Is Shaolin-Do for real?

[Baqualin]

coughing up a hairball when attacked?

Dog stance chases you over the furniture?

hahahahahahaha:d:d:d

[One student]

Don't many sport MMA fighters preach weight forward stance, or at least equal, to make one less susceptible to take downs? Even though MORE susceptible to other things?

[SDJerry]

yeah me too now i cant fight with my weaker side forward any more im a full turned southy

IMO The issue with fighting dominant side forward is that you puts your power up front and exposed. Most people who train dominant side forward have the same problem you mention, they can not fight with the weaker side forward.

Any good fighter will notice that dominant side forward and start attacking that lead leg. What happens is eventually those kicks add up so you switch stances to protect the leg. Now all you have is the side forward you don't train and that's where it starts to get ugly.

That's what I was taught and I've used those tactis so I know they work.

[Judge Pen]

IMO The issue with fighting dominant side forward is that you puts your power up front and exposed. Most people who train dominant side forward have the same problem you mention, they can not fight with the weaker side forward.

Any good fighter will notice that dominant side forward and start attacking that lead leg. What happens is eventually those kicks add up so you switch stances to protect the leg. Now all you have is the side forward you don't train and that's where it starts to get ugly.

That's what I was taught and I've used those tactis so I know they work.

That's excellent advice that I haven't considered before. Years ago I made a conscious effort to train my weak side to try to balance myself out. I'm now better with it, but not where I would like to be. Certain techniques are useless from my left side, but some techniques, like my side kick, are actually as strong or stronger. I like to start out sparring on my left side if its a freindly match to get some work in on that side.

[MasterKiller]

IMO The issue with fighting dominant side forward is that you puts your power up front and exposed. Most people who train dominant side forward have the same problem you mention, they can not fight with the weaker side forward.

Any good fighter will notice that dominant side forward and start attacking that lead leg. What happens is eventually those kicks add up so you switch stances to protect the leg. Now all you have is the side forward you don't train and that's where it starts to get ugly.

That's what I was taught and I've used those tactis so I know they work.

This is precisely why the Chinese San Shou teams switched to orthodox stance. Muay Thai fighters were killing them.

[Old Noob]

What would be the optimal stance if you're cross-dominant? I'm a soutpaw but my right leg is definitely the smarter of the two. I generally fight left hand forward, which puts my power arm up front but leaves my stronger leg. Opinions?

[solo1]

Im testing for Green this weekend someone wish me luck.

[Old Noob]

Im testing for Green this weekend someone wish me luck.

Good luck! The green material rocks!

[Shaolin Wookie]

As for MMA/BJJ stances, it depends on what kind of fighter you are. If I'm squaring off, and there's distance, and I have a kicker in front of me, I fight weak (left) forward, because I want to shoot and post up on my right leg for the takedown (double-leg). Always post up on the dominant leg. If I'm in close and looking for a single-leg, it's right lead because I don't need distance. I want to keep it close. If I'm fighting a grappler, I lead left anyways, since it's the quicker/more flexible of my two legs, oddly enough, even though my right is stronger. So when I sprawl, it's better as a base.

If you're fighting a striker, it doesn't matter as much--just preference. And maybe you can bring him to your power hand with a weak-side stance forward if he doesn't know how to move laterally very well. But you can get thrown off by a grappler who mirrors your stance (your right lead, his left lead). You'll think he's a southy, but he's looking for the takedown. That's why strikers usually get caught by surprise. They think the guy is wide open for kicks from their power leg...and then bam, they're on the ground like a fish out of water.

[MasterKiller]

As for MMA/BJJ stances, it depends on what kind of fighter you are. If I'm squaring off, and there's distance, and I have a kicker in front of me, I fight weak (left) forward, because I want to shoot and post up on my right leg for the takedown (double-leg). Always post up on the dominant leg. If I'm in close and looking for a single-leg, it's right lead because I don't need distance. I want to keep it close. If I'm fighting a grappler, I lead left anyways, since it's the quicker/more flexible of my two legs, oddly enough, even though my right is stronger. So when I sprawl, it's better as a base.

If you're fighting a striker, it doesn't matter as much--just preference. And maybe you can bring him to your power hand with a weak-side stance forward if he doesn't know how to move laterally very well. But you can get thrown off by a grappler who mirrors your stance (your right lead, his left lead). You'll think he's a southy, but he's looking for the takedown. That's why strikers usually get caught by surprise. They think the guy is wide open for kicks from their power leg...and then bam, they're on the ground like a fish out of water.

Sport fighters are taught to fight one-side forward, for the most part, to protect their power leg and setup strikes from the power hand.

When you enter the clinch, all bets are off, but from a purely striking standpoint, I'd have to disagree with your above assessment in regards to the general consensus. It's almost always power-side back, except for situations when you use a switch-kick or something similar. But even then you return as quickly as possible to prevent leaks in your guard.

[Lucas]

personally, i keep it my left forward, to take the damage, and set up for my stonger strikes. id say my jab is pretty much the same with either fist though. its a jab, pretty easy to bring up to speed imo.

on a side note, i dont practice sd, but im glad you guys offer up technical discussion here.

[tattooedmonk]

Shouldn't our training include reducing and/ or eliminating a dominate side??

[Judge Pen]

Shouldn't our training include reducing and/ or eliminating a dominate side??

Yes, but you're fighting mother nature there. Most people, even with training, will still have stronger sides depending on the technique. You can minimize it, but it will still be there.

[Facepalm]

I know that the Elder Masters in Colorado continually stress practicing everything twice as much on your weaker side. They say to do this because "hes not always gonna be on your right side" and also to combat health problems associated with only using your right (like how baseball players and tennis players get bad elbows and shoulders from all the dominant handed repetitive motions they must preform).

On a side note... this month weve been learning the single ended staff form and I think ive been over doing the La Na Chas. Ive really done a number on my right knee dropping into reverse bow for the Na and shifting into forward for the Cha.

Do you guys have any pointers for reducing or preparing myself for knee torques like this in the future?....

Theres gonna be alot of spear down the road for me and Id like to prevent injury.

[MasterKiller]

Shouldn't our training include reducing and/ or eliminating a dominate side??

I think that you have to weigh what's most efficient and practical against what's more inclusive; in this case, I think it's much more efficient and practical to train one side to get the power and weight distribution maximized for those techniques versus splitting your training time for both sides in case one side is disabled. Really, if you are hurt bad enough that you can use your natural power side, your chances in the fight are slim to remote anyway.