Ambidextrous moves: Quite often I am asked if students should aspire to become equally adept at moves on both sides of the body. My answer is that in the case of defensive moves where the opponent chooses which side he attacks, you ought to be ambidextrous with your moves. So for example, in the case of escapes from side pins, you ought to be equally adept on both sides since your opponent may attack from either. If you can only perform escapes from side pins on your right side and he pins you on your left – you're in trouble – so practice on both sides. In the case of moves where you get to choose which side you apply the move from – say a guillotine strangle – it's ok to be expert on one side and not on the other. Most champions can only perform their favorite offensive moves on one side. A good general rule is that most defensive moves ought to be ambidextrous whilst most offensive moves can be mono-dexterous. Remember that for most moves it's better to be truly excellent on one side than average on both sides. The human body itself is not symmetrical and in most cases, neither will be your jiu jitsu.
