Bench Racing - 20/20 Vision and Champions

Camp332
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Edited Date/Time 12/17/2013 9:50am
I had this thought. Has there ever been a MX/SX champion who has less than perfect vision?

Is there a correlation between having perfect eyesight, and championship level riders?

I have no clue?

Bro
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Camp332
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12/16/2013 9:08am
Kmid514 wrote:
Emig had to get Lasic, I think.
We see all these top riders in interviews, on TV, online, and all media, yet I never see them wearing glasses.

Lasik came out in the 90's(I think). Did Emig get the surgery before his championships?
Kmid514
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12/16/2013 9:12am
I think he already had an outdoor. He just started crashing for no reason.
Camp332
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12/16/2013 9:25am
Kmid514 wrote:
I think he already had an outdoor. He just started crashing for no reason.
Perhaps Emig got faster, and his eyes could no longer see what his brain needed to keep the pace. Crashed.

Got lasik, and then picked up more championships.

It's interesting to think about. Seeing the track with perfect vision seems like it would be a top priority to be as fast as RV, JS, Reed, Dungey, etc...

The Shop

Camp332
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12/16/2013 11:56am
I guess you guys aren't into this topic. It's ok Bro's.

Ya blind bastards!
motokawi818
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12/16/2013 12:05pm
I race in contacts and can imagine some pros do as well. I can't notice any disadvantages unless one seems to fall out. This has only happened to me once or twice while riding.
Camp332
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12/16/2013 12:16pm
I race in contacts and can imagine some pros do as well. I can't notice any disadvantages unless one seems to fall out. This has only...
I race in contacts and can imagine some pros do as well. I can't notice any disadvantages unless one seems to fall out. This has only happened to me once or twice while riding.
I know of pros who wear them, but I'm talking the absolute best pro's out there. Does RV wear contacts? Stewart?

The guys who are championship material are the ones I'm curious if they wear contacts.
peelout
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12/16/2013 12:27pm
my contacts fall out all the time when i'm racing and it get's pretty sketch. my one Bro has horrible vision but doesn't have any fucks to give about sight and shit and hauls balls.
Camp332
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12/16/2013 1:01pm
Yeah man, I know some fast Bro's who wear contacts.

I'm just trying to prove my theory; that you aren't going to be the fastest in motocross or supercross without perfect vision.

So far, I haven't seen anyone name a champion who had crappy vision. I'll take anyone from the 1980's on up.
bogdan912
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12/16/2013 1:18pm
I bet if someone did research on all top atheletes, not just MX dudes that perfect vision would be pretty common. I have horrible vision, wear contacts all the time, visually I feel like it takes me a little bit longer to process things. I really notice the difference when I put in new contacts, I tend to wear mine way to long though.

bro.
haydos25
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12/16/2013 1:48pm
Good point, I ride with contacts and am constantly having problems with them falling out. I think i probably dont blink enough and they just pop out. Its a pain in the ass cause things get pretty sketchy pretty fast when that happens.

I'd be interested to hear if any top line pros race with contacts, i'd be even more interested to hear if anybody has advice to stop my contacts falling out which seems to conincide with rocks and ruts jumping up and tackling me off my bike for some reason.
SouthwestMfg
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12/16/2013 2:24pm
Larry Brooks whore glasses, cant remember if he race with/without.
Motoxdoc
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12/16/2013 2:49pm
Kmid514 wrote:
I think he already had an outdoor. He just started crashing for no reason.
People don't crash for no reason! and

@Southwest....Brooks wore whore glasses? hummmm
mxpappy711
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12/16/2013 3:00pm
Where can a person buy these"whore glasses" you speak of? Might be a good gift idea. (just screwing with you I hate when the english teachers point out mistakes here but that one is funny as hell)
Camp332
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12/16/2013 3:03pm
SEE ARE125 wrote:
[img]http://js7.com/wp-content/gallery/las-vegas-sx-2011/a1e1954.jpg[/img]
I think Larry gave James the "whore" glasses seen in this pic.
mxjeff575
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12/16/2013 5:19pm
This is interesting. I have always just assumed that half those guys wear contacts. I had 20-20 vision all thru my teens. Now, at 42, I wear contacts. Honestly, seems the same, i have 20-20 vision with my contacts.
motokawi818
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12/16/2013 11:32pm
Camp332 wrote:
I know of pros who wear them, but I'm talking the absolute best pro's out there. Does RV wear contacts? Stewart? The guys who are championship...
I know of pros who wear them, but I'm talking the absolute best pro's out there. Does RV wear contacts? Stewart?

The guys who are championship material are the ones I'm curious if they wear contacts.
Yeah I'm not sure about the absolute ELITE of our sport but I do know quite a few pros that also wear contacts. Contacts are getting better and better so it's hard to even tell when some wear them. Mine breath super easily and are worn for up to 30 without even having to remove them. Which tends to turn into about two months for me ha
jemcee
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12/17/2013 12:57am Edited Date/Time 12/17/2013 12:59am
I used to ride with contacts they never fell out but they'd get 'fuzzy' from time to time though, and yeah the long blinks to clear them wasn't ideal.. shit got sketchy a few times

Edit: I'm not one of the best pros of the sport... FYI
jamma10
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12/17/2013 1:23am
jemcee wrote:
I used to ride with contacts they never fell out but they'd get 'fuzzy' from time to time though, and yeah the long blinks to clear...
I used to ride with contacts they never fell out but they'd get 'fuzzy' from time to time though, and yeah the long blinks to clear them wasn't ideal.. shit got sketchy a few times

Edit: I'm not one of the best pros of the sport... FYI
I got Lasik surgery a few months ago for pretty much exactly that reason! I developed hayfever a few years ago and it messed with my contacts. A few times I drove to the track, got all kitted up and ready to go and then my contacts would blur making it too risky to ride. So frustrating but I now have 20/20 vision!

