by Stefan Verstappen

Case Study   (continued)

Self-Defense Techniques

Based on the principle that an attacker would have to, by the very nature of attack, come within close range I designed self-defense techniques, both empty-hand and with a cane, that could be used without having to see the target.

The first step in learning self defense is the ability to "see" the attacker. By this I mean to create a mental image of how an attacker would be positioned to be able to grab you in a particular manner. This was accomplished by a series of exercises for improvng touch and heat proximity sensitivity. The process began with grabbing Alice in various ways. For example, grabs to her wrist, lapel, throat, hair, or elbow. Alice's first requirement was to identify which hand was being used to grab her. (One clue is to feel for the extra pressure exerted by the thumb.) Once she was able to immediately identify which hand was being used, the next step was to extrapolate that information and make a guess as to the attacker's body position relative to hers.

For example, I am using my right hand to grab her wrist but am I standing behind, to the side, or in front of her? Using the senses of smell, heat, and auditory occlusion, Alice quickly became adept at sensing another person's body position. The final step was to be able to identify and strike pressure point targets on a potential aggressor using the aforementioned information.

For example, if grabbed by the throat she could, based only on that information, strike out with a finger technique to the eyes or a knife-hand blow to the throat of her attacker.

Similar techniques were devised using the cane as a weapon. Whether the attacker tried to wrest the cane away or ignored the cane and attacked her person directly, Alice learned effective techniques to deal with either situation using her cane as a weapon.

Next, and perhaps the easiest facet of training at this point, was learning to deal with grappling attacks. Whether Alice was choked, held in a joint lock, or thrown on the ground, she was able to learn wrestling and Judo-like techniques to handle these situations.

Finally, Alice was taught how to use the cane as an offensive weapon. By learning various figure-eight circling maneuvers Alice was able to use the cane in a flailing action to keep away several opponents. For this stage the attacker donned special protective equipment and using a padded cane Alice was able to chase and follow the attacker based only on her sense of hearing while simultaneously raining successive blows with the cane.

Conclusions

Two points are of significance. First is the tendency to underestimate the capabilities and talents of the visually impaired and their ability to learn new and complicated skills. While the old stories of blind warriors are naturally somewhat exaggerated, it is clear that there is no reason why a blind person could not follow the way of the warrior. This way of the warrior is a combination of physical exercises, good sportsmanship, mock combat to test skills, self-discipline, and greater overall awareness--qualities and traits that are ideally suited, even necessary, for those who must go though life without the benefit of sight. By research and experiment it would be possible to set the ground work from which could be built a body of knowledge that would allow a whole new area of personal growth and opportunity for the visually impaired.