[Sportsandrec] Martial Arts for the Blind

[Ashley Bramlett]

Brad,
I was actually planning to ask this question too.
I know which martial arts are commonly practiced. But I'm not sure how they 
learn the techniques,  and of course, how to fall to either side.
I took aikido for a little while but it was a semi private class with just 
another low vision student so we had lots of hands on attention and could go 
slower than a typical class. I was able to learn to fall backward, but 
forward proved too challenging for me.
I'm not too coordinated though and many blind athletic people may have more 
of a better grasp of this.

I would like to know if the  people practicing martial arts are in a dojo 
with other sighted participants. If so, is the instructor good about 
accomodating you? Its my experience in group classes, including PE in public 
school, much is done by demonstration and I feel left out.

Anyway, to answer your question, there are several martial arts done by 
blind people.
The kicking martial arts are not as blind friendly as you don't see the 
target but ones involving striking, joint locks, and escapes from chokes are 
doable.

Specifically here are some.
Judo is very popular. In fact, it is a USABA sport I believe.
A lady might be still on here who went to the paralymphics; her name is 
Kristella Garcia.

Another one is Brazilian jujitsu.
I think someone on here has also done crav maga which is a form of street 
fighting.

Slower forms of martial arts like tai chi are doable too.

So, if you're interested, its definitely doable.

Ashley
-----Original Message----- 
From: Brad Keller
Sent: Sunday, September 22, 2013 4:27 PM
To: Sports and Rec List
Subject: [Sportsandrec] Martial Arts for the Blind

Hello, I was wondering if there  was anyone on this list that practiced the 
martial arts? If so I am wondering which of the diciplins are being 
practiced and which of those seem to be the ones that seem to be taught more 
often to those with total vision loss?

Brad Keller
email: kellerb03 at gmail.com
Skype: Brad-Keller1
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