DON'T LOOK DOWN!!!

 by Phillip Starr

You see it all the time in the training hall. Maybe it's you who's gazing at the floor or your feet or your belt or whatever. Students sometimes look down to ensure that their feet are in the right position, to avoid looking at someone in class or to avoid noticing that the instructor is looking at them. They do it when they practice basic techniques, when they practice their forms, when they engage in freestyle sparring. Whatever. They do it all the time. And it's a terrible habit to develop, one that's fairly difficult to break, and one that can mean the difference between success or failure. On the street it can mean the difference between life and death, losing or not losing. Why? Well, let's have a look...

Now, most instructors will immediately say that if you look down, you can't clearly see your opponent. That's true. I recall attending one of the early Gateway Open Karate Tournaments in St. Louis back in the 60's. A number of my students entered competition for the first time. Most of the other competitors were tournament veterans but my students had had absolutely no experience in competition. One of my students asked what he should do when the match started. I told him to stop, stand up normally, point to his opponent's crotch and tell him that his fly was open. And it worked! He pointed and told the other competitor that his zipper was down (bear in mind that karate uniforms don't have zippered fronts) but his adversary did what most men will do without thinking... he looked down to check it. And at that instant, my student landed a classical punch to his face!

However, there are other problems that arise from this nasty little habit, not the least of which is that it “breaks” your posture. When you look down (or up, or tilt your head in any direction), the cervical vertebrae are no longer aligned with the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. This means that your entire posture is unstable; you can be easily unbalanced and you can't issue maximum power. Two of my books, “Martial Mechanics” and “Developing Jin” discuss this phenomenon in some detail.

Moreover, looking down has the effect of “slamming on the brakes.” That is, you are unable to move quickly when you eyes are directed down (or up). You may begin a movement and then glance down for some reason and your forward action all but comes to a complete stop. It's like engaging the brake and the accelerator at the same time! Instead of being directed at your enemy, your yi (imagination, intention) and qi (vital energy) are directed downward!

Oftentimes, when we are confronted by someone we fear, we tend to look down rather than make eye contact. This displays a clear lack of spiritual strength and courage. And because body and mind are inseparable (the body is actually just a reflection of the mind; they're the same thing), your “broken” posture reinforces the feeling(s) of fear. You may know someone who just can't look you in the eye when they speak to you or other people. Now you know why. It's fear, plain and simple. It can be easily corrected by making them adjust their physical posture...

Hopefully, you can see that looking down provides your opponent with a HUGE opening in your mental and physical posture, an opening though which he can enter and drive his attack home! If students do it in class, they're often checking the position of their feet to ensure that their stance is correct. I always tell them that they must learn to FEEL the stance with their feet; they must never look down (unless instructed to do so). If they continue to look down, I tell them (in a loud voice), 'DON'T LOOK AT YOUR PEEPEE!” Of course, everyone hears it and stares at the offending party. If he does it again, I'll tell him, 'DON'T LOOK AT YOUR PARTNER'S PEEEPEE, EITHER...EVEN IF IT'S A REAL NICE ONE!” That usually takes care of the problem. Even now, students from 30 years ago recall my words of wisdom!

Next time you're in class, watch the other students and see if any of them glance down from time to time, especially when doing forms practice. Then check YOURSELF as you practice... don't drive with the brakes on!