When you look at a target — an object you intend to act upon — your mind, without your awareness, is gathering and processing info about the target and preparing a program of the action (what and how to move). If you look at the wrong spot, or too late, or too briefly, the program will be wrong and your action will fail.
The target of a fighter’s gaze might not be the object the fighter has to hit, deflect, or catch faster than a thought — faster than it can be consciously perceived. These objects are detected in the fighter’s peripheral vision and acted on faster than a thought. (Peripheral vision is more sensitive to motion and utilizes faster neural pathways than central vision.) Nevertheless, it matters where the gaze is directed — what its target is — or these faster-than-thought actions won’t happen.
What to focus your eyes on in a confrontation
Your attention is on whatever you focus your eyes on, that is, where your gaze is, and as the gaze focuses, so does your attention. The fewer targets of your attention’s focus, the better the focus. When your eyes wander, so does your mind. A steady gaze on the right target means an undistracted mind, and the undistracted mind can direct the body to do the right thing. For a fighter, knowing what to focus the eyes on is a major factor in consistent high performance — winning.
At the distances from beyond punch range to the punch range, to anticipate and thwart an opponent’s actions, you should look at the center of the opponent’s upper chest, specifically at the middle of the breastbone (sternum), both in attack and in defense. The breastbone always moves in concert with committed movements of the limbs — unlike the head, eyes, and limbs, which can do fakes. The breastbone is one target, and the fewer targets of your attention’s focus, the better the focus. Further, centering the gaze in the middle of the breastbone let you perceive motions of the hips and shoulders with your peripheral vision. And the peripheral vision allows for faster reaction times to movements, compared to central vision, because it is more sensitive to motion.
So, at the distances too long for a clinch:
Don’t focus on the opponent’s feet:
— there are two of them (remember: the fewer targets of your attention’s focus, the better the focus),
— they can be moved without committing to actual attacks,
— looking at them you see less of the opponent’s upper body.
Don’t focus on the opponent’s hands:
— there are two of them (remember: the fewer targets of your attention’s focus, the better the focus),
— they can be moved without committing to actual attacks.
— having a hand in your central vision is likely to make you react to its movement slower than if having it in your peripheral vision.
Don’t focus on the opponent’s eyes:
— eye feints are the easiest to make, and easy to fall for.
How about a clinch?
In the clinch you rely on the sense of touch for anticipating the opponent’s movements. The gaze is no longer used for it. Nevertheless, there is a role for the gaze — because where you look, there you go. Each technique has points, not necessarily on the opponent, at which you need to look in order to execute that technique powerfully — look elsewhere and you will mess up. This has to do with the alignment of the whole body, which depends a lot on the position of one’s head, which in turn depends on the direction of the gaze.
Recommended reading (and viewing):
Self-Defense Tip #5 — Fighting Stance and Position
Self-Defense Tip #111 — Sucker Punch: What Not to Do
Self-Defense Tip #1 — How to Set Up an Entry into a Clinch with a Kick Combination
Self-Defense Tip #118 — Clinch
This tip is based on three articles on gaze and peak performance, posted at stadionbooks.com:
Gaze and Peak Performance, Part I
Gaze and Peak Performance, Part II
Gaze and Peak Performance, Part III
Self-defense tip from Thomas Kurz, co-author of Basic Instincts of Self-Defense and author of Science of Sports Training, Stretching Scientifically, and Flexibility Express.
Self-Defense Moves
To learn how your natural reactions can instantly defeat any unarmed attack, see the video Basic Instincts of Self-Defense.
Defend Against Weapons
To learn how the typical street weapons (club, knife, razor) are used by an experienced streetfighter and how to practice with them, see the video Self-Defense: Tools of Attack — Club, Hatchet, Blackjack, Knife, Straight Razor.
Mental Toughness
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