On Being Ambidextrous in MA

[Jenna]

True ambidexterity where left and right sides function with equal speed, strength and efficiency I think is rare?

Do you think is it possible to generate a reasonable level of approximation to true ambidexterity through consistent practice?

Do you train equally left and right in your art? If so, in randori / sparring do you find you revert to your dominant side?

Would the amount of effort and determination needed to realise a state of true -or close to true- ambidexterity be worthwhile in order to more capably defend ourselves? Or is this the very essence of adaptability in our MA that we can compensate for weakness on our non-dominant sides?

I welcome your input

 

[Tez3]

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I tend to work both sides and I use to have no issues with either, but then I am told as a child I was ambidextrous, it was just that as a youth in school in my day ambidextrous and left handedness was WRONG and it was kinda sorta beaten out of me. But I still use both left and right hand equally back when I was an auto mechanic and to do various things now, I just that I write with my right hand these days. When I was a kid I wrote with both, or so I am told.

However I did notice a strength and flexibility difference in my left and right legs, my right being stronger and more flexible. But after the injuries, left knee and right foot I am noticing I have more power with my left and more flexibility too, which makes no sense to me because that was the knee I injured. I am currently working on that

 

[oftheherd1]

In the Hapkido I learned, we trained primarily for defense against right handed attacks. Most people are right handed/footed. But I always thought it wise to be able to translate a technique to left handed attacks to a degree.

 

[Dirty Dog]

True ambidexterity where left and right sides function with equal speed, strength and efficiency I think is rare?

That is correct. Most people can learn to be at least somewhat ambidextrous, but completely ambidextrous people are quite rare.

Do you think is it possible to generate a reasonable level of approximation to true ambidexterity through consistent practice?

Absoltely. I'm essentially right handed. As a kid playing baseball, I learned to bat equally well from either left or right side, mostly because it annoyed the pitchers.

Do you train equally left and right in your art? If so, in randori / sparring do you find you revert to your dominant side?

We train both sides, but the vast mojority of people are going to revert to dominant side. I make a concious effort to spar from both sides, but I do have prefered stances and techniques. Interestingly, some of them are right sided and some are left.

Would the amount of effort and determination needed to realise a state of true -or close to true- ambidexterity be worthwhile in order to more capably defend ourselves? Or is this the very essence of adaptability in our MA that we can compensate for weakness on our non-dominant sides?

I welcome your input

In theory, it would obviously be ideal to be completely ambidextrous. In reality, I suspect it's more common (and effective) to have a few basic blocks and counters that would be used automatically to keep you alive a couple sseconds, by which time you will have shifted to your prevered side.

 

[ATC]

To me it does not matter left or right. I like my left side better but I am right handed. But I shoot pool left handed. So I guess I am a bit ambidextrous. Both my kids are the same way. My mom was left handed. My wife is left handed. All 3 of my kids are right handed, as am I, but the two kids that compete fight left sided but can fight just as well right sided.

 

[Ironcrane]

I'm left handed, but I can use both my right, and left with a degree of competence. But it still falls short of ambidexterity, or even close to it. I didn't train both sides equally, as I had to train my weaker side twice as much.

 

[Blindside]

I think ambidexterity in martial arts is overrated, a nice thing to have but not a critical, and certainly not an major facet of the historical war arts.

When I spar unarmed or with dual weapons (double knife, double stick) I tend to have different "games" depending on my lead, but when the chips are down I go to a right lead. Both my arts train for the ideal of ambidexterity, but I think that the reality is that for most people it is unattainable, and if we were really training primarily for self-defense or war, your time would be better spent on an asymmetric structure.

 

[Jenna]

@X-S, you were naturally ambidextrous and it was not a social norm? Is that how it was for you? I understand in a way though as this can cause confusion though for younger souls and be symptomatic even of dyslexia? It is a shame though I think.
@oftheherd1, yes I think playing the stats is viable in most cases though not all? I think attacks can come from all angles and directions and not always front on or from our 6:00 which maybe lessens the effectiveness of what we train? I agree with you though, I think it is prudent to have at least some answer from our less-favoured side.
@Dirty Dog, I like your baseball analogy. I think it maybe could apply to our MA too yes? It put your opponents off guard or threw their technique I mean? Sparring both stances I think that you are making conscious effort is not the same as if you had drilled your techniques to the stage where no thought was required when choosing side, same as you probably instinctively chose a technique. I wonder if this would be worth the investment in time?
@ATC, yes I think you are far from alone in that your side of choice is task dependent. Actually, I think that is possibly a better way to frame things, thank you! In which case do you think it would work to train some techniques on the dominant side and others on the non-dominant side? This would enable us to have responses no matter which side was being utilised. That would work with DD's baseball analogy too, I think?
@Ironcrane, you have taken steps to balance both sides by concentrating on your weaker side? Has your training been difficult? I think we train our students on their strong side to allow them to assimilate the technique first? I think the payoff is feeling more balanced, do you feel like this?
@Blindside, yes I think it is a nice-to-have. As you say, double weapons are also asymmetrical. Would your game be improved if you did not have to choose at all? Would it take much effort do you think since you are already used to manipulating weapons dually? The historical asymmetry that has given many of our MA a one-side-as-dominant approach, do you think this is the most effective practice or just how it is?

 

[puunui]

True ambidexterity where left and right sides function with equal speed, strength and efficiency I think is rare?

Do you think is it possible to generate a reasonable level of approximation to true ambidexterity through consistent practice?

Do you train equally left and right in your art? If so, in randori / sparring do you find you revert to your dominant side?

