I'm having trouble deciding which stance is best for me. Because of boxing traning, I naturally fall into a left foot lead. When I practice my throws, I do it with a right foot lead. And then when randori starts, I get confused.
Any thoughts?
Ambidexterity
Chose the side you are most comfortable with and stick with it. Make a conscious decision now, and eventually it will become unconscious and you will be better off for it. We can't decide which side you should chose, that will be down to yourself and what you feel comfortable with, but you do need to be either a lefty, or a right sided player, not both.
i always tell my judoka to stick with the forward foot they know how to use. if they know how to use it from striking, snowboarding, skate boarding, whatever...
it is easier to teach hands and gripping than how to walk.
i grab with my left first.
it's just so wierd, i feel comfortable with a left foot lead, but i don't feel comfortable entering any throws that way. probably because i've been practicing throws with right foot leads.
there are many misconstrued things in the idea of a natural stance, or being right/left handed.
the guy started out as a right handed striker.. he IS right handed. there is no doubt to that. BUT, now entering the grappling arena he is considered to be LEFT handed.
the paradox is not in him, but in how the two very different arts go about their details.
My experience with adults has taught me that it is way, way harder to teach somebody how to walk than how to grab and hold. Thus, in my club I would force you to keep your left foot forward and go through every single throwing motion I could to find something to build off of for your comfort levels.
Chances are you will not be very good at learning traditional lapel judo. The lapel hand in judo is always the superior hand (what is your right hand) because it demands the most attention to detail.
instead, i'd instruct you to find a grip placement that requires far less skilled movement-- either the high collar, down the back, tricep, near side russian cross grip, or something that isnt the lapel.
next i'd search for a right hand placement that allows you to really use the higher level of accuracy you have with your right hand-- what i mean is i'd have you dominate the sleeve-end (wrist) of uke with your right hand at all costs.
now you have two hand placements that you must always achieve each and very time you grip an opponent or practice a throw. no matter what else happens, you must get those grips or die trying.
from there, the throws will come. i am willing to bet that the majority of your problem is a lack of comfort and very little else. get past the comfort by knowing exactly how to stand, where to put both of your hands 100% of the time, and given enough repetition, imagination, and effort you will see that is isnt as hard as it seems.
the goal of judo is to find something that works for you. it doesnt matter what it is. it doesnt matter how pretty or ugly it is. ive seen olympic champions with judo that was as uglier than mine-- but, guess what, they are still called Olympic Champ all the same.
watch all the videos in the world that you can and when A (and i mean A, not two, not three, not four, but A) throw stands out as the throw you really want to make happen, then you will use the stance, and gripping goals you already developed to force the issue and make that throw work for you.
acm,
I grew up boxing in orthodox stance and I even wrestled left forward so when they tried to make me standi right forward in judo it only lasted for about a month and I said "screw this" and switched and it was night and day.
potent post resnick.....
nice, thanks a lot for the input.
I understnd this "conflict' you are having. I to am not a natural right or left. I started judo with a right foot forward and over the years I developed to left foot forward. I feel more balanced and stronger to attack and defend. My collar grip (left hand) is weaker than my right so there is a trade off. I developed some throws using the collar grip to my left side especially Sasae/taitoshi. Seionage is also a great throw from the collar grip but not one that I do.