What are you looking at?

[mad_god]

What do you (really) look at when facing the opponent?
Do you think looking at opponent's eyes really help you?
Do you think people should use glasses or contact lens to practice, or the well known "vision of mind" is enough?

[LNGUYEN]

Before, I look at the eyes. However, it limited me to just see the opening at the Men. I am thinking about looking at the whole body, I find it is easier to attack and counter attack.

[Pauly]

I look at the clock in the corner so I know how much longer I have to endure the ass-whooping I'm receiving in the hellishly hot gym.

[Paikea]

Do you think people should use glasses or contact lens to practice, or the well known "vision of mind" is enough?I'll try the "vision of mind" (use the force, Luke...) thing after I make it to rokudan. Till then, contacts are required to gauge distance and resolve the opponent beyond a blue, upright blob.

[bamboo_stick]

Look???

Half the time I'm sweating so much I can't even open my eyes!!

[Hisham]

I've always tried to practice the "looking at a far mountain" or "focus on the tree not the leaf" vision, different phrasing of the same concept. In other words while your eyes seem to be directed to your opponent's , you're actually alert to the whole body, as you get more experienced at it, you won't have to move your eyes, the mind vision level if you will. Mokuso does help in this regard IMHO. The secret formula is again practice practice.....practice

[Lloromannic]

I try to look at the opponents eyes but I also find that looking at the chest (no jokes) helps because I can sometimes see when he is about to really attack and not just use his arms.
I couldn't practice without glasses properly. My mind isn't as sharp to detect a shinai my eyes can't see.

[JSchmidt]

I try to look about 2 meters behind the opponent. This allows me to take in most of the opponents movement.
As for distance, I believe 'creating' a triangle between head and both shoulders is most effective.

Jakob

[ben]

Personally I don't like to look at the eyes because you can get distracted by the gaze. It's unsettling for the other person if they are looking at you and you are not looking back at them directly. I think the opponent's whole body is a better focus, especially, if you can perceive it, their breathing by the rise and fall of their chest.

I'm noticing at the moment how my opponent's physical size seems to change depending on whether I feel I have the mental edge over them or not. When I am in control, their whole body easily fits into my field of view. If I'm being intimidated by them then I feel I have to move my head up and down to see all of them.

b

[mad_god]

Personally I don't like to look at the eyes because you can get distracted by the gaze. It's unsettling for the other person if they are looking at you and you are not looking back at them directly. I think the opponent's whole body is a better focus, especially, if you can perceive it, their breathing by the rise and fall of their chest.
b

But you have to fix the eyes somewhere.
Or it is movement randomically around the opponent?

[GoldenShinai]

I watch the scoring area of my opponents shinai.

[mad_god]

I watch the scoring area of my opponents shinai.

This produces the "shinai disappearance" effect.

[ben]

But you have to fix the eyes somewhere.
Or it is movement randomically around the opponent?

That would be telling... ;)

b

[mad_god]

I try to look about 2 meters behind the opponent. This allows me to take in most of the opponents movement.
As for distance, I believe 'creating' a triangle between head and both shoulders is most effective.

Jakob

Cannot see the triangle you're trying to describe...

[JSchmidt]

------------------top of the head-----------------
---------------------------/\----------------------------
--------------------------/--\---------------------------
-------------------------/----\--------------------------
------------------------/------\-------------------------
-----------------------/--------\------------------------
----------------------/----------\-----------------------
---------------------/------------\----------------------
--------------------/--------------\---------------------
-------------------/----------------\--------------------
-------------shoulder====shoulder------------

[mad_god]

------------------top of the head-----------------
---------------------------/\----------------------------
--------------------------/--\---------------------------
-------------------------/----\--------------------------
------------------------/------\-------------------------
-----------------------/--------\------------------------
----------------------/----------\-----------------------
---------------------/------------\----------------------
--------------------/--------------\---------------------
-------------------/----------------\--------------------
-------------shoulder====shoulder------------

I understood that you fix the eyes around the region inside the triangle of your opponent.
Is that correct?

