weak hand training is a must...

[Cruentus]

How good's your left compared to your right? (or right compared to your left if your a leftie)

My right exceeds my left, however I can fight well with both.

How many of you train your weak hand?

I injured my right hand yesterday (sprained wrist), and at the moment I can't even hold a stick in my right hand well. At least not well enough to spar. When I did it in the flint dojo (at the time I was hitting a bag, of which I seperated the stuffing of the bag with a right hook which caused it to fold on my hand hyperextending my wrist), I just kept hitting with the good hand until my turn was over.

If I was in a self-defense situation, the probability of an injury to either hand exists. If I had a weapon, I better know how to switch hands. Empty hand, I better know how to make my left side my power side, or my primary attack side.

And since I better know how to use my weak side, then I'd better train it.

I was very lucky that in my Modern Arnis training, Remy Presas made it a point that we bacame strong with our weak sides.

How about you? What do you or does your art do to train both sides? How is this addressed in your class?

Looking for good thoughts and to learn from all of you.

:asian: :ultracool

Paul J., MOD

 

[bignick]

being right handed...i actually prefer a left-handed stance for sparring in taekwondo...it throws people off...as for self-defense, etc...we maintain a good balance in my school of working both sides....

 

[terryl965]

You must always practice with the weaker side longer. It has been that way for century... GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[Andrew Green]

Watch pro fights, not many ever switch leads...

Although you will notice that the weekhand gets used more, cause it throws the jab.

Personally I go strong hand forward. The grappling and weapons work coming out

But on the traditional side (well Japanese / Okinawan anyways) of things, most kata are not balanced, they favour the right side. I remember being told in Kendo that it was traditioally not allowed to fight left handed, if you where left handed you still fought right handed. - Might be wrong, it was quite a few years ago...

Anyways, trying to do things both sides takes longer. If effectiveness is a concern it is usually best to keep the same lead and work off of that.

 

[dubljay]

Power wise my right hand is quite a bit stronger than my left. but for speed, and grabbing my left is better.

now for kicks, my left is faster and stronger than my right. (which is probably why I usually fight like a leftie)

 

[SMP]

We try to work our off hand as much as our dominant hand. Something to try is do all your katas by using left when you usually do right and right when you usually do left. Another thing get a bouncy ball and throw it against the wall and catch then throw again with the left.

 

[Zepp]

But on the traditional side (well Japanese / Okinawan anyways) of things, most kata are not balanced, they favour the right side.

True, but if you've got some extra time, practicing "mirror image" kata can be a fun exercise.

From a self-defense perspective, you can't count on choosing which side you might be attacked from. Especially if you're facing multiple opponents. I always do what I can to work both sides equally.

 

[Paul B]

I think "weak" or "special" side training is a must.

In our Dojang it's two times right, two times left for a technique. There is really nothing you can do to effect your natural disposition,but I think this type of training goes a long way towards helping that "balance".

Plus it makes your brain sweat,too!

 

[ppko]

I think "weak" or "special" side training is a must.

In our Dojang it's two times right, two times left for a technique. There is really nothing you can do to effect your natural disposition,but I think this type of training goes a long way towards helping that "balance".

Plus it makes your brain sweat,too!

When I was at my first school I was up for promotion in Aikijujitsu, well about a month before promotion I seperated my right shoulder ( my strong arm) well I had to learn how to do all the locks with my left hand and with only one hand, I passed the test. The lessons that I have learned from this experience has been one of the greatest that I will ever learn

 

[Andrew Green]

True, but if you've got some extra time, practicing "mirror image" kata can be a fun exercise.

Time is something there is never enough of in training

Plus I don't do any kata anymore

 

[TigerWoman]

I don't think I have a weak hand anymore. I broke my right wrist when I was a teen and I remember the doc saying that I broke all of those little bones. It never mended well, that wrist is not shaped right. I used to get tired from ironing a little bit. And when we had to do monkey run with all fours down, I had a lot of difficult putting pressure on that wrist. But after 8 + years of TKD, I can fully bend my hand down, do pushups etc. and punch with out any problem. (but still don't iron though )

But in the meantime, I had to train my left to do all the breaks which was a trick because its easier coordination wise with the "good hand". So now I am pretty much ambidextrous. Still don't think I will try the cement breaking with my right though. TW

 

[Akula]

I'm normally right handed and left footed, but I've worked a bit at being ambidextrous. Funny, I just realised that this word means 'both as the right' - if you were a lefty would that be 'ambisinistrous' (my apologies for the latin joke)

Anyway, when being the attacker in training, I'll go a few times right handed, and then switch to do the same left handed. It's fun watching the defenders' adaptations to what I do.

Training yourself to be balanced with left and right doesn't have to be restricted to class. One of the reasons people feel awkward when using thier off hand is that they just aren't used to doing things with that hand as much as thier dominant hand. Try this - in your normal, everyday routine, use your off hand to do regular tasks like brush teeth, drink your coffee/tea/water, take things out of the fridge, move your computer mouse to the opposite side of the keyboard. It will feel strange at first, but you'll get used to it and with the increased usage, you'll start getting better coordination.

 

[loki09789]

How good's your left compared to your right? (or right compared to your left if your a leftie)

How about you? What do you or does your art do to train both sides? How is this addressed in your class?

Looking for good thoughts and to learn from all of you.

:asian: :ultracool

Paul J., MOD

I'm all messed up. Left handed, right eye dominant, forced to play sports left and right handed because of hand me down gear growing up.... so my left is not as comfortable as my right side applications, but they are pretty close in technical proficiency.

I have always trained with a bent for balanced right/left development. If for no other reason to avoid the 'tennis muscle' pattern where you have a well developed dominant side because of regular use and an unbalanced, weaker fitness level on the non dominant side. It has to be very bad for the body.

In class? I make sure that we do reps and drills with both sides (sometimes even doing more repetitions on the weaker side because of the natural tendency to use your strong side more during free form activities like sparring and such.

Neurologically, it is suppose to be a good way to increase brain stimulation as well, so that could translate to a better 'fighting mind' when the need arises.

 

[Akula]

I've worked a bit at being ambidextrous. Funny, I just realised that this word means 'both as the right' - if you were a lefty would that be 'ambisinistrous' (my apologies for the latin joke)

Sorry, I just looked this up and ambisinistrous is already a word, but it means being awkward in using both hands. Guess there werent' too many left handed people to stick up for themselves when this word came about.

 

[Sin]

Whenever We learn a Twi-Te or a take down we have to perfect it from both sides in order to move on :asian:

 

[MA-Caver]

Though I'm dominate right I am ambidextrious enough to do what I have to with my left just as well, though it is not as strong. A guy at work stuck out his left to do a (stupidly macho... he's 18) hand squeeze contest with me (we were bored) and he won out on the left but tied on the right.
In a SD situation I will use my left as the target or as the distractioning <that a word?> hand so they can't see my right coming.
I've learned to use a knife with both and practice switching hands without looking ... that is to say flick the knife from my right to the left while they're still a couple feet apart. Neat little trick I picked up from a veteran friend of mine.