Re: Stong Side VS. Weak Side? – The Self Defense Company

Re: Stong Side VS. Weak Side?

#13171
James Goolsby
Participant

David,

Let me ask you this: what do you prefer and/or what is more natural?

I don’t mean to sound like I’m taking your question lightly, but who gives a rat’s ass what anyone else thinks? One of the problems with martial arts, and even so-called combat systems like Krav (and I, too, trained in Krav Maga; it’s just no longer my “go to” like SDTS) is that they often emphasize one way to do things, or what they consider the “right” way. But why should you have to adjust your methods to accommodate them? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? If my body cannot perform a particular technique, does that mean I can’t be effective? (I once had an instructor refuse to promote me to the next belt level because I refused to do a forward roll in a straight line due to my neck problems. I rolled more diagonally across from one shoulder to the opposite hip and he said I was doing it “incorrectly”. My response was, “What is the goal here? I got out of the way, didn’t I?” Needless to say, I wasn’t with that school much longer after that.)

One of the great things about SDTS is that there is no “right” way. Damian teaches principles, not techniques. Sure, he may demonstrate a technique for a particular dynamic, but in the end it’s up to you to decide what works best for YOU. For example, there is this concept of throwing an opponent’s head back and creating a whiplash effect on them. Does is matter if we do this with a chin jab, double chin jab, edge of hand, etc.? Hell, if you can generate enough force to get the same effect, I say slap ’em on the forehead like the ol’ “I coulda hadda V8” commercial! Laugh That’s the genius of his system. It works around you. Damian himself even says that he only uses about a half-dozen or so “techniques” out of the entire system; he has found what works for him. You just need to do the same. And note, your 5 or 6 may or may not be the same as his 5 or 6… and that’s okay.

Whenever you have a question regarding technique, just analyze it like I have here. Begin with the end result in mind. Ask yourself, “What are they trying to achieve with this particular move?” Then, after you have figured out what they are going for, see if you can adjust it to fit your particular situation. It may be something as simple as switching from strong to weak side or vice-versa.

We actually have a Sergeant in my department who wears a prosthetic eye much like yourself. And, interestingly enough, he doesn’t “fight” like anyone else. He has had to figure out ways around it. Even more interesting, however, is that this often gives him an advantage: the bad guy really doesn’t see it coming. His style is so unorthodox that dirtbag is expecting one thing and he gives ’em something completely different. He has turned his “disability” into a strength. But he did it by being willing to work outside of the box of what is considered “proper” defensive tactics.

Just do what feels natural for you. If it is “wrong”, well, so be it. Maybe that’s just the edge you need. Smile