Thread: Shadowboxing with eyes closed

What is the purpose?

Is it just balance or is it more than that?

Any things one should know while doing this? What to focus on or stay away from??

It helps Proprioception, and Speed. By canceling out the sense that slows you down, Sight. your fastest receptors for Speed are, Touch and Feel, Your eyes are not good as regards Balance, both seeing different aspects and override the message the Ears are giving, Your balance mechanism, its interesting.

Originally Posted by Scrap

It helps Proprioception, and Speed. By canceling out the sense that slows you down, Sight. your fastest receptors for Speed are, Touch and Feel, Your eyes are not good as regards Balance, both seeing different aspects and override the message the Ears are giving, Your balance mechanism, its interesting.

have 'em stand on one leg with eyes closed, always a giggle

With Tissue in the Dominant side Ear

I didn't follow the answer on how it can increase speed. If you are shadowboxing without looking in the mirror or at an opponent, how do your eyes slow you down? Does it make you focus more one "feel" or your form, thus speeding it up or something??

Looking in the mirror, you are looking and reacting to the past, Eyes shut, relying on Feel its now. With a better understanding of movement, with less Stress.

Ok thank you. I understand now.

Hmm.. ive never heard of that. sounds like it would feel weird, but im gunna try that for sure. haha does it actually help you? or is it just a weird feeling..?

Everyone I know thats tried it, says it works. But it takes a good 3 weeks to understand the principle. It helps Posture Balance, speed of movement and clears the thought process.

It's a new one on me....not saying if its good or bad, or arguing if there are any benefits.
I'm just old school and believe you should train as you will fight

Im really very old School, and learned to understand the Senses, on the way. If the coach is not creative, the Fighter wont be.

Originally Posted by Scrap

Im really very old School, and learned to understand the Senses, on the way. If the coach is not creative, the Fighter wont be.

Got no argument with you there scrap....and like I say I have no argument if its good or bad because its new to me. My question is that ok., you increase speed by shutting off the eye focus..but in a match..with the eyes open, will this not cancel out the speed you have learned and even make it more difficult----just an academic question. I believe in keeping an open mind on anything new tried..so I'm not offering an opinion. I trained back in the 50's and my first old trainer was a former bare knuckles fighter who did not believe in head gear...his reason was that you would accept a lot of head blows with head gear on and if you did not wear it...you would be more prone to slip and avoid being hit...sounded crazy..but the logic made sense.

Not a problem Gray, thats what these places are for opinions . It does work, plus the crossover is of Benefit to the Athletes Balance mechanism and movement, by the Body understanding itself in motion better.

Originally Posted by Scrap

Not a problem Gray, thats what these places are for opinions . It does work, plus the crossover is of Benefit to the Athletes Balance mechanism and movement, by the Body understanding itself in motion better.

I currently have 4 of my fighters doing "Blind Shadow" for 15 mins every day - Do you feel that is an appropriate amount of time each session?

So far all 4 of them like it. I also have them using a balance board in between workouts, but they can't shut there eyes on a balance board for more then 5-10 secs before they fall off. That really proved to me how much your eyes play in balance.

Do you have any other thoughts i might be missing?

I currently have 4 of my fighters doing "Blind Shadow" for 15 mins every day - Do you feel that is an appropriate amount of time each session?

So far all 4 of them like it. I also have them using a balance board in between workouts, but they can't shut there eyes on a balance board for more then 5-10 secs before they fall off. That really proved to me how much your eyes play in balance.

Do you have any other thoughts i might be missing?[/QUOTE]
Eyes are the Problem with Balance, they are the main reason, for the imbalance in the muscular response. You have a Dominant Eye, while the other Eye is for Depth and Distance, the Dominant one is for movement the Peripheral eye, the preferred eye I call it. its the side we prefer to use, the Dominant side. Making each side of the body a little different in its mobility and flexibility. Theres a few ways of finding this out. Heres one Standing up on your prefered leg shut the same eye, feel the difference when you do it with the opposite eye, try it