The World Of Kung Fu-To Discover or Not to Discover

One among typically the most difficult part involved with combat is definitely to master the correct way to read an attack when squaring off with an enemy. It is the point in which all combat starts off at, the first strike to the second and so on. Let’s deal with it, if we knew an opponent’s attack, we could easily create (with proper training) a counter attack to give us the edge to defeat our adversaries. Truth be told , there are numerous different telegraphing points an challenger can show, but which ones should we take a look for?

At present there are certain schools that would tell us that it is the shoulders that one will need to look for due to the fact it moves just before the arms do signifying an attack, while other folks might say that it is the eyes that give away the practitioners intentions because he or she will probably look to what this individual desires to hit, yet others will say to look at the elbows simply because the placement of that joint will tell us if it is a swing or a jab, while yet, some may sometimes say to look at one’s stance because it shows his strong side versus his weak side. There are several ways one learns to read when and how one strikes, but the one question remains is, “Who is correct and who is certainly wrong?”

The answer to that question is that they are all correct and all wrong at the same time. If one were to telegraph what you are hunting for, then it would likely work. But so what if he shows another part totally different from what you are looking to achieve? That would then work against you. There is always a signal in which often one can see, but not every practitioner attacks the same exact way or in the same manner. Every practitioner attacks differently therefore showing different signs. Since there are a lot of different ways one can telegraph attacks, what do we start looking for when we don’t understand what the opponent will show?

The answer to this would be NOTHING. What do we mean by that? When one looks towards a specific thing, then it is all he or she sees. He or she creates a tunnel vision in which he loses site of other signs that could be seen but cannot because he or she is too busy looking for the one specific thing. By looking at nothing, one could see everything. By this we mean that one will be able to pick up any movement occurred because he is not focused on a certain motion, but rather picking up anything that is initiated without thought allowing the practitioner to act without distraction.

When looking for a precise target, an challenger that knows what the practitioner is looking for can use that against the practitioner by feigning a strike. The practitioner can additionally lose sight of his surroundings as he becomes aimed on an enemy allowing others to attackers to sneak in strikes unaware. When one looks at nothing, he not only picks up any movements better, he is also able to recover from any feigning attacks because he does not “jump the gun” to intercepting the strike but rather moves subconsciously as opposed to emotionally.

This technique is achieved by using our peripherals not merely giving us the opportunity to see a wider range, but also allows us to know without looking thereby cutting off the thought process which delays action. While we are taught as young children to always look at someone when chatting to them, we have become accustomed to focusing through our “frontal view” and lost our peripherals. We get into the habit of looking before acting while our peripheral allows us to act without looking or thinking. Your eyes have a natural tendency to focus on movements.

The saying “the hands are quicker than the eyes” holds true. Our eyes may be blurred when there are too quick or too numerous movements. Strikers who create flurries of hits can cause us to lose sight when trying to look too rigid. With the peripherals, this doesn’t’ happen because your side view doesn’t have the capability to focus, but it does have the capability to sense motion which gives us the chance to react to actions a lot faster because we do not require it to ” look before we act.”

One technique I tell my student to develop a great habit is to look off to the sides to pick up things like your keys or a pencil, or anything of that sort. Look at the object then turn away from it and use your peripherals to pick up that object. In this manner, one will develop and widen your sight from both your sides. By looking away with what exactly you see, you develop everything that you don’t normally see with.

So remember, in order to see, try Not TO SEE.

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