Learn Twice as Fast with Half the Training

One of the first things I learned about martial arts training is to practice the technique on both sides, the right and the left. This kept our body in balance and trained both sides equally on the feeling of the movement. This was the way I and many others have practiced for many years.

During my last trip to Japan Nagato-sensei asked me if I trained on both sides. I answered, "Of course," feeling sure that was the answer he was looking for. He shook his hand at me and said that I didn't need to do that. Flabergasted at his statement I asked him to repeat himself. He again stressed that I didn't need to do that -- training on one side is enough. I said, "Yeah, but what about balancing the training on both sides. My experience has been that students who only train on one side can get good on one side but the other side remains like a beginner." He gave a sly grin and said, "Well, the 'good side' really isn't good then." He could see that I was utterly confused and went on to explain what he meant.

In taijutsu the body works as a whole, not in sides. When you train, work only on one side. That side gets better and better. Soon you will reach a level where the body will automatically transfer the learning of the trained side to the untrained side. If you trained the conventional way, it would take you twice as long to get good because each side is being trained. Of course there are some things you should train on with both sides, ukemi, kihon happo forms, and sanshin no kata. The henka and other training to get the feeling of the techniques should be done only on one side.

Needless to say, I was shocked. I had been training for over sixteen years and could have gotten this good in only eight?! It seemed too good to be true. My own experience had shown me that the exact opposite was true. Or so I thought. I still had some doubt about this. The next day Hatsumi-soke was teaching at the Hombu Dojo. A little way into the training he stressed to everyone the exact same thing!! Nagato-sensei also added to what Soke was saying. During the tea break I went to Hatsumi-soke and asked him about this. Why does this kind of training work? He again reiterated what Nagato-sensei told me the night before that the body works as a whole and that you don't need to train both sides. Once one side gets to a certain level of proficiency then the knowledge transfers over automatically. He emphasized that kenjutsu training is all one-sided, right hand in front, yet Sensei can switch hands on the sword at will to create better distance or angling. In some of the ryu-ha densho the waza specifically state to punch with the right hand first but that is obviously not always going to be the case in a real situation. Takamatsu-sensei never stressed to him to train on each side to keep balance in training. And now that I write this, I don't think I've never heard Sensei stress to train on each side. Another student there that day added that the Feldenkrais training is also one-sided.

On the way home from training I started thinking. If this method of training is true then why can't I write as well with my left hand? I think that it's because writing is a detailed act. That is something in which specific muscles in your hands and arm perform. Taijutsu is a whole-body action. Okay, then why can't I swing a baseball bat as well with my left? My right side may not be good enough. If pro baseball players are always getting coaching on their swing, hip rotation, stance, etc., then certainly my ability is severely lacking. I also don't play baseball everyday. Later that day I watched my little niece 22 months of age walking around, she didn't have to practice stepping with the right foot first and then practice using the left foot first. When she walks up the steps she doesn't fall when she steps up with her left rather than her right. So I really began to believe this training is the best way to improve. I certainly don't think Nagato- and Hatsumi-sensei sat down and decided to play a joke on everyone to see how many people they could dupe with an outragous lie. And as I said before, during my many years training in Japan not once have I heard Hatsumi-sensei stress training on both sides.

To those who wish to practice this please note that not all physical training should be done in this manner. If you go to the gym and only workout your right side thinking the left muscles will get stronger, you're sadly mistaken. If you use taijutsu as a workout and not for budoh training (and, yes, there is a difference) you should use both sides. The body is symmetrical and works best in symmetry. If the muscles get bigger and stronger on one side more than the other, you've done more harm than good. Another example is punching drills. If you only hit the bag with the right and expect the left to take the same impact stress as the right, you'll be sadly disappointed.

I advise everyone who has read this article to take this message to heart and start training in this manner. Sensei told me once that there are too many people out there who question what he tells them. The only way he got to where he is today is by closely listening to and following what Takamatsu-sensei told him. He didn't question it or deny it. In many cases it took him many years after Takamatsu-sensei's death to come to a full understanding of something that Takamatsu-sensei told him many years ago. This is the same with us. We are but insects holding on to the horse's tail. If we hang on we will go far. Soke keeps stressing to me the importance of finding good teacher and sticking with him. Well, in my opinion, there is no better teacher than Soke, and this is how he has told us to train. This insect is hanging on for a long ride. I hope you will too.