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Old 07-13-2004, 07:01 AM   #1
Jimmy The Pict
Dojo: L'art du chi
Location: Edinburgh
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 5
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Ambi-clumsy

I have been describe by a friend in the past as being ambi-clumsy (although to be precise the opposite of ambidextrous should be ambisinister, but sounds very odd ).

Right handed:
Writing
Hammering etc
Throwing

Left handed:
Dealing cards.
Opening jars.

Either handed:
Hoeing
Using knife and fork (just don't as me to lay the table)
Using screwdriver.


What I mean by this is that I do a lot of things quite badly with both sides of my body, and this applies to my newly started training in Aikido.

I do find some benefit though in Aikido that I do not have a preference for left or right handed versions of a technique. Is there any evenly balanced ambidextrous Aikidoka out there.

Q. Is the use of a bokken only ever performed right handed?

Cheers Aye,

Jim Copeland.
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Old 07-13-2004, 07:11 AM   #2
batemanb
 
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Dojo: Seibukan Aikido UK
Location: body in UK, heart still in Japan
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,031
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Re: Ambi-clumsy

Quote:
Jim Copeland wrote:
Q. Is the use of a bokken only ever performed right handed?
Hi Jim,

Odd name for a Scot

I'll jump in quick here, in kenjutsu yes, Japanese swordsmen were all right handed, so I am informed. Some dojo's stick with this premise, however, when I lived in Japan, one of my Sensei's taught Aiki Ken, this is different to Kenjutsu, aimed specifically as Aikido with a sword, and was therefore practiced both sides.

rgds

Bryan

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
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Old 07-13-2004, 07:19 AM   #3
Jimmy The Pict
Dojo: L'art du chi
Location: Edinburgh
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 5
Scotland
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Re: Ambi-clumsy

Quote:
Bryan Bateman wrote:

Odd name for a Scot

Bryan
Got the name while wargamming with a Pictish army (Robbie the Pict was at that time in the news objecting about the Skye Bridge toll so it kinda stuck).

Cheers Aye

Jim Copeland.
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Old 07-13-2004, 07:41 AM   #4
batemanb
 
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Re: Ambi-clumsy

I meant the name Jim

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
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Old 07-13-2004, 02:09 PM   #5
p00kiethebear
 
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Dojo: Tonbo Dojo
Location: Bainbridge Island WA
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Re: Ambi-clumsy

Quote:
in kenjutsu yes, Japanese swordsmen were all right handed, so I am informed.
I remember a good story about a famous samurai who was born left handed, trained right handed, then went back to left hand later. He supposedly "perfected" a left handed thrust. He won alot of duels because the opponent wasn't expecting the sudden hand change. Can anyone give me the name of this guy?

Anyway. Yes we all train right handed these days. But in my school when we get to san dan we begin doing left-one-handed katana work to strengthen our arms for katana-wakizashi two sword work....

I wish I was san dan =/

"Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity"
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Old 07-13-2004, 03:53 PM   #6
Ian Upstone
Location: Sussex
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 80
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Re: Ambi-clumsy

I too am ambi-clumsy. I think I'm naturally left handed but of course live in a right handed world, so I've had to adapt, and certain things I now do more naturally right handed (like holding a bokken).

I think it's an advantage in aikido (but then I would say that ) especially if you make an effort to train both sides equally. A lot of folk seem to take longer to develop confident left-handed breakfalls for example.

Then again I might just be equally awful rather than equally average...
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Old 07-14-2004, 02:17 AM   #7
solidsteven
Dojo: Aikikai-Liechtenstein
Location: Liechtenstein
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 23
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Re: Ambi-clumsy

Quote:
I remember a good story about a famous samurai who was born left handed, trained right handed, then went back to left hand later. He supposedly "perfected" a left handed thrust. He won alot of duels because the opponent wasn't expecting the sudden hand change. Can anyone give me the name of this guy?
I know that Saito Hajime of the Shinsengumi had perfected a left handed gotetsu (thrust), but i dont know if he was born left handed.

Japanese are rarely born as left handed.
About 3% of the Japanese are born left handed and that is not very much compared to other countries (in Europe its 20-30%)

In old Japan left handed people were counted as "retarded" but that is still better than in Europe. Here we (Im left handed to) were thought as "satanic" and we got killed!

right handed people are mean
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Old 07-14-2004, 02:38 AM   #8
Jimmy The Pict
Dojo: L'art du chi
Location: Edinburgh
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Wink Re: Ambi-clumsy

[quote=Steven Wohlwend]
In old Japan left handed people were counted as "retarded" but that is still better than in Europe. Here we (Im left handed to) were thought as "satanic" and we got killed!
QUOTE]

I think from latin - dexter, right so we have dextrous
sinister, left so we have suggesting of threat of evil.

So we get ambisinister meaning evil in both hands

Cheers Aye,

Jim Copeland
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Old 07-14-2004, 03:30 AM   #9
kironin
 
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Re: Ambi-clumsy

Quote:
Jim Copeland wrote:
What I mean by this is that I do a lot of things quite badly with both sides of my body, and this applies to my newly started training in Aikido.

I do find some benefit though in Aikido that I do not have a preference for left or right handed versions of a technique. Is there any evenly balanced ambidextrous Aikidoka out there.

Q. Is the use of a bokken only ever performed right handed?

Cheers Aye,
Jim Copeland.

Hi Jim,

Being a lefty/ambi is fine for aikido.

myself:

Left-handed:
writing
using scissors (either actually because I had to make do)
kicking (left footed in soccer comes much easier)

Right-handed:
golf swing
baseball (though I can throw, bat and catch with either)
swimming flip turn (though I can do left also just not quite as smooth so that it did matter when I was competitive swimmer)

ambi
in this rightist world, not clear what's because of adaptation !


as a lefty/ambi
my revenge is


flipping my hands with a bokken and making my students do the mirror image. heh heh heh
also do that with the jo too. they hate that.

A friend told me a story about Mitsuzuka Takeshi Sensei, hachidan in Iaido (one of Nakayama Hakudo Sensei last students) at a seminar some years ago. He had demonstrating and teaching from the front of the class. My friend said that what Mitsuzuka Sensei had demonstrated in that class had been so seemingly effortless and smooth that it didn't dawn on him till near the end of class that he was actually a mirror image of the students! He had switched and was doing it all left-handed.

so every once in a while, I humble myself by doing the same with my sword. My noto needs some more work on that side.

so yeah, it can be done either side with a bokken. It's just not convention.

stand up for your lefts!
Craig
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Old 07-14-2004, 03:35 AM   #10
kironin
 
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Re: Ambi-clumsy

Quote:
Steven Wohlwend wrote:
Japanese are rarely born as left handed.
About 3% of the Japanese are born left handed and that is not very much compared to other countries (in Europe its 20-30%)

In old Japan left handed people were counted as "retarded" but that is still better than in Europe. Here we (Im left handed to) were thought as "satanic" and we got killed!

right handed people are mean
I thought it was around 11% in the USA.

Given a simple Dawinian approach, you would think the lowest number would be Europe and the highest Japan.

stand up for your lefts!
Craig
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