Drills - Same side or alternate sides?

[Oldguy]

When you are drilling a new technique, do you drill the same side over and over? Or, do you alternate sides for each execution of the technique?

For me, the biggest challenge is not doing the technique correctly. It is drilling the technique into the depths of my soul that it emerges when I need it.

Which works better for making a technique a part of your game?

(this is the biggest challenge in all of Jiu Jitsu - getting a technique into your everyday game)

 

[Ballzilla]

I'm new to it all (2 weeks of training). I've been told to drill both sides so that's what I do.

 

[HomerPlata]

Most often it will be both sides, but some days I decide to emphasise my weak side, and some days I enjoy the ego boost of tightening up my 'good side' technique. Training both sides is invaluable. I had a match last week and my - usually solid - 'good side' armbar failed, but I was thankful for drilling both sides when I got an opportunity to armbar on my weaker side, and I took it.

 

[An end for]

Truth be told, I'm slow to learn new techniques, so I just focus on doing them to one side until I have a basic grasp on the technique. Then, I start to drill it on both sides.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

alternateee

 

[Hellboy31]

Both sides.

 

[ks1911shooter]

If I recall correctly, I once heard from Royler Gracie (or read in one of his books) that he believes in drilling only one side until you get the move down. The reason is because when learning a new move, it takes enough effort as it is to pay attention to getting all the details right and committing them to muscle memory that you're better served by perfecting one side first. Once you can perform the move correctly on your strong side, the mirror image of the move is much easier to learn.

 

[FollowYourBliss]

I normally drill a move on only one side for 20 minutes straight. Then I start changing up sides with whatever amount of time is left in that class.

 

[hustles]

When working techniques on the ground I tend to drill stuff on my primary side until I really have it down and then I start working my secondary side. Some moves I feel more ambidextrous about and others I find even with drilling are only comfortable on one side. Drilling repetitions are important and you have to build up the muscle memory for both sides because you will not always have an option on the ground of which side you can pass or which side half-guard you end up in ect.

When it comes to most throws however, I will only train them with my primary grips, as there is no way I would attempt a throw without my optimum grips, my judo is only so-so. My rationale is that in competition if I don't get the desired grips and am unable to set up a throw with full confidence I will just pull guard, which is generally my strategy anyway.

 

[Il Wop-O]

I once heard from a kinesiologist that when you aim to perform a movement ambidextrously, learn it first on your weak side. Once you have developed the movement on your weak side, then you should be able to almost seamlessly perform the repetitions on your dominant side. On the other hand (no pun intended) if you learn and do the initial reps on your dominant side, your brain will basically have to "translate" the movements to mirror-image, causing muscular confusion and timing gaps.

So I first do the movement breakdowns on my weak side, then I'll rep the move on my weak side 4 or 5 times, until it feels somewhat smooth, then I'll alternate side-to-side reps evenly thereafter.

But not for wrestling or Judo. My takedowns are always done dominant side, so I'm not taking my own advice there. I should probably change that. I bet it would up my takedown percentages!

 

[EchoBoomer]

Ambidexterity is a huge benefit in combat sports and athletics in general. Don't limit yourself.

 

[newerest]

I once heard from a kinesiologist that when you aim to perform a movement ambidextrously, learn it first on your weak side. Once you have developed the movement on your weak side, then you should be able to almost seamlessly perform the repetitions on your dominant side. On the other hand (no pun intended) if you learn and do the initial reps on your dominant side, your brain will basically have to "translate" the movements to mirror-image, causing muscular confusion and timing gaps.

So I first do the movement breakdowns on my weak side, then I'll rep the move on my weak side 4 or 5 times, until it feels somewhat smooth, then I'll alternate side-to-side reps evenly thereafter.

But not for wrestling or Judo. My takedowns are always done dominant side, so I'm not taking my own advice there. I should probably change that. I bet it would up my takedown percentages!

I hate hearing "bro science" in any way (yo bro, your arm isnt really that hurt, one time i hurt my arm and now its fine!), but this is defintely good advice. makes more sense than just working on your strong side for sure.

good post

 

[cenix]

i alternate on my drills.

 

[bjornvil]

I concentrate on doing it on my good side.

 

[mtruitt76]

I alternate and train both sides, but it doesn't always translate when sparring. I have techniques which I pretty much only do on one side.

 

[redaxe]

I do probably like 80% on my good side and 20% on my retarded side. Maybe that just makes that side even more retarded. I'm going to try what Il Wop-O recommended next class.

 

[Il Wop-O]

I hate hearing "bro science" in any way (yo bro, your arm isnt really that hurt, one time i hurt my arm and now its fine!), but this is defintely good advice. makes more sense than just working on your strong side for sure.

good post

I was trying to make it clear that this was not my advice but something that I had been told. I wish I could remember the source.

But it has worked for me, for whatever it's worth.

 

[CyberFreq]

I do probably like 80% on my good side and 20% on my retarded side. Maybe that just makes that side even more retarded. I'm going to try what Il Wop-O recommended next class.

This made me lol.

I like to train about 60 good/40 bad. It's nice having a side that you are 'better' on so you can rely more on it, but it's also nice to be able to do the reverse if the situation calls for it.