Most of us train (or have tried at least one time or another) doble bastones, espada y daga, siniwali exercises, etc. I'm wondering if you regularly train solo baston with both arms individually? If you're a righty, do you equally train the single stick with the left (et vice versa)? Not just for a few minutes, but training regularly & intensely the weaker side to get almost as proficient as the preferred side. Serious, weak-hand training, not complementary as in espada y daga, etc. I'm looking for what you perceive to be pros & cons and anything else you'd like to say I forget the famous MAist who'd said this, but he'd said that it was a waste for people to train both legs to kick when they could just focus on making one said as perfect as can be. Then, on the flipside (pardon the pun ), I remember another famous FMAist (once again, I forget who) who'd said that it's important to learn both sides equally on their own so that, in case the preferred side was injured beyond use, an eskrimador could still have a fighting chance at winning with the use of the other hand. What do you think? Sorry if this has been mentioned before :Angel:
I'm torn. On the one hand (another pun, my bad), I simply don't spend as much time working the left (nondominant) hand as I do the right (dominant) hand. And I feel that makes more sense from a training standpoint. I find it more gratifying to make inroads on techniques and tactics, which is easier when you're working with a hand you're comfortable with. It seems like a better use of training time not to spend inordinate amounts of time on basic maneuvering like twirling and basic angles, when I could just use my dominant hand and get into more application. On the other hand ( ), one of the defining characteristics of FMA is the targeting of an opponent's hands. So the likelihood of having a hand damaged beyond the capacity to wield a weapon is higher than it might be under other circumstances. So, in a way, it makes more sense in an FMA context than it might in some other approaches. Stuart
Hi All Very interesting indeed. I have trained both sides for many years and encourage all students to do the same. No only working the same techniques, but also working a 'left vs right' version of the techniques. I try to understand and encourage my students to the same, the different positions reuired for right vs right, right vs left, left vs left and left vs right. Most of my students can also spar fairly well with their non-dominant hand. My experience would suggest that it will never quite be as good (or nowhere near it!!!) because there is a mental block associated with using the perceived weaker hand. That said, I think that it is certainly worth some effort in training. Why would someone knowingly halve their repertoire? Gumagalang Peter
One of the core principles of DBMA is if you want to be able to fight double stick, both hands must be able to work independantly, as well as in a pattern together. What's the point of having 2 sticks if your still fighting with your normal dominant hand doing all (or most) of the work? So you have to work your Complementary (DMBA term for non-dominant) hand to a decent level on it's own. One of the ways we do this is by learning new skills on our complimentary hand before our dominant hand. In some people this helps to get over the mental block that Peter mentions
In my experience, schools fall on one of 2 sides: 1. Train both sides equally so that if one side is injured, etc then the other side is just as proficient. I like the balance of this method but dislike that it slows the progress of the stronger side. 2. Train one side only so that it is proficient and conditioned enough that it will not become injured, or will have the skill to defeat, without injury. Not much balance here, but it doesnt hold back the dominnat side. I dont feel either way is incorrect. Personally, I have never spent much time training single stick 2-man drills on opposite sides, but feel it is important once you get to a certain point in your training to go back and do everything opposite. Also, Ive always tried to perform 1-man items on both sides. It takes more time and becomes a driving force in helping me to spend mroe time training.
Exactly. I remember Guro Crafty mentioning that he teaches left-handed Hubud first, then later teaches the right-handed version.
I hated it for the longest time, but now I prefer to learn something left handed as I tend to be more aware of my form. In a way Yoda had me do similar for my empty hand when he made me train it right lead to correct some of the bad habits I'd picked up before I started training with him.
I'ma Ambidextrous, have been since I went to a strict Catholic school as a kid in Glasgow. I used to be left handed as a kid but the Monks and Nun's seen it as a sign of the Devil so everytime I used my left I got rapped on the knuckles with a ruler. So now I do use more right side dominant, I tend to have no problem swapping, I write with my right hand and eat left handed I have also noticed my son who is left hand dominant finds it no problem at all to swap to his right when drilling single stick, so I would guess it is a family trait. Mind you GM Remy Presas was left handed although he taught right handed. I have all my people train both left and right as I also find it vastly improves co-ordination and when one arm gets tired of hitting the opponent they can easily swap to the other. For me personally it is a must that all my people should train both hands. Best regards Pat
I'm starting to get that way as well. Also, as I have to think more when I practice left handed, I'm starting to 'connect the dots' a lot more.
I've been training both hands now for years too. Guess I just prefer to go that way. I do it with the longer Krabi Krabong sticks too. My son is somewhat ambidextrous so I've been training him that way too.
We also train using both hands, but more being attacked from either side and countering, eg right punches and then left punches coming at you because you never know what your attackers strongest side is. It is also worth training with both hands as you could be in the predicament that say you are right handed, but your right arm is injured or holding a pint of beer, which you wouldn't want to spill, plus hitting somebody with a pint glass would get you into alot of trouble.
Hey Pat, Like you I am ambidextrous and feel that people should work both sides to the best of their ability. I think in the long run this makes you more versatile and truthfully does not impact you dominant hand in any way but only improves your non-dominant hand.
yep, i train left hand as well. i was always told that in fma you cant predict or determine where an attack can come from. its difficult and i had a few weeks off training recently and it was very difficult but rewarding even my friends who are left handed are taught to favour the right hand by the way right hand stick is tough but knife will put you in a bad mood for the rest of the day with your own clumsiness..... good luck with your training
