness of his environment, enabling him to detect the opponent's movements without focusing solely on a specific area.
Examples:
During the fight, the fighter can use his peripheral vision to detect the opponent's movements on the sides, allowing him to anticipate attacks coming from different directions without having to turn towards them.
By focusing on the opponent's breathing and gestures through his peripheral vision, the fighter can spot the early signs of an imminent attack and react accordingly.
By mastering peripheral vision, the fighter can effectively overcome the three internal enemies that could hinder his performance in knockdown combat. This allows him to stay fully engaged in the action, make quick decisions, and seize opportunities for action without hesitation, thus giving him a competitive edge on the tatami.
Peripheral vision allows the fighter to stay aware of his environment as a whole, enabling him to detect movements and potential threats from all directions. By relying on his peripheral vision, the fighter can expand his field of awareness and reduce the excessive focus on the opponent's limbs, allowing him to remain reactive, adaptable, and unpredictable on the tatami.
I have several articles on this blog, that discuss peripheral vision and Miyamoto Musashi.
Gaëtan Sauvé, 6th dan IFK Kyokushin, Kyokushin practitioner since 1971
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