Striking and Dominant Side

[Windsinger]

Two weeks ago, I was in my TKD class, and we were practicing a variety of hand strikes (straight punches, ridgehand strikes, upper-cuts, etc). Our sabum nim was walking through the class with a striking pad on his hand, stopping in front of students and getting them to strike the pad as we practiced.

When he got to me, he asked if I was left-handed. I told him I wasn't, and he replied with, "You hit a lot harder with your left hand than your right." I've been told this is the case, as well, with my kicks, which really surprises me because my left leg is the happy home to my less-than-stellar knee.

I'm just curious if anyone else has found this. Do you strike harder with your off-side than your dominant side? Is this normal? Or could it be that I know I'm right-hand dominant, and am sub-consciously trying to compensate with my left? (Yeah, amateur psych at work... :spock: )

 

[Deaf Smith]

I have found that yes I do hit harder with my left hand, and I'm right handed. BUT, I'm faster are more coordinated with my right.

This also applies to shooting. When I kind of show off my ability at shooting, and I try to do small groups one handed, slow fire, I usually use my left, and then with a strait face I tell them I'm not left handed!

I think it's becuase your weak side does not have as many bad habits as your strong side and thus it's easier to do the technique right.

Deaf

 

[Kacey]

It really depends on the technique; some techniques work better on one side, some on the other.

 

[Natty]

I find I strike harder with my right hand, and I'm left handed. I think coordination plays a role in it. Many friends who I go to TKD with strike good with let's say their left hand, but, they kick good with their right leg. Balance is important as you learn. Hope this is helpful.

 

[MasterWright]

I try to work on my weak sides to bring them up.

 

[BrandonLucas]

I'm right handed...and this is how I see it for me:

My right leg is my power leg. I can hit quite a bit harder with my right leg than I can with my left.

However, I'm more accurate and can kick higher with my left...not that my left leg is that much weaker, but the strikes from my kicks aren't as solid as they are on my right.

My punches are faster and stronger from my right, but I've found that my jabs are more accurate from my left for some reason.

I kinda of equate it to the way the videogames are set up...certain buttons do certain things from certain sides of the fighters. I just learn how my body works and use it to my advantage.

 

[chrispillertkd]

Depends on what I'm doing. I am right handed and can kick harder and faster (and do better with multiple kicks) for techniques such as front snap kicks, twisting kicks, reverse hooking kicks, reverse turning kicks, back piercing kicks, etc. My left foot, however, is better with side piercing and turning (roundhouse) kicks. I have no trouble breaking four boards with a left footed turning kick, for example, but it can take me a few tries with my right foot.

Hand techniques are generally better on the right side, but are nearly equal.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Windsinger]

I kinda of equate it to the way the videogames are set up...certain buttons do certain things from certain sides of the fighters. I just learn how my body works and use it to my advantage.

Being a video game geek (having spent far too much of my youth in 80's arcades ), that makes perfect sense to me. As does Deaf Smith's comment of:

I think it's becuase your weak side does not have as many bad habits as your strong side and thus it's easier to do the technique right.