Are you as good with your knife with both hands?

[msu124]

Can you use your knife just as well with your left hand as well as with your right? I tried with my left and found it much easier than i thought it would be

 

[HJK]

I'm not. But each hand specializes according to its ability and strength, as in boxing.

 

[BalisongMan]

Just as good with both, but some of my tricks I work on only with certain hands (right for flipping and tossing, left for catching).

 

[ExamonLyf]

I've worked on the hand-to-hand independence for a lonnnnnnng time...., but I'm still a tad better/quicker/smoother right handed (I am right-handed).

I do think "mirroring" helps facilitate proficiency as long as you don't only mirror what you do with your stronger hand with the "off-hand".

Some folks seem to not like "mirroring" at all, but that smacks directly in the face of quite a few "Motor-Memory Studies" done by some very reputable Kinesiologists.

If you only do "Copy" techniques <~~ the EXACT same manipulations with both hands.., you will develop a dependence that is a hinderance to developing independence between your left and right hand. This varies greatly individually, and there is certainly carry-over value for those that have been active in sports and skills that require independature between hands (i.e., Basketball) <~~ just an obvious example.

It seems that a combination of "mirror" techniques in combination with a true effort to incorporate independent manipulations works best for most people. The exact formula depends on what you bring to the art of Balisong manipulation by way of experience.

Much like percussionists, the very best of Balisong artists.., develop almost total independature between hands. This does take time and patience.., and a little blood .


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"

 

[hogman]

the very best with Balis.., develop almost total independature between hands

Actually its not called independature, its called indepententerinsitivitiness.

I actually am not that great with both hands, but am working on it. I thought my bass playing background would give me a headstart but apparently not; actually, its been the other way around, balis have improved my playing!

 

[zxas]

I really need to work on my left hand.

 

[Agent-A1]

I can do most of the tricks I know with both. I usually do ariel drills to work on my skill. Just throwing it back and forth between hands varying static/motion/reverse grip, grip, open/close. Works well.

 

[Random]

My aerials are better with my right hand, but other than that they are equal. Oh, yeah, I’m left handed. Go figure.

 

[7Cain]

Unfortunately, my right arm suffers from an old Akido injury (my radius and ulna are locked side-by-side), this prevents me from rotating my wrist (i.e., palm up, palm down) when my arm is bent 90 degrees at the elbow. My gymnastics suffered from it when I was younger and I am also considered ineligible for military service (since my bones won't allow me to do pull-ups). It is sometimes a drawback to have a permanently dislocated elbow, but where some moves require a stiff wrist and no roll action I am KING

Having a busted right arm has taught me to be ambidextrous and if it weren't for the Balisong, my dexterity would be far less than it actually is. I can do everything I know with both hands just in case something happens, that's why we have 2 arms (but I still can't manipulate with my feet).

A more difficult task than being ambidextrous is having variable eye dominance!

 

[ExamonLyf]

Sounds like you turned a potential handicap into a personal strength Cain...AWESOME!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"

 

[Blasto]

Boy, there are some talented people here. But, sadly, I must say, my left hand is far behind my right in performance and ability, not to mention the lack of dependance. I only considered using my left hand about a year ago. That's why I tell everyone who is beginning, to learn with both hands right away. But, I’ve got the two-handed "machine gun technique" (coined by Master Clay) down to about 8 ricochets per second.

7Cain, I've been teaching Scott Gracia how to manipulate balisongs for about two weeks now. On my last visit, I remembered to emphasize the point of using both hands. But, it turns out that he too is limited to one hand. He put his right arm through a window when he was 5 and lost most of his nerves, muscles and tendons because of it. Only then did it make sense to me how he was able to pick up every move I taught him so well with his other hand. When you lack one of a pair, the remainder will inevitably pick up the slack so to speak. The human body is great that way.