Right Lead

[Yum Cha]

I'm one of those stance hopping switching jerks who is pretty much comfortable with both sides.

I blame all the years of southern kung fu for getting me in the habit of doing things equally on both sides. never did that in any other art or sport. Just southern styles of kung fu.

And, if you were slack at it, it was recommended that you work the weak side until it gets better.

Ai Ya! old school!

I know some schools that go to the point of doing forms in mirror image. Personally, I like to do Jik Bo both sided. I compensate by working key techniques on both sides, but really, I have tools for right and tools for left, and they aren't all interchangeable.

[R]

Perhaps an argument for doing both BM and LY as they do tend to lead with opposite sides and share many features..

FWIW

R

[Ray Pina]

And, if you were slack at it, it was recommended that you work the weak side until it gets better.

I agree with you. But I've heard convincing arguments against that too. That a baseball player or tennis player doesn't switch the glove or racket back and forth. You develop the side that's good for you.

Personally, I have things I like to do from one side for a situation and something else I'd do if caught in the same situation on the other side.

When I have my left forward I'm more of a boxing style into wrestling/shooting/leg picks. With my right forward more E-Chuan.

[bawang]

Also train plyometrics for explosive advance. Over and over. That's traditional.

thank you for mentioning plyometrics and giving me good advice. i tried some explosive jumping but i didnt really like it. i can actually shuffle and do foot manervers with weight attached using the cable machine.

[Lucas]

Depends on what it is, but generally I'm a fan of practicing something on one side until I 'get it' for a solid personal reference base to keep from developing bad/incorrect habits on the other side. Situational imo tho. For instance, id prefer to do a throw on the same side over and over and over till I have it, then train the opposite side up after its mine. Yet on something like a turn back kick, I like to train both sides side by side during development.

[-N-]

thank you for mentioning plyometrics and giving me good advice. i tried some explosive jumping but i didnt really like it. i can actually shuffle and do foot manervers with weight attached using the cable machine.

Not jumping specifically, but training your attacking footwork similar to what you are already doing with the cable machine. The weighted cable can give you feedback to improve your movements, but also do the same without the cable and focus specifically on the explosiveness. Also emphasize the eccentric contractions at the endof your movements. Land deep and launch again.

[lance]

A while ago I criticized what I thought was a problem in TCMA which is the overused right hand and right hand lead. Now, as a fighter who prefers throwing, I see the right hand or south paw stance as beneficial for throwing.

What are you thoughts - which hand do you like to lead with in your fighting stance and why?

MightyB , I ' m not going to quote you , just replying to your topic posts . In the
fighting from your horse stance catagory , of this forum I was in an argument too .
That figthing from this stance was no good , but I disaree with this person . The surprising thing is that the person I was arguing with happened to post a topic reply to your topic post , that he really like the right lead . I like the right lead too , there is nothing wrong with over using the right lead , because if you feel that it works best for you why not keep on using it . People , criticize you MightyB , mainly because this right lead did ' nt work for them , but it worked for you . So they want you use another type of stance so they can beat you . So listen to your own instincts MightyB .

I don ' t know what your martial arts back ground is , but if your opponent was in the same stance as you , you still can beat him . Or even if he was in a left lead .
You ' ve been in a fight before so , you pretty much know what to expect .

[Taixuquan99]

MightyB , I ' m not going to quote you , just replying to your topic posts . In the
fighting from your horse stance catagory , of this forum I was in an argument too .
That figthing from this stance was no good , but I disaree with this person . The surprising thing is that the person I was arguing with happened to post a topic reply to your topic post , that he really like the right lead . I like the right lead too , there is nothing wrong with over using the right lead , because if you feel that it works best for you why not keep on using it . People , criticize you MightyB , mainly because this right lead did ' nt work for them , but it worked for you . So they want you use another type of stance so they can beat you . So listen to your own instincts MightyB .

On the bow stance thing, apparently we were speaking past each other, perhaps not, I was only speaking of using as a ready stance, not fighting from, a bow stance. I use bow stance a lot, just not as a ready stance, that's all. I'm not saying that you are wrong if you do, I was merely discussing my approaches, not intending to denigrate those of others.

[lance]

On the bow stance thing , apparently we were speaking by pass eachother .
Perhaps not , I was only speaking of using as a ready stance , not fighting from a bow stance , I use bow stance alot , just not as a ready stance . That ' s all , I ' m
not saying that you ' re wrong if you do . I was merely discussing my aooroaches , not intending to denigrate others .

Taxiquan , okay no problem .

[PalmStriker]

I am also a southpaw and prefer the left lead for fighting. However, I try to train each side equally, even learning forms on both sides. And I demand that my students train both sides equally every class.

I have certain combinations that "feel" more natural from one side or the other. So regardless of how I stand, I have combos that feel natural from whatever side is forward.

MightyB,
I do agree that TCMA can lead to an unbalanced fighting method unless the instructor takes precautions. One of the reasons I always liked Hung Gar and Wing Chun were their emphasis on training both sides of the body in their forms.

Being a cross-lateral lefty (not to be confused with ambidexterity), I lead with my right and Wing Chun supplement has been great through the years to at least feel coordinated (not reactionary) in using both arms for the same functions.

[Darthlawyer]

When I have my left forward I'm more of a boxing style into wrestling/shooting/leg picks. With my right forward more E-Chuan.

Just about everyone I know who grew up doing more traditional style classes, but ended up fighting full contact competitively has said this (to one degree or another). I think its a product in many cases of traditional schools being more likely to emphasize a right side forward form, and most heavy bag and more modern trainers being experienced with a western boxing-style orthodox stance.

[Ray Pina]

In karate I always favored a left lead, but that was because I liked my left side kick.

Then my E-Chuan master taught me a strong lead right. And I liked that.

And then boxing favored the lead left but my old boxing coach liked switching to a lead power right sometimes so we wasn't against it but always told me not to switch, that it was something we'd work on later.... the head coach then through me out of the gym so I didn't get the chance.

[jdhowland]

When I started Bak Sing CLF my teacher liked a right hand lead, so I copied him. It still feels natural to me. Later when I learned Hung Sing I found that its largely a right-handed system and was told you are supposed to train the other side as you mature. In other words, highest percentage first, adaptability later.

But: some techniques are only drilled on one side because of the likelihood of a weapon being in the right hand.

Asymmetrical training is practical. Most weapon systems are so.

[jmd161]

I am also a southpaw and prefer the left lead for fighting. However, I try to train each side equally, even learning forms on both sides. And I demand that my students train both sides equally every class.

I have certain combinations that "feel" more natural from one side or the other. So regardless of how I stand, I have combos that feel natural from whatever side is forward.

MightyB,
I do agree that TCMA can lead to an unbalanced fighting method unless the instructor takes precautions. One of the reasons I always liked Hung Gar and Wing Chun were their emphasis on training both sides of the body in their forms.

I'm right handed but for some reason I've always fought southpaw... before I started training with my current sifu... every sifu I had, taught based off right hand lead. I also have combinations/techniques that feel more natural one side over the other. My current sifu has stressed from day one that everything be done equally... this is instilled in Black Tiger training as once you get to a certain point we have a one armed form. That form is taught to you on your weak side and you must spar from that point on using that side (one arm) against younger brothers who can use both their arms.