Dear all,
Is it possible for anyone to tell me which part of my oppoent’s body should I be looking at in a fight. I am 5 foot tall. If my opponent is:
a) over 6 feet tall
b) too small e.g. training with children
c) my oppoent keeps on moving his shoulders up and down or bouncing all the time like a professional boxer
d) he does monkey boxing and constant adjusting his body position in a fight
e) he does dog boxing and goes to the ground all the time
Thank you
Hitman
I tend to look at the wall behind the guy I’m fighting.
I tend to sort of not focus a whole lot on any one part. My periferal vision works better. If I concentrate too hard on something it acts a distraction and works against me.
Close your eyes and use the Force…
:eek:
(there’s should really be one of these guys with x-es for eyes and his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, like he just got ktfo)
I just look at the chest, but sort of unfocus my eyes. You can see when the hips and shoulders move, which is a good indicator something is coming.
I look around the shoulders…
I’ll say it before someone else does, boxers shouldn’t, and don’t bounce as much as you think.
I try not too focus too much, as when I do, I tend to focus on the ceiling after too long…
Reflexes react faster on perifial vision, if you focus too much on one target you shut the other ones out.
in fencing/swordplay
You are taught to follow the tip of the blade to your target(and the target is obvious).
Apply that to “the part of the body to go for”. Method in every strike. Content in every movement. Focus on what you are going to strike at (face;torso;groin;etc.) This is difficult for some to really do because when playing around in the sparring match one becomes more self aware of themself getting hit rather than hitting the opponent. It shouldnt matter if you get hit or not. Most if us are not point fighters anyway. If your focus and intent is stronger than that of your opponent then you WILL prevail in your attack and you will come out of it only minorly hurt.
That’s my penny’s worth of advice.
Peace/TWS
for the sake of discussion, I’m finding in capoeira that you don’t really look a whle lot at your opponent specifically. What I mean is you’re always trying to face him like any good fighter but when your playing another capoeirista, your trying to match a rhythm that is hard to follow with the eyes. I think the eyes sort of give you the lead, but you just sort of find this rhythm and match your opponent or make him match you. I’m interested to see what I can do with it in a years time against non capoeiristas.
Be honest Red, you spend most of your time looking at your opponents feet and the floor. 
i tend to look at the shoulder area. i try not to fix onto one part. i kinda look through them but see them.
Elbows and knees.
Re: which part of the body should I look in a fight
Originally posted by Hitman
[B]… b) too small e.g. training with children
e) he does dog boxing and goes to the ground all the time…[/B]
I’m also a shortie (5’2") and I have learned to enjoy training with kids. Sparring with them is actually very good training for extreme low stances. You keep low so they get a realistic experience, but you still need to move quick or they’ll clobber you.:eek:
They go to the ground I back up a bit and root, so’s I don’t get locked, barred or otherwise entangled. But I don’t change the focus of where I look. I tend to gaze in the general direction of thier shoulders. Everything will show in the sholders, including which general direction they’ll be comming in from, as well as at what basic hight and angle to expect it from.
Also short (5’3). I try to look at shoulders. Shoulders will give it all away, what they are going to throw at you. I look at the eyes too. Alot of the time, your opponent will look at the body part they will attack.
Yes, eyes can give away alot if you can keep from focussing too much.
I tend to look at the floor…for quarters…
No. I look at the shoulder/chest area. Usually works. Everything else is relegated to peripheral vision.
Originally posted by MasterKiller
I just look at the chest, but sort of unfocus my eyes. You can see when the hips and shoulders move, which is a good indicator something is coming.
you just gave me a hard-0n
I tend to look to the center.
If I’m comming in from the side, I look at the elbows/shoulder area, Once controlled, I feel for the hipp and up root. Once that has occured, I site my target and let loose.
In the center, i site the chest, shoulders. I open up by feeling the limbs, up root by taking space and center, then I site my target and strike when they are the most empty.
I like to follow strikes with throws or trips of some sort. Once down, I scan the room quickly then back to my opponent.
by “site”, do you mean that you actually change your gaze to your target area?
Depends, if they are in a position to see me and know where I’m looking, I do it by feel. But generally, I do. I picked the technique up from Theresa’s kempo teacher. He was allways saying “Site your target”. When I fought his guys years ago, they had uncanny accuracy in hitting me.
They distract, site, and hit, pretty much in that order.