Fighting Distance and Peripheral Vision

In response to Kevin Leavitt's Fighting Distance article, I would like to take a look at the use of peripheral vision as part of your preparation or methodology. It is often said to look into the eyes of your opponent. The eyes are telling; but, it should be a relaxed gaze and not a focused stare. Your peripheral vision is much more sensitive to motion the focused/tunnel vision. (See rods and cones for further explanation). Since we are not concerned with the color of the eyes of our assailant, only if he moves, we will use our peripheral vision in combat.

We use peripheral vision every day and do not think twice about it until we get to the dojo and panic sets in that someone is about to throw a punch at us. Take walking in a crowded mall. How often do you bump into someone? Not very often considering there could be thousands of people with no set walkways heading in many directions at the same time. Here is an exercise you can use to demonstrate the difference in peripheral vs focused vision. Have a bunch of people gather close around you and stare at you. Move casually in different directions. They will start bumping into each other. Now tell them to relax their vision and take everyone in while still looking in your direction. The group will move as one with little lag time from your movement.

Now, lets apply the use of peripheral vision to a combat situation. Beyond 12 feet we can use focused/tunnel vision because we still have time to react. There is enough discussion on the 21-foot Rule for Police drawing a weapon that we will only talk about the 12+ foot range for empty hand defense. I would still recommend the use of peripheral vision to pick up the motion of the assailant, additional attackers, and escape options. At the 6 foot range, you are only one step away from physical contact. Peripheral vision is a must to pick up any motion and have time to react. Move on Movement. At the 3 foot range, you should already be responding to the threat. If you are in a close space and have to deal with someone this close, do not stare them in the eyes because you will not be able to pick up any hand or foot movement.

Work this into your training and you it will make your reactions times better. A few tenths of a second can mean a big difference in the outcome of a fight.