#Throwback This photo is of Phil and the awesome team at the Blind Foundation in Auckland after our Self Defence & Personal Safety workshop with them...
How does a blind or partially sighted person apply physical self defence at a close range?
The same as fully sighted people do. By applying fundamental base principles.
One of those, and a vital one in this case is Tactile Sensitivity
(Credit: This was first taught to us by Richard Dimitri around 15 years ago and is one of Senshido's 5 Principles).
All close-range self defence tactics should have an element of Tactile Sensitivity in the response. This is maintaining deliberate contact with the person's body (particularly striking limbs) to interpret their energy through the sense of touch, while delivering the appropriate-level response.
For the team at the Blind Foundation, this was the game-changer. Even with no, or partial sight, they were able to react from having contact made with them very quickly and index vital points on the aggressor. In most cases they were able to do this consistently under 1-second even off high energy assaults.
This principle has far-greater-reaching benefits than solely assisting in no/low-sight situations (including in the dark, eyes obscured, hit in head with world spinning etc), it applies to every tactic we use at close range and adds effectiveness to the other tools.
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Have an awesome day!
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