[JSchmidt]

No, I try to fix my eyes, so that the focal point is behind the opponent. I use the triangle to measure distance, as you need at least 3 points in order to reliably measure angles and distance and those 3 points are always in my field of vision.
You don't have to directly look at something in order to see it although it takes a conscious effort to deliberatly 'see' something without looking at it.
It's a trick I often have to employ in my job (3D animation) and I suppose that has helped.

Jakob

[kuzu70]

I look at the clock in the corner so I know how much longer I have to endure the ass-whooping I'm receiving in the hellishly hot gym.

I like that!

[Commander]

Umm i tend to shinai watch :rolleyes: lol but im trying to get myself into the habit of looking into their eye's and of course "Looking at a far mountain" i find these very difficult.

[mad_god]

No, I try to fix my eyes, so that the focal point is behind the opponent. I use the triangle to measure distance, as you need at least 3 points in order to reliably measure angles and distance and those 3 points are always in my field of vision.
You don't have to directly look at something in order to see it although it takes a conscious effort to deliberatly 'see' something without looking at it.
It's a trick I often have to employ in my job (3D animation) and I suppose that has helped.

Jakob

I see. In the beginning I didn't understand well.
It's a unique skill, that normal people cannot do it easily.
But basically it's lead to something people are trying to do...

[Rouisu]

I use the concept my kendo sensei told me, 'yama' (mountain in japanese). Meaning, I don't just focus on one particular area of my opponent, but rather my opponent as a whole, which is probably the same concept as yours, Hisham. It's a lot harder than it sounds and more often than not I often focus on my opponent's shinai. But when I do actually concentrate properly I can read my opponent's moves a lot easier.

[Naginatagirl]

I always look my partner straight in the eye out of habit, but I keep my mind from having too much focus only there(again out of habit). If I'm looking elsewhere my strike goes wonky and my timing is off. I'm just a newbie so it doesn't really matter where I look, I still get beaten no matter what ^^; oh well... But never watch the shinai, that I've been told. And the only times I've ever done it...convinced me not to do it again.

[The great I AM]

I'm a bit short sighted and refuse to stick my fingers in my eyes (contacts) so I just try to take in my whole opponent. I know when I works because I find it much much easier to read them than when I am trying to see them, if you get me.

[durrell4]

It seems we've all read the same text on the "far mountain" concept and look through your opponent concept. Although this yields a good kendo riddle it may not be applicable to your practice in less you add the other concept that goes with the far mountain. I am referring to what you see. It is nice to stare off in to the distance trying to observe your opponent and if that works for you great.

I would recommend you starting see your opponent’s intentions (the second half of the far off mountain). I find that most people have a tell or something they do before they attack. I tend to focus on what the other person is trying to do and determine if I can break their waza. If you are lucky enough to pick up on the persons tell then you can begin to control the match. Unfortunately knowing may not be enough if the player is faster and stronger then you, but you can learn what they do and see if you can pick up a few waza along the way.

So I guess I would say it has more to do with what you see then where you look.

2 centavos

[hyuna]

What do you (really) look at when facing the opponent?
Do you think looking at opponent's eyes really help you?
Do you think people should use glasses or contact lens to practice, or the well known "vision of mind" is enough?
When I am playing stronger, my gaze is soft. The only times I find I look directly into my opponent's eyes is during sonkyo or if I am trying to pull my opponent to attack me. In both cases I feel like I am challenging them, so I stare hard at them. I don't know if that is right or wrong, it is just an observation of what I do.

Other than that, I have many bad habits regarding gaze.

I often look at the shinai. The problem is that I am trying to read the response of my opponent as I try to seme. So, I test their shinai and then glance down at it out of habit for a brief moment. Sometimes people will figure that out, and it is bad news for me...

I also know that I will tend to look at difficult to hit targets. So if you are much shorter than me so it is hard for me to hit your do, I will tend to watch the target before and during my hit. If you have fast hands I will tend to look at kote before hitting. It is because I am afraid to miss, I think, but, of course, it makes it more likely I will miss since it gives away my intention.

Oh, and I very much believe people should wear corrective eyewear if they need it. I started without wearing my glasses, and it was such a difference when I got my contacts... (-6.50/-7.50 currently).