Has anyone heard this before??

[Chris Nagel]

I'm studying psychology and therapy stuff at the moment, and am currently on a section on thoughts and eye movement etc, and how different thoughts and moods can make your pupils get bigger and smaller..


ANYWAY

It said that one of Ali's secrets was that he would watch an opponents eyes, and could see their pupils constrict right before they would throw a power punch..
Like, being a professional boxer, everything become pretty automatic, but even so, the brain has to think of an action before sending the message to the muscles to act. Even if it's only a split second.. So as soon as Ali's opponent would have it in their head to launch an attack with some intent, their pupils would tell the story right before, and he was able to react that split second quicker than looking for the action in the muscles....

I though it was very interesting.. I havn't had a chance to try this out, and it might be a little difficult to just pick up at first,,, but it might be something worth concentrating a little to see if there is anything there... Things like this may even be a part of a lot of good defensive fighters instincts, without them even realising it. Like you need to build up the instinct of just being able to react to the subtle things in an opponent that let you know what he's about to..

That's neat. I'd think that it would the opposite. For instance in poker, if a guy gets an amazing hand his eyes will automatically dilate, the same would happen if a hot girl flashes you, your pupils would become as large as saucers.

I agree that good defensive fighters have good instincts when it comes to seeing what's going on and responding appropriately. I believe that it's a product of good habits plus experience. In a sense a good fighter knows what their opponent is going to do because their own actions set up what their opponent is allowed to do.

Although the situations change, the best fighters are the best liars, and from the first bell to the last they are in control of what there opponents can do. It's like in a game of chess or checkers, you set up situation which then leads to different situations that give you the advantage, and at the same time your actions influence what options your opponent has (and most likely ones that they'll take).

The Head gives it away, thats why great fighters have good Oral stability. Poor balance moves the Head when it shouldnt move.

That's right. Fighters whose head leans forward can be much more predictable. Their body has to compensate and they're more limited in what they can do boxing-wise.

[Scrap]

Thats a good post Chris, good insight all true.

[Trainer Monkey]

It wouldnt surprise me,lets face it,the eyes are every bit as part of the body as any other part. But youd have to be damned good to read it on the fly.


But it does feed in to two things I allways stress.
If a fights coming up I want tape on the other guy in advance,and one of the reasons I do, is to pick up patterns. Guy we just got a majority draw with, had two rythms that are consistent,right before he throws,his hands come from a rest position right to a double up position. And he allways circles to the left. Watch the hands and cut the ring.
And I allways stress to my fighters to be arythmic in their punches and their footwork,giving away the element of surprise is giving something away

[Andre]

Could work for and could work against if you're smart.
If someone obviously relies only on your eyes and you dont look him in the eyes and fight off his elbow and knee movements to read and react to his intentions, what becomes of his habit that night?