Training with one eye.

[FormerSensei]

My sons started going to the classes with me (kajukenbo). We all like going, but one of my sons gets very frustrated when we're working through the katas. He is a retinoblastoma survivor (pediatric eye cancer). He had to lose his right eye in order to not die. Anyway, he's doing great.

Has any of you had to train someone with just one eye? I know that my Grandmaster, Charles Dixon, only has one eye, but I never had to train him to see if there was anything you have to take into consideration.

Anyway, what should I do to help him?

FS

[Tom Yum]

FS, I am clueless about these things.

Can you get him to develop his hearing better on the side that he is blind?

[EmptyneSs]

have him stick to orthodox stance, and use his right hand to protect the bad eye, while always using his good one to lead while not squaring up(your school may teach u differently, i come from a boxing/muaythai backround not kajukenbo). i think switching stances alot would be bad for him.

[eXcessiveForce]

it shouldn't cause to many problems. the main problem will be for him to find range as with one eye you lose depth perception. Over time he will learn to compensate.

really work on defense to the bad eye side with him. That way he can start learning to use as much peripheral vision as he has and also starts to read body movement. That way he can anticipate rather than try to react.

He most likely should train to be more offensive as this will lead to him taking fewer hits and less chances for someone to capitalize on his weak spot.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

Being more aggressive can help but make sure your son doesn't mistake that for charging in recklessly. I'm sure your son will adapt to this later on, just five him some more time to train.