Lead arm? Training both sides?

[Kaitain(UK)]

Lo peeps, a few questions/requests for comments:

1) What side do you prefer to lead with? Your stronger arm or your weaker? In the Karate we generally train with our weakest arm as the lead, yet whenever I spar I always use my strongest arm as my lead - I can hit hard enough with my weaker arm to use it as a 'finisher' - I'd rather my more skilled and powerful side up front - flipside of this is that my strongest leg is my left and I prefer that to be the rear leg as I don't use lead leg kicks much beyond jamming - so consequently my right-side forwards preference suits me perfectly. In Taiji I feel that the right side is the lead in the form (Grasp Sparrows tail is right-sided) - this brings me onto my next query:

2) In your forms do you train both sides the same? - I know WC trains both sides equally but in my Yang Taiji each side is trained differently. Some practitioners train the form twice in order to develop both sides the same way- I choose not to do this, although when I first started I trained both sides. I'm no neuro-scientist but I believe that it is not feasible to fight the same way with each side - my stances are always different (more open with left side forward - I assume to let my right arm get through more easily). Ultimately I think it comes down to two schools of thought -
1 that regardless of which side is forwards you fight the same way
2 that you fight differently with each side with the idea that they are not the same and should be treated differently

what do you think?

[shaolinboxer]

I train both sides for each technique. However, when using the sword a southpaw stance is usually the rule for basic posture, athough you can switch and cross your arms for cuts that move from left to right. Cutting is actually done with the rear hand.

[scotty1]

I try to train both sides to be able to perform the same.

I think my left lead will always be stronger and more comfortable than my right, although I still like to be able to switch if it confers a tactical advantage.

Our style trains both sides equally.

Whatever side I have forward is the side I lead with.

[Kaitain(UK)]

what I'm saying though is the techniques I use with one side are different to those on the other because I have different dynamics on each side - i.e. on a straight right punch I will tend to take the inside line if I'm right side forwards - but with a straight left punch I will tend to go outside if I'm left side forwards. I can force myself to do the same on both sides but it doesn't feel right.

I'm not saying I'm limited to one side - I'm saying that what I do varies according to stance and i question whether that is something that I should try and correct - a boxer is able to switch to upset his opponent but he has a natural shape that feels right to him. I can perform my techniques on both sides, but when they are stress tested then I'm usually only comfortable with one.

e.g. if I'm right side forward I use a lot of snappy jabs and use my left to close down my opponent. If I'm left side forwards I still jab but it's with a view to getting contact so I can stick and use my right to make the entry. Both work for me with equal efficacy.

[fa_jing]

I had a thread not too long ago that addressed this, it was called "develop strong side?" My sifu, although from a primarily WC background, advocates the development of a strong side, one stance that you stay in most of the time. This is so you have trained an automatic response. Now, some of our footwork calls for switching sides, but that doesn't always come into play. I think it's good because it feels natural, if I had a limitless time to practice I would train both sides the same, but to make the most efficient use of my time I'll train the strong stance. For me, it's my weaker lead hand forward. This is so if they come in on me I really can punish them with the rear hand. If we do 6 rounds on the heavy bag it 5 in the strong stance and 1 in the other stance. Same idea goes for sparring, except I don't break it down by round, just stay in the same stance 75% of the time. While, when we practice techniques in the air or drills with a partner it is always both sides equally.
-FJ