Blindfolded Training

[Boris Bachmann]

I enjoyed the short SF article about "Blindfold Training For Mental Focus"

Back in my competitive swimming days, I would often swim with my eyes closed during (relatively slow) portions of warm-ups/cool-downs and technique drills. In a controlled (i.e. indoor pool w. minimal waves) and uncrowded (one or two swimmers per lane), this was not difficult to navigate, but added a lot to the training as far as proprioception/kinesthetic awareness. And, for swimmers, the ability to swim "blind" is an asset if you find yourself in the middle of a competition with goggles that have filled with water or come off completely on the start (rookie mistakes, but they do happen to even skilled swimmers from time to time).

I have done some kettlebell and barbell work w. eyes closed and, just like with swimming, found it to be interesting work.

 

[Don Fairbanks]

I enjoyed the short SF article about "Blindfold Training For Mental Focus"

Back in my competitive swimming days, I would often swim with my eyes closed during (relatively slow) portions of warm-ups/cool-downs and technique drills. In a controlled (i.e. indoor pool w. minimal waves) and uncrowded (one or two swimmers per lane), this was not difficult to navigate, but added a lot to the training as far as proprioception/kinesthetic awareness. And, for swimmers, the ability to swim "blind" is an asset if you find yourself in the middle of a competition with goggles that have filled with water or come off completely on the start (rookie mistakes, but they do happen to even skilled swimmers from time to time).

I have done some kettlebell and barbell work w. eyes closed and, just like with swimming, found it to be interesting work.

Agreed. Just read. Excellent.

 

[Steve W.]

I do most of my snatching with my eyes closed. I discovered that if I wasn't in a good groove at the beginning of a set, especially if I found myself pulling with my arm and not getting good power transfer from my hips, closing my eyes almost always got me back in a good groove. My hypothesis is that is helps by shutting out visual proprioceptive input and letting me focus internally on timing and positioning. Or maybe that's not the reason, but it always seems to have an immediate positive effect.

It's gotten to the point where eyes closed is my default, and it takes deliberate attention if I want to keep my eyes open. And really the only reason I ever open my eyes is because I felt like I was becoming overly reliant on keeping my eyes closed.

I've never used a blindfold though. It's never seemed necessary, and I would expect that I'd find it annoying to mess around with.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Jump rope with eyes closed. For increased challenge rock your head a little side to side.