Blindside

Tim's Discussion Board: Concepts : Blindside
   By Bob #2 on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 03:30 pm: Edit Post

Tim,

If you're facing an opponent, both with a left lead, you attack the left flank, thereby not facing his "guns", your lead leg checking his lead leg; what, based on your vast martial arts experience, would you expect the opponent to do?

Bob#2


   By Tim on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 10:16 pm: Edit Post

Is this a trick question?

I'd expect my opponent to turn left.


   By Bob #2 on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 10:44 pm: Edit Post

and what if your opponent was blind?


   By Charles R. Alsip II on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 01:09 am: Edit Post

If I were the blind opponent I would feel Tim's move. I wouldn't turn left. I would step forward and to the left with my right leg and then immediately pivot to the left while guarding Tim's left arm with mine and sliding my left foot away from his guard. Then I would attack Tim's now vulnerable left flank or, if he hasn't completed his pivot, the left side of his back. The idea being to keep my opponent in my center while his center is directed elsewhere.


   By Bob Shores on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 09:16 am: Edit Post

Charles, I'm trying hard to understand your move and not making sense of it in my mind. Several things are confusing me. First off, are the opponents starting from contact? That would seem to be necessary for the blind to interpret by feel what Tim was doing. Second if you "step forward to the left" with your right leg wouldn't you be crossed and vulnerable. I only see two ways to move forward with the right leg to the left from a left front stance and both would cross past the left and leave you vulnerable whether crossing in front or behind your leg, near as I can tell. Lastly if you were guarding Tim's left arm with yours it seems to me that as you stepped away with your left foot your arm would move away from the path you were protecting as the foot moved. Correct me if I'm missing something here. I like Tim's answer to the original question. It simply restores equilibrium. I'm guessing if the opponent were actually blind Tim would simply walk away and avoid the whole issue. Of course I haven't seen him in a few years and Bob #2 may have jaded his ethics. :-)


   By Tim on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 02:06 pm: Edit Post

Hey Bob,

Happy Holidays.


   By Bob Shores on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 02:17 pm: Edit Post

Hi Tim,
Same to you! Sorry I haven't been around much. My current schedule doesn't leave me the time I had when running the commercial school. I'm taking a little time off for the Holidays so I thought I'd drop in here. Nice to see things still going strong! I'll try to call soon so we can catch up.


   By Charles R. Alsip II on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 07:33 pm: Edit Post

If Tim attacks my left from a left leg forward stance he has to move forward with his right leg. If he is attempting to check my left leg he has to contact it at some point thereby allowing me to "feel" his movement. If I step forward and to the left with my right leg (not two movements but a single angular step) and pivot so I am facing him then he is now presenting his left flank to me in a relatively unguarded state, as he has committed to his attack. My left arm is used as I move to cover any strike he attempts to launch with his left hand which is now the hand nearest me. His right hand is now on the side away from me so he can't launch any strikes with it until he attempts his own counter move. As I pivot to turn my body to face his left side I strike simultaneously with my right hand. Remember I am not going to start my move after Tim has completed his movement but as he is moving. My right leg would indeed move forward and across the line where my left foot is located but Tim is also moving his right foot across his left foot as he steps forward to flank me on the left. If I simply turn left to face Tim I still have to move one of my feet and there will also be a weak point in that movement but it will be more dangerous to me as it is what Tim would expect me to do. That is unless he knows that he is facing another student of Hsu Hong Chi in which case he would expect me to move away from his power and to attack his flank. "Move away from your opponent's center and to his side so that he is now at your center and his center is away from you. Standing still is very dangerous." It is no different if Tim launches a direct frontal attack. I would block, cover, and move forward to his right or left, dependent on the nature of his attack, then pivot to attack his exposed flank.

If I simply turn left I will be facing Tim's strength and the fact that I am turning places me in a weaker position because he initiated the attack and I am going to be a blink behind in the counter. If I move as mentioned above I am now a blink ahead of Tim and he has to recover to protect himself. I would expect that Tim would initiate a counter of my counter as soon as he becomes aware that I am changing my position.

It may be that I am mistaken in my picture of the nature of the attack initially proposed in which case I apoligize. Sometimes when you are dealing only with words on paper and not a moving example it can be confusing. Additionally I am not in any way belittling Tim or underestimating his ability. Nor am I saying that I am a better MA than Tim. Tim and I are both students of Hsu Hong Chi and in my mind that makes him a "brother" and I would be the last to criticize a brother.

Charlie


   By Tim on Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - 12:28 am: Edit Post

What if I just ask you to go get a beer?


   By Bob #2 on Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - 10:56 am: Edit Post

It's illegal in most states for blind people to drink alcohol.


   By Charles R. Alsip II on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 02:08 am: Edit Post

Cheers Tim! That would be a great idea. In fact that reminds me of a drinking game the older students used to play periodically after class in Hsu Lao Shr's school. Blindness is only an incidental unless, of course, you're "blind drunk".

Bob #2, I'm fortunate in that I don't live in one of those states. They even let old guys like me drink an occasional beer. In fact I'm enjoying a Sam Adams right now.

Let me take this opportunity to wish all of you a Happy New Year.

Charlie


   By Tim on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 02:35 am: Edit Post

Happy New Year.


   By Bob #2 on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 11:25 am: Edit Post

However, in Maine and Texas it is legal for blind people to hunt. (Only Texas requires they be accompanied by a sighted partner).

Happy New Year!


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