Should you do everything on the left and right?

Date:  April 17th, 2007

When I trained in Kenpo years ago, we were required at some point to know all our techniques on both the right and the left sides.

Considering the amount of time it took to practice and get good at all those techniques on the left side, was it useful?

I’d have to say no, it wasn’t.

Was there a benefit to doing it?  Sure.  It improved my discipline, and marginally improved my left side coordination.  But again, consider the time it took to do so.

My feeling is that it’s more important to find the things you’re best at and then develop ways to bring those strengths to bear.  For example, I’ve got a pretty fast lead leg (left) roundhouse and a nice right spin rear.  So I practice that combination – lead leg roundhouse to the head, plant the left to set my distance, then spin rear to the

body with my right.

I do not practice that combination on the left side.  I do however, practice fighting from both sides  - that is, sometimes my right leg is back, sometimes my left is.  I do this because it creates change that my opponent has to adjust to – and he might make a mistake when he does.  Changing sides also allows me to do some of the things I can do better with a right lead, than with a left.  For example, I like to throw a JKD style straight punch firing from my thigh.  I do that better with my right than with my left.

So, where does that leave us?  I’d say we need to do some things left and right because it creates variables, but we shouldn’t try to do all things left and right because there are only so many training hours available so we need to apply them to our natural strengths.  Also, there is such a thing as handedness.  No matter how hard I try, I’ll probably never be able to write with my left anywhere near as well as I do with my right.  Right?

Take care and train like you mean it.

Rob LaPointe