Would the amount of effort and determination needed to realise a state of true -or close to true- ambidexterity be worthwhile in order to more capably defend ourselves? Or is this the very essence of adaptability in our MA that we can compensate for weakness on our non-dominant sides?

I welcome your input

I think ambidexterity, or rather working both sides, is important for exercise purposes more so than application purposes. In taekwondo competition, it used to be that competitors stressed being equally good on both sides, but now you see competitors only fighting with the same leg forward, similar to boxing.

 

[Jenna]

I think ambidexterity, or rather working both sides, is important for exercise purposes more so than application purposes. In taekwondo competition, it used to be that competitors stressed being equally good on both sides, but now you see competitors only fighting with the same leg forward, similar to boxing.

Do you think it would be worthwhile training to regain that symmetry - the idea being to introduce elements of unpredictability against an opponent? Or is there enough variety in technique alone without the need for switching sides and stances at will?

 

[puunui]

Do you think it would be worthwhile training to regain that symmetry - the idea being to introduce elements of unpredictability against an opponent? Or is there enough variety in technique alone without the need for switching sides and stances at will?

Depends on the practitioners and what they want to accomplish. If you are going for the gold at a very high level, say the Olympics, then specialization is necessary I think. Herb Perez for example, everyone knew all he had was his left leg and but he was so effective with it that no one could stop him. As for switching sides, it is not so much a matter of unpredictability so much as it is to neutralize your opponents strengths while maximizing your strengths. For example, if I know someone is off the line right leg roundhouse kick oriented, I may stand with my right leg forward, so he doesn't get a clear shot to my stomach and instead has to try to score to my backside.

 

[Xue Sheng]

@X-S, you were naturally ambidextrous and it was not a social norm? Is that how it was for you? I understand in a way though as this can cause confusion though for younger souls and be symptomatic even of dyslexia? It is a shame though I think.

I even hit a baseball and threw it right or left handed when I was 7

It was subtle. There were fewer left handed pens, pencils and scissors and more right handed so you were kind of herded into being right handed and being left handed meant you would not get to participate in some things. You want to know the difference between right handed and left handed pens, pencils and scissors in my elementary school.

Left handed pens were bright red plastic as opposed to the blue plastic right handed pens and the left handed scissors had a piece of blue tap wrapped around the handle. Otherwise there was absolutely no difference but to a little kid, who just wants to be part of the group, it is a big deal.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

That is correct. Most people can learn to be at least somewhat ambidextrous, but completely ambidextrous people are quite rare.

My grandmother on my mom's side was born a lefty; had it beaten out of her at public school back in the day. She was also an artist, could draw with charcoal, a natural and undeveloped talent. She could draw two different portraits at the same time; having two people sitting in front of her, drawing one portrait with each hand. Both were good likenesses. It was hard to watch.

I'm firmly right-handed, and both weak and uncoordinated with my left. Working on it.

 

[dancingalone]

My grandmother on my mom's side was born a lefty; had it beaten out of her at public school back in the day.

I had no idea that happened in the US. The same happened to my dear grandmother, but this was in the old country where customs and superstitions could be odd.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I had no idea that happened in the US. The same happened to my dear grandmother, but this was in the old country where customs and superstitions could be odd.

A fun read from 1931.

http://books.google.com/books?id=9y...0CD0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q="left handed"&f=false

 

[ATC]

@ATC, yes I think you are far from alone in that your side of choice is task dependent. Actually, I think that is possibly a better way to frame things, thank you! In which case do you think it would work to train some techniques on the dominant side and others on the non-dominant side? This would enable us to have responses no matter which side was being utilised. That would work with DD's baseball analogy too, I think?

Yes, to use certain techniques on one side vs. the other, is something that I find happens a lot. As you state I do not switch sides and train my students not to switch sides as well. Pick a side and stay there, left or right matters not. First, I believe that you should be able to use most techniques regardless of what side your opponent is on. Also like you state, You should be able to change techniques not sides if needed.

For myself I do find myself favoring different techniques for different sides that I am on. For example I tend to use the left leg for ax kicks, but not the right. I also tend to use the right leg for side, and hook kicks but not the left. Most all other kicks I will use both legs equally. As far as hands go, I use to like right side forward (left handed stance) but have since started to use a right handed stance more, not sure why.

But being able to stay on one side, I feel, gives me an advantage as if I see my opponent is uncomfortable with one side vs. the other, plus if he is one side dominate, then I can take that sense of comfort away from him, regardless of side dominance.

 

[puunui]

As for switching sides, it is not so much a matter of unpredictability so much as it is to neutralize your opponents strengths while maximizing your strengths. For example, if I know someone is off the line right leg roundhouse kick oriented, I may stand with my right leg forward, so he doesn't get a clear shot to my stomach and instead has to try to score to my backside.

oops, this example should be the other way around. If someone is off the line right leg roundhouse kick oriented (i.e. standing with left leg forward ready to kick with the rear right leg on your motion or when in racing distance), then you may stand left leg forward as well, so he has to kick your back side (little harder to get the point that way, but not impossible) instead of giving him the clear stomach shot. You can also circle to his backside, to make his right leg off the line that much more uncomfortable for him.

 

[seasoned]

We trained both sides equally, which I always felt was an asset. 4 weapons are always better then 2........

 

[Jason Striker II]

In classical Shotokan, we are taught to work the weak-side, usually left, twice as many reps as the right, to build it up. Also, however, it should be noted, that despite being "standardized", the majority of classical Okinawan Kata favor right-side kicks (with the notable exception of Chinto/Gankaku which is left-biased).

In short, I think it is valuable to build up the weak side, but, in truth, it never really matches up to the naturally dominant side.