Glasses and Aikido

Hi all,

I started Aikido around Easter. I wear glasses all the time, but have been taking them off for training. I can't wear contacts and haven't felt game enough to wear them. I can see pretty well up to a few meters, so it hasn't been too much of a problem (except seeing the finer points of a technique when sensei is standing at the other end of the dojo). One of the more experienced students wears his glasses for all but a few techniques and doesn't seem to have any problems.

What are your feelings on this? Do you or anyone at your dojo wear glasses while training?

Cheers,
David

I have several students who wear glasses all the time and have trained with many who wear glasses. Has never been a problem.

I wear glasses off the mat. But while i train i usually leave them off. The only time i will where them on the mat is for weapons. I have worked with other aikidoka who wear sport glasses. Like the ones you would see a basketball player wear. They fit snug to the face and have a band around the head and protective padding.

My sensei has always worn glasses. I was always amazed that he could do aikido with glasses.

There are a couple of people at my dojo who wear glasses on the mat. (I wear soft contacts.) I've seen a few minor mishaps in the short time I've been training, like glasses coming off, but nothing major.

I would be sure the lenses are shatter resistant (polycarbonate).

Also, for the sunglasses I wear while horseback riding (another time you don't want your glasses flying off) I use "Chums" to make sure they stay put. Chums are made of soft knit t-shirt-like fabric, with a kind of plastic bead to adjust them. They hold glasses on very well, but have lots of give, and would pull right off if needed (like if your glasses really got hooked on somebody's dogi, or something). They are very comfortable. I get them at local sporting good stores. I don't know anything about this company, but they have a good selection, and sell them to whitewater kayakers: https://store.whitewatergear.com/cus...essories/chums

I see they have a "no tail" kind. I haven't seen those before, but it seems like they'd be the better choice for training. The kind I have end up with a little piece hanging down in the back, which could get caught or grabbed.

Best of luck,
Linda

I will just copy and paste my reply on exactly this subject in another Aikido forum:

I'm quite myopic so I wear my glasses most of the time during keiko.. I only take them off for techniques where they might get knocked off, eg., iriminage or ushiro kubi-shime attacks.. I used to have a pair of rec-specs (Lexan frames, hard plastic lenses, elastic band) but they tended to fog up quite quickly... I used them in a course with a visiting shihan and he asked me "Are you going skiing?" I have my current glasses secured with an elastic tie to prevent them from flying off..

I wear glasses all the time off the mat, but wear disposable soft contacts for training. Having tried glasses on the mat, I tended to bend them from time to time, which became expensive.

Without glasses is fine for basic practice, but I can't see details being demonstrated. Putting them on for watching and taking off for practice is OK but a pain at times, and restricts ones movement around the dojo (and sometimes ability to grab the partner you want!).

For kenjutsu, I need to see better, so would wear glasses, but the contacts are fine (even though due to astigmatism they are a slightly different prescription - but I am used to the switch these days).

Inocencio Maramba wrote: I used to have a pair of rec-specs (Lexan frames, hard plastic lenses, elastic band) but they tended to fog up quite quickly... I used them in a course with a visiting shihan and he asked me "Are you going skiing?"

Is it just me, or is this not such an okay thing to be saying? A lot of people have less than 100% perfect vision; they do what they need to do to get by, why the need to question or mock it?

David Haidon wrote: Hi all, I started Aikido around Easter. I wear glasses all the time, but have been taking them off for training. I can't wear contacts and haven't felt game enough to wear them. I can see pretty well up to a few meters, so it hasn't been too much of a problem (except seeing the finer points of a technique when sensei is standing at the other end of the dojo). One of the more experienced students wears his glasses for all but a few techniques and doesn't seem to have any problems. What are your feelings on this? Do you or anyone at your dojo wear glasses while training? Cheers, David

A good place to get inexpensive glasses is http://www.zennioptical.com/cart/home.php.

I have bought several pair from this sight and have used them with no problems.

David

I have heard some success stories about LASIK surgery, which I believe is pricey but not ridiculously expensive. Even though that might be a good option for me, I'm still holding out. I have trained many times with my glasses off. Right away, my vision is blurry, but I adjust to that quickly enough for it not to hinder my training.

Drew

Hi David,

I've seen a few pairs of glasses go flying during Aikido classes, including some that broke and went flying in 2 different directions

I never wear mine on the mat, and just have to squint best I can to see what's going on. Fortunately this is easy in a small dojo and nothing is too far away

It's different at a large seminar, where if I'm too far away I can't see, so the trick there is to get to the front as fast as you can when the class stops for the next demonstration

Ruth

A great many of us are vision impaired. I have 20/280 with strong astigmatism and can't see more than a meter without severe blur without glasses. I always have trouble keeping them on and the 'chums' or something similar are a big help here. Also I have got fancy frames with shape memory alloy (cost like $400) but I've had them for 10 years and they have survived basketball, four kids and all sorts of things (new lenses were required but the frames are fine). I don't mind the outdated fashion but it really does bother my wife.

I don't wear glasses during training because I figure in a scuffle the first casualty will be my glasses flying off my face. If I train in my 'impaired' state then it won't be a problem when things get hairy. Every now and then I do wear them during training like some weapons classes or during seminars and I really don't notice much of a difference. Usually after a few minutes they are covered with sweat and I have to take them off anyway.

I like to tell myself that the blurry vision helps remove the distractions and lets me see the whole body movements so I'm less affected by feignts, etc.