Cricket was good eh… Blink Fucking abysmal performance by England.
jemcee
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12/17/2013 2:53am
jemcee wrote:
I used to ride with contacts they never fell out but they'd get 'fuzzy' from time to time though, and yeah the long blinks to clear...
I used to ride with contacts they never fell out but they'd get 'fuzzy' from time to time though, and yeah the long blinks to clear them wasn't ideal.. shit got sketchy a few times

Edit: I'm not one of the best pros of the sport... FYI
jamma10 wrote:
I got Lasik surgery a few months ago for pretty much exactly that reason! I developed hayfever a few years ago and it messed with my...
I got Lasik surgery a few months ago for pretty much exactly that reason! I developed hayfever a few years ago and it messed with my contacts. A few times I drove to the track, got all kitted up and ready to go and then my contacts would blur making it too risky to ride. So frustrating but I now have 20/20 vision!

Cricket was good eh… Blink Fucking abysmal performance by England.
yeah I've had lasik since my accident and I really wish I had it done before.. 20/20 rules haha

haha yeah man the cricket was good shit hahaha did not see it comin! The English batsmen hate having a cricket ball comin at their face at 150k's!! can't say I blame them
12/17/2013 3:09am
Camp332 wrote:
Yeah man, I know some fast Bro's who wear contacts. I'm just trying to prove my theory; that you aren't going to be the fastest in...
Yeah man, I know some fast Bro's who wear contacts.

I'm just trying to prove my theory; that you aren't going to be the fastest in motocross or supercross without perfect vision.

So far, I haven't seen anyone name a champion who had crappy vision. I'll take anyone from the 1980's on up.
Pretty certain that Langston's vision wasn't that great when he won his outdoor title due to the Melanoma on his eye.

Not sure how much it affected his actual vision score though Huh
Boxvan446
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12/17/2013 3:40am
There was an artical a while back that I read (can't remember where) that pointed out that most "elite" athletes had at least 20/20 vision or better. Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods were the two that come to mind from the article. I know it listed more, but those were the standout names. So to answer your question, yes it is a huge deal to have better than average vision. Good vision is another ingredient that most champions have in their recipes.
motomike894
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12/17/2013 4:36am
I have horrible vision have always wore glasses which doesn't help my riding in anyway if it's perfect temp etc it's fine but when it's super cold or hot riding indoors etc it's horrible I've tried contacts few times and no matter what always bugged me little and was always blurry in corners of eye.

Pretty sure if I had perfect sight when I did race pro I would've done way better no sweat on glasses blurring corners no fogging perfect sight at all angles.

I thought about LASIK many times but scared to do it even though I know ton people that have but none of them had eyes half as bad as mine.

Anyone have any suggestions on contacts that work really good ????
jndmx
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12/17/2013 6:10am
My vision is better than 20/20, does that mean I will be a champion motocross rider someday?Evil
Yes but all your championships will get an *.
hellion
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12/17/2013 6:22am
I don't think it's the actual vision that separates the very top athletes, I think it's the speed at which their brains react to the things they see. Take Bayle for instance, he seemed to react to things before they even happened which made him look like he was going so slow yet he was winning with ease.
Camp332
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12/17/2013 6:57am
My vision is better than 20/20, does that mean I will be a champion motocross rider someday?Evil
Perhaps but you need to work on clicking it out of first gear bro.
Camp332
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12/17/2013 7:02am
hellion wrote:
I don't think it's the actual vision that separates the very top athletes, I think it's the speed at which their brains react to the things...
I don't think it's the actual vision that separates the very top athletes, I think it's the speed at which their brains react to the things they see. Take Bayle for instance, he seemed to react to things before they even happened which made him look like he was going so slow yet he was winning with ease.
based on your own statement: "I think it's the speed at which their brains react to the things they SEE"

They need to see it to process it. If they don't see it, they can't process it.

#ComeOnMan (I know we don't do hash tags here, but I watched monday night football last night)
Hman144
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12/17/2013 7:32am Edited Date/Time 12/17/2013 7:33am
hellion wrote:
I don't think it's the actual vision that separates the very top athletes, I think it's the speed at which their brains react to the things...
I don't think it's the actual vision that separates the very top athletes, I think it's the speed at which their brains react to the things they see. Take Bayle for instance, he seemed to react to things before they even happened which made him look like he was going so slow yet he was winning with ease.
This.

While clear vision is certainly an important piece of the puzzle, I believe elite riders possess something more important yet more difficult to quantify, and hellion hit it.

I know of no empirical studies that would validate our opinion, but when you see the speed at which these guys run, there's more to it than just clear vision. Especially the fastest off-road guys.

Vision can be corrected. That weird brain thing is what it is.

H

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