blinking

[boy_analog]

Is it just me?

I find that I often blink involuntarily when issuing a strike. I assume that this is the result of some sort of internal movement.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any ideas about what may be happening?

[EARTH DRAGON]

this is fairly common among newbies, its just nerveous reaction from your brain reacting to the motion that is about to be executed.it can also happen before you react to a strike. Try to hold the eyes open as you strike with a back fist use yourself as your target while looking in a mirror. Or try to widen the eyes right before you strike, but be careful not to open to wide or you will telegraph your intention before you move! hope this helps

http://www.kungfuUSA.net

[toddbringewatt]

I wouldn't worry to much about blinking. Just practice, practice, practice and as your general confront for what you are doing increases you will probably find that the blinking disappears all on its own.

Blinking is a sign of not confronting. So just confront. And train hard.

"Bruce Leroy. That's who!"

[honorisc]

Do you have your eyes closed after the strike is over (even a little bit)?

Very some such, perhaps might have been, likely say some, some not.

[Wongsifu]

blinkin usually is some form of deep rooted insecurity you are scared to get hit so oyur body closes its eyes , kinda like when oyu are a child you used to close your eyes and becasue you couldnt see anyone you thought they couldnt see you ...
the best way to get rid of it is to fill up a basin with water and put your hands in it and flick droplets of water at your eyes, and tell your eyes not to close, do the same thing when you are going to spar by telling oyur eyes not to close :)

I wongsifu shall strike fear into the hearts of trolls and mma guys who **** me off on these forums oh and in real life.

[boy_analog]

Thanks for the replies folks.

After some thought, I think that you're broadly on the right track. For what it's worth, I simplified my experience for the sake of clarity.

I used to blink mostly when I was teaching myself the basic xingyi fists out of a textbook (I know, I know ...). Now that I have a proper teacher, I haven't seen too much of that, but I experienced it again more recently doing some qigong at home. In each case, I now realise, the blinking was symptomatic of a shift of focus away from externals and onto bodily alignments.

Since I had only experienced this doing an internal style, I jumped to the conclusion that the cause was some sort of spooky "internal" thing. Which it clearly is not.

That said, I think that some respondents were a little too quick to offer some half-baked psychoanalysis. Perhaps I'm not the only person who sometimes jumps to conclusions.

[toddbringewatt]

boy_analog,

Nice to hear you got it sorted out.

Amen on the "psychoanalyze" comment!

If my post had that kind of effect on you in any way I'd like to apologize for any wrong indications I may have made.

If not, hope it helped.

Cheers,
:)

"Bruce Leroy. That's who!"

[toddbringewatt]

Did you get that, boy_analog?

"Bruce Leroy. That's who!"

[Daelomin]

P'ng Chye Kims book "Shaolin Lohan Kung Fu" contains an exercise for eye control.
I think its dangerous and i would never do it myself.

1. Assume any basic stance as you stand before a lighted candle in a dark room
2. Stare at the candle without blinking and slowly count to 100.
3. Close your eyes and concentrate on the rhythm of your breathing.
4. Go directly to sleep without opening your eyes.
5. On awakening, look first at the green foliage of a tree or bush to soothe the retinas of your eyes.
6. Apply medicine to your eyes to relive the soreness that usually accompanies this kind of training.

He also mentions that "This traditional training method must be used with great care, and not without the understanding that it is possible to severly damage your sight through this method."
In other words, dont do this at home.

This post is probably no help for your problem, i just think that this is kinda cool.

[boy_analog]

I hear ya, Bruce! Thanks for the input, and no offence taken of course. Life is too short for such things. :)

Daelomin:

I agree, this sounds like a dangerous exercise. Moreover, it seems like the potential gains are much smaller than the risks. Cool to read about though. It sounds like some kind of spooky ninja regime.

[toddbringewatt]

Right on, boy_analog! :)

"Bruce Leroy. That's who!"