On an aside, my dad has worn really think glasses for ever (like 50 years) and recently had cataract surgury and now does not need glasses at all and is amazed at how bright and colorful everything is! I have a hard time recognizing him now since glasses have been such a prominant feature of his for so long it's like I got a new dad too!

I've been training with my glasses on since I started. I used to use some I had made initially for computer use. They had a small 'kids' frame and hugged my face closely. I very rarely lost them during practice. Recently I had to find new frames since those were actually rusting, oh well they lasted 9 years so i guess it was time. My new frames are Adidas, not cheep but very flexible. I will probably end up losing them more often because they aren't as tight as the last pair but it's a small price to pay to be able to see while on the mat.

Mary Malmros wrote: Is it just me, or is this not such an okay thing to be saying? A lot of people have less than 100% perfect vision; they do what they need to do to get by, why the need to question or mock it?

As the recipient of the query I didn't feel mocked at all.. if anything it broke the ice and made us all relax and smile... It was made all the more humorous as the Philippines (where the seminar was being held) is a tropical country and the only "snow" to be had would be found in a freezer!
If anything, it made me all the more memorable to him and later on he kept on looking for me by asking "Where is megane(eyeglasses)?

Of course, if looked like James Worthy, I bet no one would ask me about my glasses:

I had my optician make up a pair of glasses with a cheap frame and a plastic lens. I figured then I wouldn't be bothered if they got broken and practise is more enjoyable when you can actually see what sensei is doing.

Robert M Watson Jr wrote: I like to tell myself that the blurry vision helps remove the distractions and lets me see the whole body movements so I'm less affected by feignts, etc.

Most of my training - with some exception - has not involved feints. However, what you said reminds me of the old Kung Fu and the blind master at the Shaolin temple. I think he was only fictionally blind, but I have noticed that my technique feels equally good with glasses off, even though my astigmatism is hardcore, and I would probably write fewer run-on sentences if I removed them

Drew

My husband wears his all the time. Another student wears his sometimes as well. They don't seem to have a problem with them at all. I guess the question is how well do your glasses fit you? Sensei takes his off for class. In the end, it is up to you.

Oh and I also have a cornea ulcer and the vision is VERY blurry out of my left eye. I am lucky if I can see the big E on the chart. YIKSE! However, my right eye vision is okay. I don't wear contacts or glasses, as I have learned to adapt over the years (had it for about..... 8 years or so).

I would say if you can do without, do without. If you can't or don't want to do without, then by all means, wear them.

i used a prescription racquetball goggle. worked great against Moe-atemi-waza.

I swtiched from glasses to soft contacts (which I understand not everybody is able to use) when my glasses would start falling off during throws. Yknow from a public health point of view, the aikinurse cannot recommend just buying lots of cheap glasses and letting them fall and break: when they are in the process of falling or are sitting on the mat, they are a hazard to everybody on that mat. Please secure them with a band made for that purpose!

I don't wear glasses, but I've managed to damage my wife's glasses during training. She has mostly used contacts since. Seems like a great improvement, one less thing to worry about.

On a related not, I managed to dislodge my uke's glasses during my shodan exam. You can see him putting them off the training area at 7:00 here on the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwpm8...eature=related

i always have my glasses on, unless i know the technique is gonna be a shot to the face. or unless the instructor tells me to take them off... i know i'll be taking ukemi for seki sensei when he comes up, says 'jerry...' and then motions for me to take off my glasses. however, he always takes his off before class.

a couple years ago, at the fall camp in in fort lauderdale, shibata sensei had both my arms locked up with i'd think both of his, but before he threw me, AN0THER hand reached up, took my glasses off, handed them to someone AND THEN threw me... it was amazing. still don't know how he did that!

Sometimes I wear my glasses and sometimes I don't. Depends on how I feel that day or if we start doing something a little more.... vigorous that day.

I refuse to squint though. Squinting hurts your eyes more. If I find myself unable to see withouth glasses, on they go! I've considered sports glasses/goggles before though. Haven't tried them yet.

So far the worst that's ever happened is having them fly off. I usually catch them.

Inocencio Maramba wrote: As the recipient of the query I didn't feel mocked at all.. if anything it broke the ice and made us all relax and smile... It was made all the more humorous as the Philippines (where the seminar was being held) is a tropical country and the only "snow" to be had would be found in a freezer! If anything, it made me all the more memorable to him and later on he kept on looking for me by asking "Where is megane(eyeglasses)? Of course, if looked like James Worthy, I bet no one would ask me about my glasses:

I think I was there at the incident that Cito M mentions and I can affirm that the shihan wasn't being mocking or trying to disparage him. He was genuinely curious and as far as I can tell he regarded Cito with respect.

R

Hi to a fellow Aussie!

It sounds like your vision is similar to mine. I leave mine off because I have very light, frameless glasses and rolling or breakfalling is just enough movement to dislodge them. I can see well enough to train, it's fine detail that's an issue - I like to say I view everyone through a permanent soft focus lens.

My friend J is only slightly more short-sighted than me but he prefers to leave his on. I've not seen him lose them yet, but he's currently not landing as hard as he might once he's got more experience.

I had the stretchy strap for my sunglasses when I went snowboarding and they worked really well. I tested that by falling on my face a few times in front of lots of people ;p I think they'd be good for aikido if you're worried about breaking glasses or not being able to see sensei to your satisfaction without them.