the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Short version: I probably asked you before. But both theoretically/practically, what is a good guideline? Any studies or practical learning or teaching anecdotes, please?

Long version:
If my non-dominant side is left side, should I work left 2x my right? 3x? This is a sport question. I'm injured but can work on my left side coordination/technique in the meantime. Need something productive to do while out of commission.

If you want to use an MA example, any example would do, but something that pops into my head is speed bag coordination. A non-MA example might be shooting basketball with L and R hand only. How much do you need to do to achieve 80% coordination of dominant side (measured for example by % of baskets)? Assume someone of average talent and dominant side is way better.

2 things are useful IMO.

1) Skill tasks. These include the sorts of things you mention, but also adding large scale variety. General skill tasks like Brush your teeth left handed, open doors, butter bread etc. as well as specific skill tasks like throwing and catching a ball left handed, then against a wall, then bouncing it etc.

2) Adding stresses to the non-dominant arm like stretching, contractions etc. looking at the structure of dominant and non dominant sides there is often a physical differece due to the unblanaced stresses over a lifetime.

"Davis's law is used in anatomy and physiology to describe how soft tissue models along imposed demands. It is the corollary to Wolff's law, which applies to osseous tissue. It is a physiological principle stating that soft tissue heal according to the manner in which they are mechanically stressed."

So if you impose new demands on your non-domiant sides, tissue addaption and remodelling will occure. Combined with the skill tasks above (training neruology and signals) you should get decent results.

hope it helps.

Thanks a lot. Basically I'm working my left foot to control a soccer/football. These are moderate to high skill moves (not bragging about myself; I am mediocre which is ok) so it will take a long time.

It's ok if the short answer is "10,000 hours"; right now I'll try to work my left foot 90% of the time to see how much it can catch up to my right and how quickly in a game ("sparring") situation. I could measure failed passes to targets but that is too theoretical and not subject to realistic pressure. The way I also interpret the physiological changes is that my right side needs to "post" a lot better as well; it's not just about my "active" and "technical" foot of course; my right leg has a lot of learning to do.

Have you read the talent code? Might be a good one as it is very much about learning and embedding new skill. In short the 10,000 hours thing isnt necissarilly correct.

All the best with your rehab and training

This is a big debate in theFMA community
Just remember any time you spend on the non dominate side is borrowed from the dominant side
Take the long tai chi form it is predominantly right side lead yet the left hand has a vital role
Since we are mentioning soccer here ,do your strikers fill the same role as your goalkeeper and have the same skills
Saying all that even though I don't do my weapon forms both hands I do preliminary exercises with both
Someone looking on could not tell the difference but I can feel it
The old one about if my left hand is damaged I can change my weapon to the right is problematic
If my head gets cut off do I think with my feet
One Wu school I trained in made you face the class and teach mirror image
This was to relate to beginners and dampen the ego
The main question is do you wish to be
A jack of all trades and a master of none
Just train ,all training is good

Thanks a lot.

Someone looking on could not tell the difference but I can feel it

This would be an ideal level for me to get to. If others couldn't tell I'm right footed, that's more than sufficient. Good point about opportunity cost. I don't need to spend all my time on my left foot, only a few things (receiving with good 1st touch, short pass, occasional shot, a little dribbling and 1 or 2 change of direction moves, slightly better aerial control). It's a manageable list.

On the left vs. right part, I have a theory (this could be b.s.) that working my left coordination helps my right side a little. I wonder if this is true at all? Maybe it's psychological. If I learn a move on my left first (my left is better at only one specific move), it seems my right feels like it can catch up faster. Not sure that's true as I am not counting the hours it took to add this move. Any theories or evidence or stories?