Apart from that tiny minority of ambidextrous folks, most human beings have a dexterous hand and a non-dexterous hand. We use our dexterous hand for issues that require precision, like writing and the non-dexterous hand for holding and framing. I’m certain we’ve all tried to jot down with our non-dexterous hand earlier than and located it virtually inconceivable, however right here’s one other factor to strive…
Put your non-dexterous hand behind your again and attempt to write as regular along with your dexterous hand. You’ll discover it’s onerous since you use your non-dexterous hand greater than you assume, on this case, to regular the paper you’re writing on and cease it shifting. Each palms are literally concerned in writing, however each have totally different jobs. Should you needed to get all “Tai Chi” about it we might name it a Yin and Yang cut up between the palms, which work collectively as a complete, and discuss in regards to the sword hand, however layering a bit extra philosophy on the idea might be not obligatory, I choose the phrases dexterous and non-dexterous palms.
It’s the identical in martial arts. I’m certain we’re all used to doing a method fairly competently on one facet, then swapping it to the opposite facet and feeling like an entire newbie. Because of this I’m fairly towards the concept we must always have the ability to do all the pieces equally on each side. Studying to do a method in your non-dexterous facet will likely be arduous, time-consuming and also you’ll by no means have the ability to do it with the identical aptitude, so why make investments all that point in a pointless marketing campaign?
Should you take a look at the Tai Chi type (I’m pondering of Yang type, right here because it’s the one I’m most acquainted with) then you definately’ll see that some methods are accomplished equally on each facet (brush knee, for instance) however some methods are solely accomplished on one facet (all of the grasp hen’s tails, for instance go to the precise, whereas all the one whips finish to the left). I consider it is because the creators of those actions have been nicely conscious of the distinction between our dexterous and non-dexterous palms.
In arise arts of punching you see the identical factor – folks typically poke a jab with their non-dexterous hand to arrange the large overhand from the dexterous facet. I discover if I put my dexterous facet ahead (southpaw) it ends in a jab I can hit tougher with however a cross that’s much less correct.
However how do you select which methods to do on one facet and which to do equally? The reply is solely to really feel what works. And for this you’re going to want to do loads of follow on one other human, not solo type.
For instance, in jiujitsu I’ve developed this one-sided method by means of numerous hours of follow. It’s most noticeable in my guard passing, but it surely additionally applies to my guard taking part in, though I’m unsure the concept extends to the legs – they each appear equally non-dexterous when in comparison with our arm! However in guard passing I discover that I naturally do some passes to my left and totally different passing to my proper. For instance, I knee lower with my proper knee on each side of the opponent’s physique, so if I’m going left, I lead with my proper knee and if I’m going to the precise I additionally lead with my proper knee – this naturally results in two totally different methods getting used.
So, the reply is to really feel, and don’t attempt to pressure your self to do methods that really feel awkward as a result of they’re on the “fallacious facet” – look to see if there’s something else you are able to do in that state of affairs that matches higher.